The meeting fell between the Lunar New Year (Year of the Pig) and Valentine's Day, and members were encouraged to dress festively in red. The ladies all had a wonderful time networking and catching up with each other at Natsunoya Tea House, a long-time local's favorite venue, and the centerpieces of almond cookies and red teacups reflected the New Year celebration and tea house.

EWI Honolulu chapter welcomed back Malia Sanders, and speaker and Lead Cultural Trainer Hi'ilani Shibata, both with the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association. Hi'ilani has not only presented to EWI before, but has also trained our Tiki's Ohana staff members in olelo Hawai'i (Hawaiian language) during last summer's Tiki's All Staff Meeting!

For this last EWI meeting, Hi'ilani spoke to the all-women group about the goddess Hina. Hina has many forms and stories in all the Polynesian cultures, and goes by many similar names. The stories that Hi'ilani chose all centered on Hina's empowering nature, and sought to inspire the women to tap into the female Hina essence that exists in every women and man. She also shared information about one of NaHHA's community outreach programs, one that helps incarcerated women rehabilitate and re-integrate into society. NaHHA partners with the Western Pacific Fishery Council to produce a lunar calendar for the women that contains the many empowering lessons of Hina and that ties into their community work with the WP Council.

Through its monthly meetings and fundraising events, EWI provides its members with a true sense of Community and Connection while also helping to further Career opportunities. February's meeting was a great reminder of how special and important those bonds are.

Special Links:
*Executive Women International (EWI Honolulu)
*Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA)
*Kaulana Mahina 2019 Calendar - available for free download
*Manoa Heritage Center

EWI Member Firms Present:

C. S. Wo & Sons
CenturyLink
Cowabunga! Computers
First Foundation Bank
First Hawaiian Bank
Hawaii Audiology Consultants Inc.
Hawaii Convention Center
Hawaii Stage & Lighting Rentals, Inc.
Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
Hawaiian Electric
Howard Hughes Corporation
Insurance Solutions, LLC
Ito Healthcare Group
Jacobs and Associates
Keller Williams Honolulu
Lamination House Inc.
Make-A-Wish Hawaii
Marie Louise Fine Garment Cleaners
New York Life Insurance
Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co
Office Girl Empire LLC
Pacific Business News
Plaza Club, The
Prince Waikiki
Punahou School
Remedy Intelligent Staffing
Research Corporation of
the University of Hawaii
Robert Half International
Robert Half International
Roberts Hawaii, Inc.
Samantha Kasnetz
Starwood Hotels in Waikiki
Tiki's Grill and Bar 💗💗💗
Where Hawaii