The Power of Outdoor Places: Nature’s Role in Shaping Our Lives and Communities

This event will be held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, 6:30 p.m., Kennedy Theatre, UH Mānoa. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited, so we want to provide members of the campus community an early chance to register.

The event will focus on Carissa Moore’s experiences growing up on O‘ahu’s beach parks and the need to protect and preserve public lands. In conversation with Māhealani Richardson of Hawaiʻi News Now and Bianca Clarke of Trust for Public Land, she will share how access to nature and the ocean shaped her as a young woman, a surfer, and now as a mom-to-be.

• Carissa Moore is a Native Hawaiian surfer, five-time WSL world champion, and the first Olympic gold medalist in surfing. Outside the water, Carissa is an advocate for women’s surfing and a role model for young athletes. In 2018, she founded Moore Aloha, an initiative empowering young women to navigate the waves of mental health and wellness through surfing, cultural activities, and mentorship. 
• Bianca Clarke is Associate Vice President at Trust for Public Land, and she leads TPL’s Parks Initiative and 10-Minute Walk Program, which works to expand access to outdoor spaces so everyone can experience the benefits of nature.
• Māhealani Richardson is an Emmy-winning journalist and Hawai‘i News Now (KHNL, KGMB, K5) prime-time anchor. She is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools.

The lead outside sponsor for this event is Trust for Public Land, a non-profit dedicated to connecting everyone to the outdoors. 

The UH Better Tomorrow Speaker Series is a joint venture of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Kamehameha Schools Kaiāulu, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and the UH Foundation. Series sponsors include the Learning Coalition, Scholars Strategy Network, the Ulupono Initiative, and the William S. Richardson School of Law.