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Photo by: Patrick Kelley Worldwide Photography www.pk-worldwide.com
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Ms. Juno Ann Apalla
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Vision and Intent: Juno Ann Apalla intends to bridge the gap between inequities happening within the County of Kaua’i. Focusing on improving communication systems and resolving disconnects between public input on government matters and generational gaps in leadership. Juno Ann Apalla envisions a community of leaders from all generations, inspired to work together, create solutions, engage a diversified range of perspectives for the greater good of the entire community.
Mission: To uphold integrity throughout the process of creating a future for Kaua’i, and to invite others to lead with Integrity. |
The Intimates: Who is Juno?
"I am Juno Ann Apalla, I am running for one of the seven seats on the Kaua'i County Council.
I came to understand how important community is to me. I was born in the Philippines and grew up on Kaua'i. Like many young people on Kaua'i, I left to get more schooling. While I was in Oregon, I was in a crosswalk when one of the dancers for the Portland Trailbrlazers hit me with her car. Because of serious blood loss from head injuries, I was rushed to the hospital. The doctors found a miracle. I had only a minor head injury but no broken bones. I did need some physical and speech therapy for over six months. During that time, I thought about what was really important to me.
I realized that living on Kaua'i gave me an understanding of "community" that was much deeper than I found away from home. Kaua'i was where I grew up. It shaped my values. I realized those values were those of a small, multi-cultural, personally-connected place that I wanted to call home− a place that I would value and dedicate my time and energy working together with others to make even better. A number of people on Kaua'i urged me to come home. They intrigued me with a number of possible projects that promised to better involve the community, refusing to use the excuse of, "It's Just 'Kaua`i" as if Kaua`i had so much more to offer.
While I was healing, I thought of many good things about the island, although I also had some concerns. I decided to commit myself to help bring focus to those concerns. Many young people cannot find jobs, especially jobs that pay well enough for them to survive. People of all ages feel that they have no voice in the way things happen on Kaua'i, and they may not understand how much action and commitment it takes on their part to help develop a climate where people are heard.
Furthermore, I came from the same perspective as many. I felt left behind by my government, like I was out of the loop in the conversation that determined my future. Politics was unattractive to me because I felt the lack of trust in the system of government. Yet, now as I talk to individuals one-to-one, I learn that the opposite is also true. The public servants of our community need us to first, thank them for their service and second, voice ourselves respectively and responsibly. I am an advocate for innovative ways first, to collect the public's opinions and second, to maintain an effort in keeping current with the changing times.
That is why this website is designed to be a social community focused on civic discussion and feedback. A virtual space that you can tune into at a time most convenient for your busy schedule. Let us make civic engagement a part of our popular and modern social culture. Let the generations to come set the stage for their futures. Let us restore energy into the political wheel so that we can transition into updated processes, and once more build a bridge for significant systemic change." -- Juno Ann Apalla, Thoughts on Politics
I came to understand how important community is to me. I was born in the Philippines and grew up on Kaua'i. Like many young people on Kaua'i, I left to get more schooling. While I was in Oregon, I was in a crosswalk when one of the dancers for the Portland Trailbrlazers hit me with her car. Because of serious blood loss from head injuries, I was rushed to the hospital. The doctors found a miracle. I had only a minor head injury but no broken bones. I did need some physical and speech therapy for over six months. During that time, I thought about what was really important to me.
I realized that living on Kaua'i gave me an understanding of "community" that was much deeper than I found away from home. Kaua'i was where I grew up. It shaped my values. I realized those values were those of a small, multi-cultural, personally-connected place that I wanted to call home− a place that I would value and dedicate my time and energy working together with others to make even better. A number of people on Kaua'i urged me to come home. They intrigued me with a number of possible projects that promised to better involve the community, refusing to use the excuse of, "It's Just 'Kaua`i" as if Kaua`i had so much more to offer.
While I was healing, I thought of many good things about the island, although I also had some concerns. I decided to commit myself to help bring focus to those concerns. Many young people cannot find jobs, especially jobs that pay well enough for them to survive. People of all ages feel that they have no voice in the way things happen on Kaua'i, and they may not understand how much action and commitment it takes on their part to help develop a climate where people are heard.
Furthermore, I came from the same perspective as many. I felt left behind by my government, like I was out of the loop in the conversation that determined my future. Politics was unattractive to me because I felt the lack of trust in the system of government. Yet, now as I talk to individuals one-to-one, I learn that the opposite is also true. The public servants of our community need us to first, thank them for their service and second, voice ourselves respectively and responsibly. I am an advocate for innovative ways first, to collect the public's opinions and second, to maintain an effort in keeping current with the changing times.
That is why this website is designed to be a social community focused on civic discussion and feedback. A virtual space that you can tune into at a time most convenient for your busy schedule. Let us make civic engagement a part of our popular and modern social culture. Let the generations to come set the stage for their futures. Let us restore energy into the political wheel so that we can transition into updated processes, and once more build a bridge for significant systemic change." -- Juno Ann Apalla, Thoughts on Politics
