ABOUT
|
What is the Exchange?
THE EXCHANGE is a series of evening events, held weekly, featuring guest presentations, performances, and activities. Sessions explore the pressing issues, histories, challenges, innovations, and vibrant cultures that make the Asia-Pacific region unique. THE EXCHANGE is a chance for students and distinguished guests to share their time and their ideas, with each becoming better informed and better connected as a result. THE EXCHANGE is planned and produced by graduate students at the East-West Center. Location Imin International Conference Center East-West Center 1777 East-West Road Honolulu, Hawaii 
|
Spring 2024 "Kinship and Reciprocity in a Changing World" Aloha everyone! In the Spring of 2024, the East-West Center proudly presents its Spring Exchange, encompassing eight enriching sessions. This event will showcase a lineup of eminent personalities including academics, musicians, and performing artists, each bringing a unique perspective from various cultural backgrounds. The Spring Exchange, set to occur from February 5 through April 8, focuses on kinship-building and fostering reciprocal relationships between people, communities, the land, and its other inhabitants. Participants will be immersed in the rich cultural tapestry of Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific, gaining insights via traditional, political, and scientific viewpoints. Through a blend of informative presentations, dynamic performances, and collaborative activities, the series offers a deep dive into these cultures. Students and community members of the East-West Center are invited to engage actively, bringing their questions and insights to these sessions. Mark your calendars for the inaugural session of the Fall Exchange, taking place on February 5 from 18:30 to 20:30. This event will be held at the Imin International Conference Center of the East-West Center. Meet the Spring 2024 Exchange Team below! Mahalo! The Exchange Team |
Meet the Fall 2024 Exchange Team!
ASHLEY CLARK
Planning & Speakers Intern Ashley is an MA student in Geography from Cincinnati, Ohio. Living in Taiwan inspired her to research natural farming and human-environment relations through tea cultivation for her MA thesis. Kinship and reciprocity are recurring values in her personal and academic journey, inspiring her to further explore these topics with the community in the Spring ’24 season of The Exchange. She is curious about regenerative Web3 applications (ReFi), alternative economies, and governance structures, and is passionate about supporting farmers in their transition to regenerative practices. 
KYUNG MOO KIM
Communications Intern Kyung Moo is a medical student who plans to specialize in psychiatry. He has a BA in Economics and a Certificate in Classical Studies with emphasis in Latin. He joined the East-West Center to learn more about history, culture, and community of the Asia-Pacific. He is interested in alleviating distress and restoring hope in patients with treatment-resistant pathology. He is passionate about interventional psychiatry and healthcare delivery in low-resource settings. Born in Seoul, Korea, he spent portions of his childhood in Champaign, IL, Concord, MA, and Honolulu, HI. He recognizes the importance of kinship and reciprocity and is excited to serve as the communications intern for the Spring 24 Exchange. 
JESSICA LAU
Activities Intern
|
NAZAR RAHMANI Logistics Intern Nazar Rahmani, a graduate student in the Economics department and Graduate Degree Student Fellow (GDF), hails from Afghanistan. Having studied in Central Asia, he can speak Persian, Turkish, English and Russian to some extent and other turkic languages. He likes hiking and travelling. He is interested in microeconomics, experimental economics and game theory. 
RACHEL SEE
Food Intern Although Rachel is currently a graduate student pursuing an MA in the field of Religious Studies, she spent much of her early life running feral through the swamps, forests, and prairies of rural Missouri. Now, as then, her perspective is defined through her relationship with the more-than-human-world. Academically speaking, she is interested in the experience of sacred space and the symbolic construction of a shared sense of place. Before coming to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the East West Center as a Graduate Degree Fellow, she earned her BA in Tibetan Buddhist Philology from Rangjung Yeshe Institute, the Buddhist Studies Center of Kathmandu, Nepal. During her three years in Nepal she spent time working with and learning from Tibetan Buddhists living in diaspora near the Boudha Stupa. Over the years, she has resided in both East and West Maui (although she calls Wailuku home), where she worked in the fields of conservation, sustainability, and regenerative farming. She is excited to serve as the Food Service Coordinator, and is committed to sourcing food locally from Oʻahu farmers. When not sculking about the dorms, you may find her playing frisbee at Kapiʻolani Park or deep in the jungle practicing samādhi. 
EMI OBANA
Performance Intern Emi is a PhD student studying Music Composition. Emi has a BM in Jazz Composition and an MA in Educational Leadership and Societal Change. Currently, Emi is enrolled in the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, pursuing the GCCR along with a Ph.D. in Music. Emi is passionate about understanding music’s power and potential to promote mutual understanding and peace. In her spare time, she enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and watching extreme sports. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a performance intern for the Spring 24 Exchange and look forward to sharing time and ideas and fostering meaningful connections and deeper friendships with each other. |
