Kalani's Values

Our organizational values

Our nonprofit organization has several core values that light our path and guide our organization in our mission to cultivate growth experiences through empowering learning opportunities, and nourish local and global communities by promoting sustainability, abundance, and wellness while celebrating diversity with a respect for culture and sacred lands.

CONNECTION

There are many layers of connection. We seek to foster connection to self, connection to others and connection to nature. We believe each of these is important and needed.

GROWTH

We are all continually evolving. Growth speaks to the 'āina and to evolution of the self and community, and we aspire to cultivate growth in each of these dimensions.

STEWARDSHIP

We define stewardship as the combination of Service and Responsibility (or Kuleana). This is about creating an on-going regenerative relationship with the 'āina and our ecosystem.

DIVERSITY

We believe systems are stronger when they’re more diverse—this speaks to people’s identities, experiences they bring, and experiences that can be found at our center, as well as our lush, biodiverse tropical landscape.

CREATIVITY

This is an approach to life. We thrive on creativity for both its light aspects of playfulness and delight, and it's power in responding to conflict and change by giving us resilience and adaptability.

Our community values

At Kalani, six Hawaiian values serve as inspiration and an opportunity for reflection for the intentional community stewarding the land and supporting the operations of our center. Although these simple definitions are limited by translations into English, we believe the deep meaning behind each can still have a profound effect on each of us and spark a curiosity to learn more ʻŌlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian Language). *

Aloha

unconditional love; being in the presence of breath or the life’s spirit; we strive to give aloha in all interactions

Kuleana

personal sense of responsibility; accountability; also privilege; what is our privilege is also linked to our responsibility

‘Ike loa

knowledge and wisdom; learn, connect with and be humbled by diverse perspectives and ideas

‘Imi ola

seeking life, health and wellness; recognizing the vitality and preciousness of life and the present moment

Mālama

to take care; to serve; to honor; to protect and to steward the ‘āina (land) and resources that sustain us all, as well as one another

Lōkahi

harmony, unity, collaboration and cooperation to reach a common goal and create something greater than what can be achieved alone

*Our organization recognizes the importance of Hawaiian language revitalization and accurate modern spelling which includes the use of two diacritical marks called the ‘okina (‘) (also called a glottal stop), and the kahakō (ō) (also called a macron). You will find the use of these diacritical marks across our website, though they have occasionally been omitted in some instances to improve the visibility and legibility of our website as digital technology and search engines have not yet fully adapted to the online presence of indigenous languages and may turn these marks into blank boxes for readers. Please feel free to reach out to our team if you have any questions, feedback or suggestions for where we can improve this facet of our online experience.

Our community design

Kalani’s organizational design is based on the Seed of Life, an ancient symbol of perfect symmetry representing creation, unity and the cycles of nature. The center serves as the source and meeting place of the circles surrounding it, forming a flowering pattern.

Life at Kalani

“ ‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia. (No task is too big when done together by all.) “

‘Ōlelo No‘eau

Culture

The on campus community of Kalani is possible through the operations of the nonprofit organization and a dedication to serving our greater community. It is made of loving individuals from diverse walks of life who bring their skills, passion and unique character to this ʻohana. We each embody the desire to connect deeply with ourselves, others, and the environment through learning and collaborating with each other in one of the most stunning locations on the planet.

Collaboration

We believe that projects benefit from cooperation and sharing knowledge, and in doing so that contributes to wellness and empowerment for individuals, communities and the environment. We represent this space for growth in our design with images of beloved plants from across the Polynesian islands – Hala, Ki (Ti leaves), Kalo (Taro), Niu (Coconut), Noni, and ‘Ulu.

Community

From guest services to landcare and beyond, our community participants contribute to a variety of independent and collective projects that are of service to the ʻāina, our local community, and guests visiting from around the globe. This is a special place to be of service and to experience life in a vibrant intentional community while also contributing to a common vision and welcoming others to learn, grow, heal and thrive with us. We encourage a sense of creativity, inclusivity, humor, flexibility and open-mindedness in order to provide positive experiences for all who enter Kalani, and forge life-long friendships in the process.

Want to get involved?

Participate in our Service Learning Program to join the Kalani community!

LEARN MORE