I grew up in Mā‘ili, and I was incredibly lucky to be surrounded by both the ocean and the mountains as a child. This unique upbringing instilled the deep love I have for my community and culture, which is one of the main reasons I do the work that I do now. A lot of my memories revolve around being at the ocean with our ‘ʻohana (family), swimming, surfing, camping, and watching the beautiful West Side sunsets. As an adult, I continue to spend time at the ocean and surf, not only for my mental and physical health, but also to connect to my ancestors and my Hawaiian way of being and knowing.

I began attending Kamehameha Schools in the seventh grade and was motivated to learn ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). In my na‘au (gut), I knew I wanted to understand this part of myself more and took as many Hawaiian language classes as I could.

My goal after high school was to go to college to be an ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi kumu (teacher), but then I decided to attend college in Seattle to be close to my grandmother. In high school, I went to Waipi‘o Valley with my Hawaiian language class, and later, in college, I had the opportunity to go to Kaho‘olawe with the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana. Having transformative experiences with ‘āina (land and sea, that which feeds) in those spaces with passionate people was eye-opening and showed me that I could perpetuate Hawaiian culture through the integration of ‘āina and education.

With the help of many hands and hearts, Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha has been growing food and growing community for generations. In stepping into the executive director position, my main goal has always been to ‘auamo kuleana (carry this responsibility to move towards collective goals) for the love of my people and this place, and to honor the incredible legacy and vision of this beloved organization alongside our team, board, and community.

My hope for myself for the next couple of years is to get really ma‘a (familiar) with this work so that I can understand it deeply and build meaningful pilina (relationships, connections) with the people who love Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha— always moving at the speed of trust. We have a small but mighty staff who all have a connection to Waiʻanae. I am grateful to work with this team of excellent educators, problem-solvers, and critical thinkers. They have an immense amount of knowledge and expertise that is required to grow food and hold space for the community. But most importantly, they are amazing human beings. Here, the work is gentle and rooted in aloha. You feel really loved, by both the people and the ‘āina.

The more time I spend at Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha and truly understand the history and essence of this place, the more I fall in love with it. In practice, it’s about growing food, nurturing our keiki (children), restoring ‘āina in a regenerative way, and feeding people through food. But it’s also about feeding people in a deeper way, through nourishment of your soul. Our mission is “creating peaceful communities in harmony with nature through the eyes, hands, and hearts of the children.” The name of our organization, Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha, translates to “Land of Mākaha Shared in Friendship” and was gifted to us by Auntie Puanani Burgess. We embody our mission and name through a deep relationship with the land and with people and by planting seeds of hope.

A friend and mentor, Kamuela Enos, who is from Mākaha, said to me that the ‘āina always calls the right people. I feel like I’m in the right place at the right time in my life, and I want to be here for as long as I possibly can, for as long as this place will have me.

It feels like returning home. Serving as the executive director of Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha since 2023, Chelsey Jay has worked with the ‘āina and community on O‘ahu’s West Side for more than a decade, including 10 years at Mālama Learning Center. Her ongoing goal is to contribute to the health and well-being of Waiʻanae, the community that raised her.

Visit: hoaainaomakaha.org  |  Instagram @hoaainaomakaha