Jason Schwartz talks with Melanie Undem-Prayer In Movement / Lotus Ministries.. Melanie is active in Community “Medicine”, collaboration for compassion in action for Maui’s vulnerable Ohana/individuals and families and creating sanctuary with loving kindness. Kihei, Maui’s Kalama Park and beyond.
Summary & Transcript
Maui Neutral Zone Show with Jason Schwartz and Melanie Undem
[00:00 → 02:18] Introduction and Context: Toxic Waste Issue & Guest Introduction
- The show begins with host Jason Schwartz introducing the date and radio details.
- Jason mentions that Eddie Garcia, an environmental advocate focused on toxic waste dumping in West Maui’s Olalo area, was expected as a guest but had to cancel last minute due to attending an event with RFK Jr. discussing toxic site leaks.
- Jason highlights the ongoing toxic legacy concern and encourages listeners to follow Eddie’s work on Instagram (@Living Earth Systems).
- Jason introduces his new guest, Melanie Unum, a grassroots community organizer and ministry leader in Maui, whom he recently met at a birthday party.
- The tone is set that the Neutral Zone show aims to be a platform for community voices, activism, and solutions despite challenges.
[02:18 → 07:25] Melanie Unum’s Background and Community Work
- Melanie describes herself as a longtime grassroots community and environmental organizer, with experience working nationwide on water quality, toxics, and pesticide issues.
- She shifted focus locally to “community medicine ministry,” supporting the most vulnerable populations including veterans, unsheltered individuals, addicts, and families dealing with trauma.
- Melanie emphasizes collaboration and care for both the land and the people, focusing on creating safe spaces and collective support.
- She clarifies that her work is not a formal nonprofit but a ministry—rooted in compassion and practical care.
- Melanie recounts her Thursday gatherings at Col Park in Kihei where people cook, share food, wash dishes together, and build community. The audience includes anyone seeking food or a safe, encouraging space to gather, including many homeless or transient community members.
- The focus is on mutual support and encouragement rather than one-way aid.
[07:25 → 14:19] Maui’s Socio-Environmental Challenges and Community Responses
- Discussion turns to the broader context of Maui’s community challenges, especially post-fire recovery in West Maui and South Maui.
- Melanie highlights how parks like Col Park serve as hubs for communication and community care during times of transition and trauma.
- Jason remarks on Maui’s ongoing infrastructure struggles, particularly with South Kihei Road flooding and traffic congestion, which have worsened over decades of growth without adequate planning.
- Melanie and Jason acknowledge that Maui’s water management and infrastructure have long been insufficient to handle population growth and natural events, contributing to flooding and community strain.
- Melanie points out that despite these challenges, the local community continues to step up in grassroots ways, though official systems often lag in responsiveness and cooperation.
[14:19 → 20:19] History of Environmental and Community Activism on Maui
- Jason shares his own history as a Green Party candidate in the early 1990s, describing political challenges and thwarted community initiatives such as the Maui Arts and Music Association, which aimed to combine art, music, and environmental activism to raise funds and awareness.
- They discuss the power of music and cultural expression as tools for building community, raising funds, and promoting environmental stewardship.
- Jason suggests innovative ideas like an app for tourists to listen to ancient Hawaiian music tied to different island locations, creating deeper connection to the land through cultural heritage.
- Melanie supports this vision, emphasizing that local culture, music, and art can inspire cooperation and uplift Hawaiian values, but funding and organizational support remain limited.
- Both agree that proper resources and philanthropic support could unlock greater community impact.
[20:19 → 28:01] The Importance of Cooperation, Community Medicine, and Emotional Support
- Melanie stresses the importance of “community medicine,” which extends beyond physical health to emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
- She talks about walking alongside people facing addiction, trauma, homelessness, and other struggles, encouraging accountability and self-empowerment rather than dependency.
- The conversation touches on the complexity behind homelessness, including hidden talents and skills among unsheltered individuals (e.g., doctors, lawyers) who often go unrecognized.
- Jason and Melanie discuss the cyclical trauma many face, including veterans dealing with PTSD and addiction, emphasizing the importance of presence, encouragement, and trust-building.
- Melanie describes how she and others check in on vulnerable people especially on difficult days like holidays when trauma triggers are high.
