ABSTRACT
As a child, Maenette’s kupuna told her that the making of a fl ower lei for someone special was a blssed gift. Her knowing and working with Susan felt much like receiving a very lovingly created fl ower lei. Both Joanne and Maenette can still feel the warm caresses of her embrace, the sweet scent of her passionate belief in her people, and the simplicity and wisdom in her words. As an educational leader, Susan worked diligently to create learning environments for disenfranchised Maori and non-Maori youth and young adults. With a master’s degree in education that is based on adult learning and teaching, she has been able to employ her research, evaluation, and organizational skills in championing several major community and urbanwide projects that focus on health, vocational, and employment education. Currently, she is building a youth and young adult leadership initiative that partners with Native leadership programs across the globe.
