February 24, 2021

“What I realized even though I was hesitant
that this could be an opportunity that would open new doors.”

Nana Clemons’ warm smile is infectious.  She acknowledges that she’s a little nervous and shy about being interviewed as she fiddles with her beautiful dark tightly coiled hair, worried that it’s not performing the way it should. 

Nana joined Hoʻoulu ʻĀina several months ago just after the pandemic sent waves of uncertainty to the islands.  She had just graduated from the university and was anxious to find work.  

“I was going a bit stir crazy and was doing a job search on indeed.com,” she says.  “And then I came across an ad for Kokua Kalihi Valley that said they were looking to hire an assistant for a temporary project.”   

Nana submitted her resume and was hired on the spot, which made her a little anxious.  Not knowing what to expect, she decided to investigate Hoʻoulu ʻĀina’s physical location. 

As she drove up the meandering Kalihi road, her apprehension grew.  She had just received her driver’s license and accepting this position would definitely be something out of her comfort zone. 

“I was thinking, oh no, I don’t know if I can drive up here by myself even if it’s a couple of times a week,” Nana giggles.  “But what I realized even though I was hesitant that this could be an opportunity that would open new doors.” 

Nana became part of the advocate team, which supplies food and other essential items to COVID positive patients as well as other Kalihi community members who are in need. 

She often delivers food and other medicinal plants such as ʻōlena (turmeric) rhizome to kūpuna who are self isolating in their homes.  Although the elderly are safe and healthy, Nana receives a lot of questions as to how to use the orange-yellow ʻōlena root. 

“We tell them that they can make tea from the ʻōlena and that it’s good for anti-inflammation,” she says.  “We also tell them that they can grate it and put it into their rice.” 

Nana is currently in the master’s program in social work and thinks about pursuing a career in middle-school counseling.  But she’s considering all her options.   

“After working here at KKV, I have considered a career in a health care setting, but I don’t know.  I’m still thinking about it.”