[28:01 → 32:13] Broader Social Issues and Personal Reflections
- Jason shares his perspective as a Jewish person on current events involving Israel and Palestine, expressing concern about inflammatory content being shown in local libraries and emphasizing the importance of harmony and understanding across communities.
- He reflects on his long history living in Maui since 1988 and witnessing the island’s growth, traffic problems, and cultural shifts, lamenting lost infrastructure opportunities and the challenges of sustainable development.
- Melanie recounts her experience helping start Maui Rapid Response to support unsheltered residents with food, hygiene, and first aid, noting the resilience and wisdom among community members despite hardship.
[32:13 → 41:21] Creating Safe Spaces, Sharing Wisdom, and Addressing Systemic Failures
- Melanie emphasizes the importance of “peace pods” and safe spaces where people can share wisdom, culture, and resources as Maui undergoes rebuilding.
- The conversation returns to Col Park, recognized as a major gathering place for diverse groups including tourists, unsheltered, and those in transition.
- Jason notes the irony of flooding in key community spaces like Col Park, which disrupts access to food and services.
- They discuss systemic failures in coordination among agencies, shelters, and nonprofits, where referrals and inter-agency cooperation are lacking, leaving vulnerable people without adequate support.
- Melanie advocates for more frequent, structured community meetings to improve communication, share data, and coordinate care efforts effectively.
- Both agree that existing solutions often do not reach those most in need due to lack of phones, transportation, or trust.
[41:21 → 45:05] The Reality of Addiction and Community Challenges
- Melanie candidly discusses the ongoing methamphetamine (“ice”) problem in Maui, noting its devastating impact on youth and community dynamics.
- She highlights the complexity of addiction and trauma, the lack of sufficient resources, and the exhaustion felt by frontline workers who are stretched thin.
- Despite these challenges, Melanie remains optimistic about the community’s capacity to provide sanctuary and support if more people step up.
- Jason echoes the sentiment, pointing out that many spaces—empty churches, parking lots—could be mobilized for sanctuary but aren’t yet fully utilized.
- They both emphasize the importance of local community responsibility, with churches and organizations supporting small groups to help address homelessness.
[45:05 → 50:38] Hope for the Future: Cooperation, Intergenerational Weaving, and Education
- Jason reflects on decades of activism and the current moment as a powerful opportunity to build cooperation and resilience on Maui.
- Melanie stresses intergenerational collaboration—bringing together elders, middle-aged adults, youth, and children—to share skills, culture, and wisdom for long-term healing.
- The discussion turns to education, advocating for learning models that connect people to the land, address trauma and addiction, and respect diverse learning styles.
- Melanie shares that weaving and carving serve as meditation and prayer for her, underscoring the healing power of cultural connection.
- Both express hope that more people will get involved and that these efforts will grow.
[50:38 → 55:26] The Power of Courage, Prayer, and Listening
- Melanie talks about the courage needed to show up for others, especially those who are scared or struggling.
- She emphasizes the power of prayer—both formal and informal—to provide comfort and foster solutions when people gather with clear intention.
- Jason and Melanie recognize the transformative power of music and vibration, noting that not all music has positive effects and discernment is necessary.
- They acknowledge the reality that people must be ready to take steps toward healing and that trust-building is critical for effective support.
[55:26 → 57:06] Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
- Melanie updates on the current state of Col Park: floods have receded but trash and lack of accountability remain challenges. She encourages responsible behavior among park residents to maintain a safer, cleaner community space.
- Both agree that Col Park could become a model for integrated community care involving parks, police, jails, and sanctuaries working in cooperation.
- The show ends with Jason encouraging listeners to connect with Melanie via Lotus Ministries and Prayer and Movement on social media for those interested in supporting or learning more.
- Jason emphasizes that while the show is ending, their collective work is just beginning—strength comes through cooperation, community, and shared vision.
Key Insights and Themes
- Community Medicine: Extending care beyond physical health to emotional and spiritual support for vulnerable populations.
- Grassroots Organizing: Starting initiatives that empower communities to care for themselves collaboratively.
- Environmental and Infrastructure Challenges: Recognizing Maui’s long-standing issues with water management, flooding, and inadequate infrastructure amid population growth.
