Founder of Hakipuʻu Learning Center and activist
Charlene Hoe (born circa 1947) is the founder of Hakipuʻu Learning Center, a delegate for the historic 1978 Hawaii State Constitutional Convention, educator, and activist.[1][2][3][4][5]
Hoe was born in Minnesota.[4] She graduated from Macalester College, where she met her husband, Calvin Hoe.[4] In 1968, Calvin and Charlene got married in Minnesota.[4] After getting married, Charlene and Calvin volunteered with the Peace Corps to taught English as a second language in Micronesia.[4] In 1970 Charlene and Calvin returned to Hawaii and Charlene gave birth to their first son Kala.[4] Charlene would go onto have two other children, Liko and Kawai.[4]
In the 1970s, Hoe participated in the Waiāhole-Waikāne struggle.[4] In 1971, Charlene and Calvin bought the Waiahole Poi Factory and continued to serve food while also using the space as a gallery for native Hawaiians artists.[6] In 1978, Hoe was a delegate for the historic Hawaii State Constitutional Convention that worked toward getting native Hawaiians more political power over Hawaiian affairs from the U.S. Federal Government.[1][4]
In 2001, Hoe, in collaboration with Judy Layfield, oversaw the Strategic Planning Enhancement Group (SPEG) in the Kamehameha Schools that sought to find and analyze the potential ways that Kamehameha Schools could expand and/or improve its educational efforts among Native Hawaiians.[7] Also in 2001, Charlene founded the Hakipuʻu Learning Center charter school that focuses on hands-on learning and prioritizing Hawaiian culture.[3][8] Aside from being the founder, Hoe was also Hakipuʻu Learning Center's resource specialist and administrator.[4][9]
Charlene Hoe is also featured in the 2022 anthology We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States by Naomi Hirahara and published by the Smithsonian Institution and Running Press Kids.[10]
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