Ma’i Movement Hawaii cofounder Nikki-Ann Yee has been awarded the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) annual Friend of Youth Award.
Yee was recently featured at the organization’s annual state convention held on April 2. The award recognizes an outstanding member of the community who works to support Hawaii youth through an activity outside of their professional duties.
Yee and her sisters are credited with helping to “change the world” in many ways, including organizing the distribution of nearly 300,000 period products across the islands; helping to write and introduce legislation; and teaching students how to lobby and advocate for the passage of bills to address period poverty through infographics, brochures, tool kits, school visits, Zoom sessions and social media.
“In our work, I have been so privileged to meet teachers from nearly every single island," Yee told the crowd at the HSTA convention. "As I look at all the signs [in the convention room representing each HSTA chapter across the state], I’m like, yes, we’ve been there. And I’m so proud because the way that they have embraced the movement, taking period products, putting it everywhere in their classrooms, and just going full-on and hitting the ground running. It is so inspirational to me, and the way they go above and beyond to impact our keiki beyond the classroom, so I thank all of you as well.”
Yee has also tirelessly worked on getting Senate Bill 2821 past the finish line. The measure -- which has already unanimously passed the State House Finance Committee and is now on tap for a full House vote -- seeks to provide free, quality menstrual products to students in the state’s public schools.
Should the bill become law, Hawaii would be the sixth state to provide free period products on school campuses.
The bill was first introduced in February 2020, and over the last three years, it has gained considerable support from factions that include lawmakers, teachers, students and nonprofit organizations.
As the hearings played out in Honolulu, more than a dozen students testified in favor of the bill under the supervision of Ilima Intermediate School teacher Sarah “Mili” Milianta-Laffin.
“Students with periods all over the state are trying to maintain their menstrual health with things like napkins and diapers and leaves, those things that grow out of the dirt,” Ilima 8th-grader Isabel King told the committee.
In the end, committee members unanimously passed the bill with an effective date of July 1.