- Cultural Connection: Using music, art, and traditional practices to foster community identity, healing, and environmental stewardship.
- Addiction and Trauma: Addressing methamphetamine impact and trauma among unsheltered and vulnerable populations with empathy and practical support.
- Systemic Gaps: Highlighting failures in inter-agency cooperation and the need for better communication and referral networks.
- Hope and Cooperation: Emphasizing the power of collective action, intergenerational knowledge sharing, and prayer to build resilient communities.
Resources Mentioned
- Instagram: @LivingEarthSystems (Eddie Garcia’s environmental work)
- Instagram & Facebook: Lotus Ministries & Prayer and Movement (Melanie Unum’s ministry)
- Maui Neutral Zone website: mauineutralzone.com (for show archives and more)
- Maui Arts and Music Association: mauiartsandmusic.org
This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the conversation, maintaining the original structure and flow of topics while providing in-depth insight into the community issues, personal stori
00:00
[Music] my goodness it’s another Monday 2024 22th of January good morning this is Jason Schwartz host here at the neutral zone Maui neutral zone.com we are 88.5 FM k a KU the voice of Maui simcast on akaku Maui Community Media Chat 55 on cable you can also find us up there on the web this all lives afterward on YouTube but you can find Maui neutral zone.com you can go from there and see all of our shows um this morning I know a number of you have tuned in because Eddie Garcia who has been a real strong advocate for what’s
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going on in the west side because of the toxic waste that’s been uh begun to be dumped there in olalo as a temporary I love that measure um was going to be here at our show but I got it an 11th Hour text from him that he couldn’t make it and I understand when I looked at his Instagram feed Living Earth Systems he was there with RFK who’s running for president standing there and hearing how RFK was t in how all of these toxic sites leak and how important um what Eddie is doing and what we’re
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going to talk about sometime when he’ll be here but you can go at Living Earth Systems up on Instagram and see some of the videos there and get a feeling for why this subject is so important and uh it’s going to leave a toxic Legacy unless something is done many people feel obviously the mayor and the Council that voted for it don’t feel that or don’t know that but you know it isn’t over it isn’t over so please be aware I’m hoping that you will stay with us today because I have a new and terrific
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guest that I just met actually and uh she told me oh yeah you I met you before so you’ll hear about I here with Melody Udin is that right melan Unum please Melanie Undem I just know Melanie hi meloh nice to see you thank you for joining us here in theal zone for ask excuse my little bit of raspy voice not trying to be sexy I’m just uh I guess I’ve been a little busy and getting sick has been sort of a uninteresting and very full time now I met you at a birthday party for another future guest Maryanne Scott who’s 86
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years old or 86 years young here uh had a birthday party at her home in keii and me and Airielle met Melanie and when Eddie dropped out of uh being on our show I thought I know I just met this really nice lady who just seems to be doing things I don’t even know what they are but we’re going to explore together Melanie Welcome to our show I’m grateful to be here thank now we’re the neutral zone but we’re anything but neutral that’s important to point out because the only thing you can’t say those seven
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words that George Carlin made famous well we can’t say on radio but those have nothing to do with with anything um actually they threw me off YouTube a couple of times because I was speaking about subjects that were I guess taboo on a national and international level but I don’t think we’re dealing because today um what do you do and what is your main focus these days because I just met you and I think our audience would like to know you too okay I’m getting better at get a bit closer if you can J so that
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you don’t get as much Echo you’re good cool I am a longtime Grassroots Community organizer so I started this is a microphone so you got to be cool all right all right you can teach me everything no no just get a little closer cool notice how I am that’s because the further away you get the more you get the room at when you’re in here you’re sound like you’re on radio you don’t need to eat the microphone necessarily but you got to be you know like that cool um I’m a Grassroots
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organizer Community organizer so I’ve spent a lot of time doing environmental Community organizing throughout the United States of America working on water quality so so working on toxics working on pesticide watch when I moved go ahead no no you when you just say that I mean here on Mau you’ve been doing that um when I I shifted when I in my environmental Community organizing career I said to myself I love this I need to be at the center with the Lord um so I do community medicine Ministry so I show up with the
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most vulnerable and Care and Share and figure out what that means and how we can support our most vulnerable whether that’s our veterans our unsheltered the addicts the parents and families dealing with trauma um I show up to those spaces and try to do collaboration and working together for the benefit of our land and of the people who are here to caretake the land yeah so are you a um um a nonprofit organization I guess not you’re you’re a Ministry by I’m right now I’m myself and I’m angling from kind
