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FAQ

Project Overview
Q: What is ‘ĀINAVIS and what is this dataset?

A: ‘ĀINAVIS is an unincorporated initiative about mapping and wellbeing. The ʻĀina Org Index is a dataset we created as our first step to gather metrics for our mapping. We are sharing the index as part of our commitment to support the transformation of data into crucial dialogues about our home, Hawai‘i.

Q: Is the ‘ĀINAVIS project designed as a 'snapshot in time' or does it have a sustained roadmap extending beyond the initial one or two years of funding?

A: The ‘ĀINAVIS project is designed to be an ongoing initiative, but with an initial focus on creating the best snapshot in time we can achieve. The project's sustainability largely depends on the community engagement strategy and the willingness of community members to contribute to it as a shared resource.

Project Team
Q: Could you elaborate on the "we" mentioned in your text? Who are the partners, leaders, staff, and/or students involved in the project execution? The 'About' page acknowledges past funders, but who are the key individuals driving this project?

A: ‘ĀINAVIS as the initiative is organized by its founders Dawn Mahi of the Consuelo Foundation and artist Sean Connelly of After Oceanic. The "we" in our text refers to the Hui ‘ĀINAVIS team that collaborated on and supported the production of our dataset. This includes principal investigators Dawn Mahi and Sean Connelly, along with McMillen H and Vaughan MB, with advisory from Brant Chillingworth, Miwa Tamanaha, Puanani Connelly, and research support of Su K, Santiago RP, Kim E, Dacks, R., Burgess S. Together we represent individuals with industry experience working in both within the community and with our own families in addition to our jobs at Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and others who offered their time, resources, and expertise to make the project a reality.

Data Control and Access
Q: Data projects carry a significant risk of misuse, potentially endangering grassroots organizations and the communities they serve without appropriate safeguards. Who holds the authority and responsibility for the data control in this project?

A: As the pilot presentation of the concept, the data control is currently housed under ‘ĀINAVIS in partnership between the Consuelo Foundation and After Oceanic.

Q: Who will be granted access to the various project outputs, including the data, maps, and indices?

A: A redacted version of the GIS dataset will be publicly available as we believe in the importance of open access to information, with the understanding that this project is a community engagement tool meant to build relationships and foster dialogue.

Mapping Information and Data Sources
Q: Could you shed light on the sources utilized for the mapping information in this project?

A: We explicitly only used information found publicly online. The mapping information was sourced through various channels, including websites, social media links, and public online organizational reporting. We also utilized the networks and connections of the team members, who are all involved in the 'āina sector. We excluded personal information.

Benefits for Grassroots Organizations
Q: Broad projects like ‘ĀINAVIS often appear to benefit the originating institutions more than the grassroots communities they aim to serve. Considering the existing intercommunication and networked operations of these communities, what tangible benefits does AinaVis provide for grassroots groups?

A: This project aims to provide a robust data set that can be used by grassroots organizations, funders, students, and decision makers to better support their work and to advocate for resources. We understand the significance of grassroots networks, and we aim to supplement their work rather than replace it.

Q: How does AinaVis differentiate its offerings and impacts for grassroots organizations compared to existing list/network-building projects? What specific strategies are in place to achieve these outcomes?

A: The ‘ĀINAVIS project offers a comprehensive dataset about 'āina organizations, something that, to our knowledge, has not been compiled before. The goal is not to replace existing networks but to create a dialogue that helps people understand the value of 'āina, and with that understanding, attract more resources to 'āina organizations.

Trust and Transparency
Q: What strategies will be employed to elevate the visibility, comprehension, and support for grassroots contributions?

A: By developing a comprehensive and accessible database, we aim to amplify the work of grassroots organizations, helping their contributions to be better understood and supported. We hope to make these contributions more visible to those who can provide resources and backing.

Q: Beyond words on a website or an academic publication, how will you tangibly demonstrate these improvements? This should be explicitly stated in your project letter and on the AinaVis website.

A: Our actions speak louder than our words. Our team is dedicated to making this resource as accurate and useful as possible, and we believe this commitment will be evident in the project's results. We also value community feedback and strive to be responsive to it.

Q: In connection with the above questions, what strategies are in place to cultivate trust in this project? Are you capable and committed to seeing them through to completion?

A: Trust-building is a core aspect of our project, and it starts with open dialogue and transparency. We encourage community members to provide honest feedback and suggestions, which we believe will be invaluable in making the necessary adjustments and improvements. We are committed to making this resource as accurate and beneficial as possible for everyone involved.

Q: UH has many faces and agendas, good and bad, and long histories of poor accountability, particularly at CTAHR. How will you guarantee to protect the organizations you list and map from the political shenanigans that UH, and individual researchers, so often engages in around controversial community issues – including the TMT, kalo, ‘iwi, Hawaiian knowledge, water, and much, much more. Could the organizations you list (and the ‘ĀINAVIS project) become targets, co-opted, or political pawns when it is expedient to UH, eg., when community pushes back on bad projects? Will you, or will you be allowed to, eg. speak up for, publish newspaper and other articles celebrating, advocating for, or bearing witness to grassroots achievements and agency, speak up at the legislature, stand with community protectors if they are at cross purposes to larger political/funding agendas and messages at UH (or will that put your job in jeopardy)? Could the map be used by controversial development projects to strategize an ‘end run’ around grassroots organizations, or to divide and conquer and pit one group against another? If yes to any of these questions, what kinds of safeguards are you able to put in place to prevent that from happening? Is UH the right “house” for ‘ĀINAVIS? Would it, and the organizations indexed and mapped, be safer under the umbrella of another organization? All of these things have happened to grassroots organizations at the hands of the university in the past, as recently as 2021-22.

A: UH is not the house for ‘ĀINAVIS and it never was. We know that there can be problematic perceptions of institutions, even (and of course) funders. Right now it is housed under Consuelo and Afteroceanic via ‘ĀINAVIS. We have several options for the future, but we are still in the initial stages, so this hasn’t been figured out yet. The dataset in GIS will be publicly available. The data in ‘ĀINAVIS is protected and cared for by the project data stewards, as outlined in our methodology. We believe that the dataset is not owned by any single entity but is shared through conversation and dialogue within our community. We are aware of the history of UH's involvement in controversial community issues and are committed to preventing political interference and misuse of the map. We are implementing safeguards to ensure the integrity of the organizations listed. We created this web portal with a high standard and adequate detail to demonstrate our commitment to sharing and transparency.

What this project is not
No questions asked, this is not a directory, it is not a real-time database, and it is not for commercial use.

FAQ

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