Jimbo Taylor will be remembered as a beloved member of the ʻŌlelo Community Media ohana for more than two decades and a powerful presence in the Nanakuli community.

His journey with ʻŌlelo began in 2003 at the Waianae Community Media Center, where he started as a part-time staff member, developed into the Training Manager and became the heart of the Nānākuli Community Media Center. His leadership was instrumental in relocating the center to its current home at Nānākuli High School in 2016, a move that deepened the connection between ʻŌlelo and the community it serves.

More than any title, Jimbo was defined by his dedication to people. For more than 20 years, he showed up fully and freely for the Nānākuli community – from keiki to kupuna. He collaborated with educators, lawmakers, youth, and neighbors, always guided by his belief that “giving brings joy.” One educator who worked alongside him said it best: he never hesitated, never held back, and wore aloha on his sleeve every single day.

Even after stepping away from his staff role, Jimbo continued his service with the same generosity of spirit, joining ‘Ōlelo’s Board of Directors in November 2025.

Jimbo poured his time, talent, and soul into the people of West Oʻahu, and the ripples of that generosity will be felt for a long time to come. The loss is profound and he will be deeply missed.

Aloha ‘oe, Jimbo.

Residents gathered at the Ewa Beach Public Library for a tsunami preparedness event focused on safety, planning, and awareness. Hosted with support from AARP Hawaiʻi and local emergency experts, the session encouraged attendees to “know your zone” and be ready before an emergency happens.

Participants learned how to identify evacuation zones, understand emergency alerts, and plan safe evacuation routes. The workshop also covered how to build a go-bag and prepare for the specific challenges tsunamis present in Hawaiʻi.

An expert panel from AARP Hawaiʻi, UH Sea Grant, and state and city emergency management agencies provided practical, locally relevant guidance.

The event highlighted the importance of community education in keeping residents informed, prepared, and safe.

Know Your Zone and Make a Plan: Tsunami Preparedness in Ewa Beach
5/26/2026	6:00 PM	Olelo 54
5/29/2026	4:00 PM	Olelo 54
5/30/2026	8:00 AM	Olelo 54
5/31/2026	10:00 PM	Olelo 54

ʻŌlelo Community Media was proud to support the Aloha ʻĀina Fair alongside @bottles4college, a powerful, youth-led sustainability initiative founded by Genshu Price. By turning recycling into real opportunities, Bottles 4 College continues to create meaningful pathways for scholarships and community impact. Broadcast dates coming soon!

Airing soon on ʻŌlelo channels.

ʻŌlelo Community Media is proud to partner with Kawaii Kon again this year, supporting one of Hawaiʻi’s largest celebrations of anime, gaming, and pop culture.

Held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, Kawaii Kon brings together thousands of attendees, including artists, fans, and creators from across the islands and beyond. The event highlights the creativity and diversity of Hawaiʻi’s community through art, cosplay, panels, and interactive experiences.

Through this partnership, ʻŌlelo will help capture and share stories from the convention, with a focus on local voices. From artist features to attendee perspectives, the goal is to showcase the people and creativity that make the event unique.

This collaboration reflects ʻŌlelo’s mission to empower community storytelling and expand access to media. By working together with Kawaii Kon, ʻŌlelo continues to support opportunities for connection, creativity, and expression in Hawaiʻi.

The ʻŌlelo education department partnered with Liliʻuokalani Trust’s Mana Media Program this past Spring Break to provide a hands-on media experience rooted in storytelling, creativity, and community.

From March 16 to 20, participating youth explored real-world media production while building skills in video creation, content planning, and digital storytelling. Working alongside ʻŌlelo’s team, students learned the fundamentals of filming, editing, and shaping stories for social media.

In just five days, the students produced three social media mini documentaries, each highlighting a different program happening simultaneously at the center. These included the culinary program, a hands-on hale building program, and a DJ program. Through these projects, students documented their peers while learning how to capture authentic stories from their community.

The partnership reflected a shared commitment to empowering youth voice. By the end of the program, participants walked away with completed projects, new technical skills, and greater confidence in their ability to tell stories that matter.

While students enjoyed their Spring Break, a group of dedicated educators spent part of theirs sharpening their creative skills at ‘Ōlelo’s Animation for Educators Workshop.

This 2-day intensive gave teachers a hands-on introduction to the foundations of animation – covering core concepts, storyboarding, 2D animation, and stop motion. From planning their stories to bringing them to life frame by frame, participants explored new ways to make learning more engaging and visual in the classroom.

We can’t wait to see how these educators bring animation into their lessons!

February is Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, a time to honor and celebrate the Hawaiian language and the generations who have worked to preserve it.

For many years, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi was nearly silenced. Through resilience and deep love for culture and identity, it lives and thrives today. Every word spoken is an act of continuation and every learner is part of its future. Language connects us to place. It carries memory, ʻike, and story. It shapes how we see the world and how we understand one another.

At ʻŌlelo Community Media, we are preserving history while creating it. We honor the voices that shaped this place and make space for new voices to rise. Every story shared today becomes part of our collective memory tomorrow. When we speak, record, and share, we are building the archive of our future. Our name is a reminder that voice matters. Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi invites all of us to listen more closely, speak more intentionally, and uplift the language of Hawaiʻi.

If you have a story to share or a message to express, we invite you to use your voice. Our community media resources are here to help you create and share it. Because when language lives, community grows. E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

Last Wednesday, students explored self-interest as an important foundation of community organizing. Each student reflected on their lived experiences, values, and motivations—and how these shape the ways they choose to engage politically and in their communities. We were also excited to welcome guest speakers from grassroots organizations including Hawaii Workers Center and Lahui Foundation who spoke about the work they’re doing and how working hand in hand with directly impacted people can lead to effective change.

Turn Your Creative Vision Into Community Impact

Ready to turn your creative vision into compelling, community-focused media content, but unsure where to begin? Many aspiring filmmakers, media producers, and content creators have powerful stories they want to tell, but navigating the path from idea to finished project can feel overwhelming.

That’s where ʻŌlelo Community Media’s Producer Lab comes in.

This two-hour workshop is designed for aspiring producers, content creators, and storytellers who want to create media that makes a difference in their communities. Whether your goal is to raise awareness about important issues, develop educational programming, or cover local events, Producer Lab offers a clear and supportive starting point.

During the session, participants will explore what it really means to be a producer, from shaping a creative concept to planning a successful production. We’ll help you identify your personal creative goals and guide you toward training opportunities, tools, and equipment that align with both your vision and your budget. No guesswork, no one-size-fits-all approach, just practical guidance tailored to you.

You’ll also learn essential producer skills and best practices, with a strong emphasis on pre-production planning and key production workflows. These foundational skills can save time, reduce stress, and set your projects up for success long before the cameras start rolling.

Producer Lab isn’t just about learning the basics, it’s about empowering community storytellers to move forward with confidence. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to take your first step into media production, this workshop is designed with you in mind.

ʻŌlelo Production Van at Shoots Summit

Happy New Year! We’re excited to share details for those of you attending the upcoming Shoots Summit next weekend.

ʻŌlelo Community Media will be bringing our ʻŌlelo Production Van once again, offering students a unique opportunity to participate in the creation of a simulated live broadcast. Through this hands-on experience, students can explore a variety of production roles, including:

Camera Operator
Director
Technical Director
Audio Technician
On-camera Live Commentator

This year, the Production Van will be located in the parking lot next to the gym. Each training session is 45 minutes long and runs once every hour.

Students may sign up for sessions the morning of each day, or they are welcome to arrive 10 minutes before the hour to join on a first-come, first-served basis.

Download the Training Flyer (PDF)