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of doing community medicine into advocacy and justice but I well you actually reminded me when I met you you were I I didn’t know that I had met you before I guess it’s Thursday morning Thursday morning in col Park in keii you were a Ministry feeding all kinds of people in the Park yeah so my the model for the last year and a half has been less about bringing food and feeding but more about Can We Gather and feed each other so I like to create the model where people are coming together to work together so
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we cook together wash the dishes clean the dishes you know together so that’s what we’ve been doing Thursday creating Sanctuary safe spaces for people to Exhale communicate eat drink drink coffee but really safe spaces for people to and who is your audience there anyone who is anyone that would like a plate of food yes anyone who or or just wants to be in a in a space to to to gather to sing to pray to you know to to gather around so when I was there I saw there were a preponderance of people that
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appeared homeless that I’ve seen that either live around or in col park because they don’t have shelter y for whatever reason so some may have issues that are beyond the scope of me pointing and knowing even and some of them were just looked like they could use a friend so that’s great so encour so I believe me I believe in encouragement so that’s my like that’s the heart of my how I rule is we people need to be encouraged and and what does it mean to walk alongside each other as
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we’re going through all these struggles and changes and so encouragement yeah again I’m only giving you a notion if you’re a little bit closer you’ll find that thank you people will hear me hear you thank you I hear you um so you have a group of people like a core group down there is it always the same people that are in your team no it’s who wants to show up to support so I really don’t have it really is show up and if we’re there whoever’s there and wants to cook together and
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okay that’s how we roll it’s I like having a collaboration and collaboration meetings to prepare but but right now um I’ve kind of backed off of Thursdays I was gone for few months through the fires so that’s just rolling on its own and I’m kind of moving to a different model I like setting up working models and keep going oh that’s great yeah that’s what you mean by Community organizer yeah you uh lead the way and start start something and then what I think what we all hope we all hope we
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start something and others see value in it and join in yeah you know here in Maui like you say after the fires uh Kola I don’t want to leave you out but Lao when that fire happened and everything afterward we see people that are helping for the sake of helping and people who who are moved to put their hand in to be able to help move things forward and boy things are really still happening on a Community Action level there in the west side and I don’t know which leaders to thank I think everyone
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that’s doing it is is really you know they have their own Dynamic line of strong and Maui strong and I know Archie’s been busy and uh koku kapu and know I’ve seen lots of different people involved out there but you’re doing it there in kii well and it’s interesting because Kalama which I like to remind people means the torch and I do find having spent six years spending time in that in that in South Maui when there’s change on this island the park systems shift with who is coming through the
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park so we are really hosting a lot of people who are in transition from Lina their family members are you know dealing with a lot of trauma there so there’s a lot of conversation uh a lot of figuring out how to care and support each other across the island from the from Kama yeah so so people flood the park systems from different spaces so it really is a gathering point for communication and care as the park system are and so we just you know and I found it interesting that different newspapers uh that interviewed people
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after the fire bunch of them were found in col Park and around col there all kinds of newspaper reporters from The New York Times and civil beat they know that col Park is really a major spot like you say yeah it’s a very yeah it’s an interesting integration spot you got the tourists you got the unsheltered and it’s so it’s a space of a lot of activity so I saw you have I guess Instagram posts I saw under what Lotus Ministries Lotus Ministries is YouTube and prayer and movement is Instagram I
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see well I saw up there where you were you were there and singing actually but in the background y was col park it looked like a flood so that’s very telling by itself that you know I think that every time I see water and I think okay they’re rebuilding for the I don’t know how many time South keii Road up north and when they close the road somehow the traffic is extraordinary you’d think that after a while there’d be a better way to tell people please and put some of their their detour signs up where there’s
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traffic lights to get them on the upper Highway instead of having cars massively going up like Kanani hco to a circle where you stop the whole highway onesies and twoes trying to let people get in from kulani hakoi who are trying it’s a massive monster every time and then when it when it isn’t raining it’s a monster but when it is raining and the road we have to do something major here I’m I’m sure that everyone including the authorities the county and whomever know that but it
