Lady Lawyers Luncheon -- Micronesian Health Advocacy: Highlighting the Role of Women

Presenter: Dina Shek, Legal Director, Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawaii

Last month, the Ninth Circuit ruled that Hawaii is not required to provide equal benefits under Medicaid to our legal migrants from Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. These residents now face dire health needs, as they are deprived of dialysis, cancer treatments, and other essential healthcare available to other residents in Hawaii. Micronesian and Marshallese women are mobilizing and advocating for equal access to healthcare needed to safeguard their children and families. Dina Shek will share her personal perspectives about these Micronesian women leaders (both in Hawaii and in Micronesia) to highlight the significant roles they play in this important healthcare struggle.

Dina Shek is the co-founder and Legal Director of the Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai‘i, a collaboration between the Wm S Richardson School of Law and Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, a community health center, and has a long history of community organizing, education and advocacy for social justice, She has received the Rhoda Lewis Award from the Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Japanese American Citizens League (Honolulu Chapter) for her work with Micronesian communities in Hawai‘i. Invite a friend or colleague - the more, the merrier! Please respond to rosep@ahfi.com by Friday, May 24 if possible, to let us know if you are coming. We will meet at the Plaza Club, 20th Floor, 900 Fort Street Mall, on May 28 at Noon. We will have an in-room lunch buffet with salad, soup, sandwich and desert for $22 (tea/drink is another $4-$5). If you are an HWL member, mention that in your RSVP and you will be entered in a drawing for two free lunches for HWL members. If you need to cancel after making an RSVP, please let us know ASAP, before the reservation deadline, so we don't get charged for your meal!