Keith-Allen Afong – Māhina 2017

Keith-Allen Afong, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program.

Keith-Allen Afong (Native Hawaiian): Majoring in Cultural Resource Management, University of Hawaii
Aloha. I was born and raised in the town of Waimanalo on the east side on the island of Oʻahu. I am interested in researching about and managing Hawaiiʻs cultural resources such as native plants and their medicinal purposes, forests, and oceans. My research interests include proving that Native Hawaiians are great scientists who knew how to utilize natural resources in their ways of life, but also learning how to give back to the ʻāina. I also studied La’au Lapa au, the usage of native Hawaiian plants as medicine. I hope my research lessens health disparities among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. I plan to pursue a master’s degree in public health to continue my research.

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Māhina is supported by funding from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number T37MD008625-01.