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is it is just incredible for col Park I mean I’ve saw a video I guess it was a drone shot from up above it looked like food Land and the Pavilion there in col Park were little islands in the middle of a lake so people can’t right get travel to get food charge there even um wheelchair I had Uncle who’s from lahina in now he’s Kama couldn’t charge his wheelchair trying to figure that out through the floods but that’s also kind of the wat said conversation that hopefully Eddie would have a more
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perspective on but South keii watershed management that’s the result of that yeah it’s like we’ve overbuilt and yeah you know I don’t know how many you’ve been on Maui six years you said yeah yeah well um I’m older I’ve been here a while longer and these problems that you see there have been here as long as I am here since 1988 and longer I mean I’ve had um when people said to me in 1988 oh you should have seen it before it got crowded you can imagine from 88 till now how much more has
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gotten crowd our infrastructure has been insufficient for as long as I can remember and although you’d think that building out of infrastructure should match the building we’ve scared a couple of Builders away there was supposed to be another major development I guess it’s north um north of Maui Meadows where that developer on hearing how much infrastructure the council was going to demand of him to be able to do what he did he said up not going to be profitable and he bailed you know so but they don’t have that and
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obviously haven’t had it in place at adequately enough to deal with his growth kulanihakoi Gulch and the water that come down I’ve seen things to do with tax records where titles were shifted and all kinds of shenanigans that you know I don’t have the power to jump in and take it to the end so I don’t talk about things that I can’t prove or you know it doesn’t make sense for me to be talking too much detail but suffice it to say bringing the to the surface I think is important and having
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I think people need to acknowledge what’s going on and more transparency so we can talk about it well they’re a paid reporters let them do cuz I’m not supported by anything and what happens is I mean here’s an example yeah in 1992 I was a green Party candidate lived in West Maui and I wasn’t thinking about running but people around me there at the thing say Hey you have green ideal we need candidates so I ran and I got 11% of the vote and the Republicans said to me yeah if you didn’t run your votes
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I could have beaten this other guy but you took the votes I don’t know how many of my votes would have voted for him because he was again his values weren’t exactly mine so whatever but our mayor was Republican and more than I knew until after the fact I had booked and paid for the opening of the Maui Arts and Cultural centers New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and went out to get sponsors and found from the lips of Hotel general manager that I was being blocked that there were people that came out about an
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event through the mayor they never paid for it or got the Mac it completely crazy made me up or the guy that was the head of the visitors bureau who became the head Roger Dubin there’s a name you remember we had planned he was going to be the head of my organization but then he got a big paying job that was right in line with our idea of putting things together if you look up Maui artsand music.org you’ll see a little of maybe a lot of what we were planning on doing still doing so every time I go to the mac and
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see pundy and stone there sitting on that bench I remember of what could be well the time people are asking for music Happening Now art and music that could be supported and raise money to help create Environmental Solutions seems to be a no pain way to raise money not only from Maui but from the whole world so that’s a separate conversation but music and people having fun is a powerful thing you know you can ask people for money for something and they’re not so quick but they’d go to
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that music show they’re going to go see see the dubie brothers they’re going to go see all these things but now if a portion of money’s goes to Environmental Solutions and we show them that they are doing it by going to music and art shows buying we’re going to have a world that will wake up to what we’re going to do here and they will be part of building the solution for Maui who by itself doesn’t have the number of people to be able to bring in the money to do the things that
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we need to do here so what better way than involve the world through the art and music and how this could be we talk about it a global example place of cooperation at a level that you don’t see too easily in other places we hear about it and see about it but we are an ideal location we’re already a tourist destination why don’t we send people home with more than just the suntan by showing them the good things that we’re doing here on Maui and the good people who are doing it amen which is what you
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see on this show can I here’s my here’s my idea for music and I think maybe this is for the tourist board all the tourist should be coming if they’re going wherever they’re going col for example there there’s ancient Hawaiian music that is sharing the story of the nooks and crannies of the land and the wind and I think we should have an app where if when people are moving around the island they can say oh I’m at The Cove let me listen to the songs that were written about this area so I know how to
