HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-48 - OGuin Testimony re SPP 1122Communication No. 2013 -48
From: Kristen O'Guin [mailto:aloha.nui.blessings @gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, August 05, 2013 3:13 PM
To: lbrown@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: SPACE
Dear Mr. Larry Brown,
Hi there. You might remember me — I came and testified at the hearing on Tuesday July 9th in
regards to SPACE. I am a teacher at the little charter school at SPACE, and I am also a resident
of Bellyacres.
I want to clarify something that was brought up at the meeting -- one of your members said
something about everyone loving the farmers' market and the school, but a few people being
opposed to having performances at SPACE. Well, the thing is, we can only continue to have the
market and the school if SPACE has enough money to operate. The biggest thing that I can see
is that we need to be able to pay Jenna, our director, so that she will not have to go off
somewhere else and find income elsewhere. We also need to be able to pay someone to do
maintenance and things like that. And this is the bare minimum... more people on staff would be
even better, and appropriate.
To discuss the situation a bit further, the farmers' market brings lots of income to a very poor
area. The SPACE market is one of only two markets, I believe, that accept EBT. I am one of the
fortunate souls to actually have a job in lower Puna -- not that common -- and do not need
EBT. But I believe it's about 50% of people in Puna (including upper Puna and everywhere)
have EBT. And a lot of those folks do not have the money for a car, so to have a place down
here where they can buy groceries and such is a real boon. A huge thing, though, is the amount
of money the farmers' market makes for the vendors of the market. The first year the market
accepted EBT, in EBT sales alone, vendors make a collective total of $50,000 (in just ONE
YEAR). It's NOT SPACE making that money, it's the people of the community. And that's just
the food /EBT sales, and does not include cash payments for food, or non -food items. Being able
to make income at the SPACE market has turned more than one person's life around.
As for the school, I realized after I spoke that our school is going into its 7th year, actually. I
have been so proud to work at a school where the children are actually happy to be
there! Imagine that! And the teachers too. I'm so thankful we've been able to offer children in
this area a great education. And last year we started a home - school program that works with
families who are home - schooling -- and lemme tell ya, this is an incredible service b/c most of
the kids who entered our program last year were way, way behind on most of their
academics. Not all, but most families who are doing home - schooling need some serious
help. So, we provide textbooks, curriculum, resources, computers, a library, tutoring, help for
the parents, a weekly check in with the families, electives, classes for children to get together
with other children their age once or twice a week, etc. Again, this is an incredibly valuable
service to the community. As a teacher, I'm so very thankful that we can impact children's lives
in this way.
Communication No. 2013 -48
So, yes, I understand that a few people are not happy about the idea of performances. But as
everyone loves the school and the market, let's be clear that, for these to continue, SPACE needs
more income, and for a performing arts center to have more income, it needs to perform.
Let's also be really clear that we are not talking about anything close to the amount of
performances we were having when SPACE first started, b/c when there was a venue for people
to utilize, we got tons of requests from the community for people to have stuff here. And we
said yes to everybody, because we wanted to serve the needs of the community. But we learned
that that was too much impact on people, and we are cutting it way, way down to only 24
performances a year. I did say that at the hearing, but I just want to re- iterate that this is a major
difference.
I also want to say, as for people not wanting any performances at SPACE -- they are missing
out! In addition to food, education, and other needs, people need to have their minds and
emotions stimulated positively and nourished. Art and performance do this for people. What a
treat that we can have it in our own backyard! And while there are a few people with concerns,
most people who've talked to me about it really miss having more fun and enlivening stuff at
SPACE. They miss the performances. And of course, you heard the children testify about how
they need to be able to perform there.
To speak on a very personal note: As was mentioned at the meeting, at least 3 of 5 of the main
people who are complaining about SPACE also have some sort of major beef with one person
here in the community -- and I understand, b/c while this person is wonderful at vision and
building things, he's sometimes very bad at diplomacy and PR. Thankfully now we have
Jenna. But, on a very personal note, this is breaking my heart that people who have been rubbed
the wrong way by this one person are taking it out on a very, very valuable community resource,
including the school and the farmers' market. If they work against that one person via SPACE,
they are working against all of us. I'd love to see some healing happen there, and some balance.
PLEASE DO share my email with the rest of your committee. Please let them read my words,
and also as a committee I hope it becomes very clear for everyone that to have these invaluable
services to the community of school and market, SPACE MUST have more income. And, unless
bags of money start falling from the sky, SPACE needs to be able to bring in its own income to
be sustainable.
Thank you so much for working with us. Graham Ellis was, of course, the visionary for SPACE
(and I'm grateful for all his efforts), but SPACE has grown into something way, way bigger than
any one person. Please help us to preserve this invaluable community resource, and help it to
flourish.
Mahalo and Aloha,
Kristen O'Guin