Letter from Ka La’s editor

See before and after pictures of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami damage
Aloha,
On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit with an 8.9 earthquake near by the Miyagi Prefecture, which resulted in a tsunami in the Tokyo area. In Hawaii, we had our own tsunami scare as well. Hawaii’s damages were insignificant compared to Japan. I was very proud of our school’s Facebook page, because it kept up to date with news about the tsunami. The Honolulu CC facebook page even posted link to evacuation areas on the island of O’ahu. I truly felt lucky to have a school that cared about its students.
Like many people in Hawaii, I have family in Japan. I’m a Nisei (second generation). My mother is from Okinawa and my father is from Kobe. My father’s family lives in the Tokyo area. At this time, my family is still missing. I’m hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. My feelings right now are mixed. I’m grateful for my friends and my Student Life and Development/Ka La family. They have rallied around me and comforted me during this tough time. I’m not an open person when it comes to family tragedies, but I felt that it was important to let the school know that you are not alone.
I am not a rich woman; I’m a broke college student just like everybody else, but I decided to give up my Starbuck money and donated it to Hawaii’s Red Cross. I know $10 is not a lot of money, but it is $10 more than they had a minute ago. I will continue to donate money as much as I can.
If you would like to donate, here are some options you can take.
• www.redcross.org Or you can text REDCROSS to 90999 and $10 will be charged $10 in your next cell phone bill. (This is what I’m doing)
• Visit any First Hawaiian Bank and donate to their “Japan-Hawaii Relief Fund”
• To donate money for medical supplies visit www.internationalmedicalcorps.org. Or text MED to 80888 and your cell phone bill be charged $10.
There are many places that are collecting donations. Please donate if you can, but be aware of scams. Personally, I trust the Red Cross. If you want to check the creditability of a charity, please visit www.bbb.org/charity.
After recent events in Japan, Student Media Board (SMB) and the staff at Ka La would like to send their deepest sympathy for the country of Japan and anybody who has been affected by the tragedy.