Aloha!
In our daily lives, countless opportunities arise to show aloha, moments we must recognize and act upon. As a former school principal in a high-needs rural Hawaiʻi community, I leaned on aloha and prayer for myself, our school, and extended ‘ohana. I embraced Nā Hopena Aʻo (HĀ-Breath), a State Department of Education framework of universal outcomes and values deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture. Today, as I work to encourage support for local literary arts, I continue to draw upon HĀ as a guide for real life and lifelong learning.
In Hawaiʻi, art—mele, hula, chant, moʻolelo, etc.—impacts the integrity and cohesion of the community. The mission of Bamboo Ridge Press (BRP) is to nurture the creation and publish fiction and poetry written by, for, and about the people of our islands. While the organization embodies the principles of HĀ, its publications unite the concepts of Belonging, Aloha, and Hawaiʻi as readers and writers connect through this literary art form.
As a poet whose work has appeared in Bamboo Ridge, Journal of Hawai‘i Literature and Arts since 1998, I recognize how the Press serves to unify and transform individuals.
Hawaiʻi’s storytelling is vibrant and diverse due to the unique cultural, political, and economic experiences of our communities. Yet, the physical and financial challenges of getting our literary works published and into readers’ hands are immense. As a non-profit, BRP bridges this gap by selling books at prices far below production costs so that they remain accessible to the community. To do this we need your support and aloha.
Please help Bamboo Ridge Press build HĀ in our communities. Your monetary gift today will support new publishing projects, preservation and archiving, educational programs, and community outreach.
- Donate, subscribe, shop, or participate in the Bamboo Shoots monthly writing contest.
- Write and submit short stories and poems when we have open calls.
- Sign up for our e-newsletter or follow us on social media @bambooridge
- Snail mail a contribution to us at: Bamboo Ridge Press, P.O. Box 61781
Honolulu, Hawaii 96839-1781 - Recognize opportunities to show aloha. Act.
Mahalo nui for your kōkua and care,
Darlene M. Javar
BRP Grant Writer
Retired Principal, HIDOE
Product of Kaʻū
Donate through our website with the button above, or via our dedicated
Giving Tuesday donation page on Paypal.
Tʻanks! Your donation is tax-deductible (but double check with your tax advisor). Proceeds help fund our 2026 publishing slate and free community literary programming.
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