You Should Know Her: Colleen Chapman

The parents in this generation are in a very unique predicament. We are in a world where vaccines, outbreaks, home births, Surgical births, GMO’s, Naturopathic care, birth defects, Organic food, and reclaiming our right to make educated decisions are on the rise. Yes, many of these are contradictions to themselves; like GMO’s and Organic food both being on the rise, but this is the reality of 2016. It is crucial for parents to rise up and educate themselves to make decisions that they know are suitable for their families. In this interesting time, this is really key in handing down the power of doing research and standing up for what is right to the next generation. This is a movement of empowerment, in many realms.

These are some of the many reasons Colleen Chapman founded the Non- Profit Organization O.H.A.N.A. here on the Island of O’ahu. Her whole drive is to create a “Healthy future for our children and community.” O.H.A.N.A. stands for O’ahu Healthy Agricultural Neighborhood  Alliance. The group started just recently in September of 2015 and is still ramping up to add members to the group and solidify their role in the community. Colleen knows that they are passionate about four main points:

• Community
• Health
• Awareness
• Education

Colleen really hopes to spread knowledge with this organization to families on O’ahu and inform them about the reality of Environmental threats, GMO’s, agricultural knowledge that every family should possess and the boldness to stand up for the healthiest and best options for our Island! Colleen lived out this mission by her recent submittal of testament for the HB2564. This bill intended to create a vegetative buffer some between GMO’s crops and schools. This is a solution to something that, honestly, I never even knew was a problem! This just goes to show how powerful it is to have women like Colleen Chapman creating Organizations like O.H.A.N.A. to educate the community on topics that everyone will care about if only they were EDUCATED on these topics!

We cannot sit around and be Naive anymore. Colleen really hopes to make the understanding of these bills and legislative issues easy for the public so that they can play their role in effecting positive change for the next generation and our own, by voting, lobbying, and doing their part within their own neighborhoods. If this is something that you are interested in learning more about, or are well versed in these topics and want to join forces with O.H.A.N.A. Then please Get in touch with Colleen!

To connect with Colleen you can find them on their Facebook page! Also if you do not have this as a Local Resource to you Reach out to Colleen to see what some other options might be for you! She is a wonderful Wealth of Knowledge! 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1647724872180007/

With Grit,

Kiersten H.