The Western Rural Development Center hosted its Community Development Workshop, “Learn, Lead, Transform,” in Honolulu, Hawaii from April 7–9. The event brought together extension professionals, faculty, and applied researchers from land-grant universities and sea grant college programs across the Pacific region.
Several past and present CHL partners attended, including Jean Butel (CHL Hawai‘i Lead), Ashley Yamanaka (CHL Assistant Director), Patricia Coleman (CHL CNMI Lead), Tayna Belyeu-Camacho (past CHL CNMI Intervention Lead), and Bob Barber (past CHL Guam Intervention Lead). Additional participants represented institutions including the College of Micronesia, American Samoa Community College, University of Hawai‘i, University of Guam, Northern Marianas College, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The workshop focused on strengthening community development practice, with sessions covering grant writing, updated USDA proposal guidance, community and economic development strategies, strategic visioning and planning, asset mapping and assessment, and approaches to understanding local economies and enhancing community livability.
Participants also engaged in site visits to community-based organizations, including Paepae o He‘eia, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond, and Kāko‘o ʻŌiwi in the He‘eia wetlands. These visits highlighted Indigenous agriculture and traditional food systems in Hawai‘i, demonstrating how cultural knowledge and community-driven economic efforts support the restoration, preservation, and long-term sustainability of local communities.