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tune into the land and we can really create that quality because the music can create that quality of Aloha AA the biggest thing I hear when things like that which is a great idea that’s why I chose Maui Arts and Music Association Mama yeah and papa people aligned in positive AC action because together Family Values can come out and we can lift and Elevate our local Hawaiian culture and do exactly what you say showcase different places but the money to do that the way that things seem to be structured that’s not in their budget
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you see well I believe that the money’s the right money is going to be available for the right people to do the right thing at the right time and I I believe that well and that’s what we’re trying to do by being bringing it all together that’s really I mean cuz the philanthroper are going to be looking for people to do this stuff in a new creative efficient way and we are not experiencing efficiency you know and that’s where I believe that music especially music inspired by appreciation is is helps to bring out
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efficiency and and joy that’s my prayer yeah May May the rains like I never want to say go away rains because we have too much flooding I want you know we want the Reigns to be at the right go to the right place and you know be used in the right way as intended yeah and we’ve had drought here although people may not be aware of it when you have a drought up country you know so I’m thankful Hannibal tovaris our old mayor way back once said to me and Ariel I think it was like 199 I I don’t remember six right
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before he died he was jealous of molai that had built ahead of the need quote and now they could use rain too a large Reservoir we don’t have the way to hold it I want to say uh you know we learned a lot but we’re still that’s the Army Corps of Engineers digging down there in olalo you’d think think we would have learned about the rainfall and how it comes well I think we have and it’s being block I think learning gets blocked I think wisdom gets blocked and we need to keep talking so I’m glad you
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have the show well you know I think some of the block just is the priorities of those that have the communication Airwaves yes you know it’s much more sexy to talk about a problem than to talk about Solutions and talk about Cooper it sounds like it’s a weak thing well in fact if we all hold hands together that we become a net that is way stronger than these other things that are seemingly obstacles and we can get the message out it’s just like in these shows people have asked me you
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know Jason you’re on Public Access TV I don’t know how many people are seeing your show we have no ratings well if people share the show or our guests will use it as a tool to share the ideas that they’re bringing and we share it that’s how the net gets formed I I have people that come up to me I’m always surprised they come up to me and they say Mr Schwartz so respectful Mr Schwartz is that you you were my teacher in 1994 when I was in in high school they were cheering my name in the high
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schools I had to stop it was crazy I had to stop substitute teaching because I was everything I was like a sub but they I had to stop because I was creating disruption in the schools because the young people heard what I was saying maybe the parents didn’t listen but I was that different substitute teacher I was in Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago one person woring there stopped me when they call me Mr Schwartz out of the blue I don’t ever call me Mr schwarts so you know it’s like what who is that but the people
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here are very respectful that was a really great experience then and um there are many great leaders here who are trying things and some you’ve seen here some you yet to be here but you know it’s good people like Melanie Listen did you hear she’s a community organizer helped working and building food and people Cooper operating together to help and provide food in a park where people need more Community medicine is not only Physical Medicine I’m sure it’s all kinds of medicine
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truth that is very true and we need to really attend to the mental health emotional health physical health of everybody yeah dignity and I imagine you working quote uh help referrals to people to different places that they might find help on the island I’m someone who people know when they’re ready you know because it also you got to balance are are people ready to take a step up so I’m the kind of person who you can trust if they’re ready to take a step up for themselves I will um walk
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alongside them and help to figure out the resources I’m not going to just do it for people I’m not really into the codependency Mo models no I don’t mean what I mean is yeah you have to have someone work and I actually I do way more yeah right now it’s more about encouragement Than Physical food there there’s a plenty of there’s I have no concern about people and food in kii there is plenty of food what I’m looking for is people to have more accountability to their emotional
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health their mental health their addiction finding new Pathways to holding themselves accountable for you know what are you here for what’s your coolana you know and when we take that away which addictions often do take away the Verve that people have how do we get people back into their heart space of service you know and I I don’t know what people’s service is but I know if we keep asking people what’s your aspiration what do you need what lights you up and it’s extraordinary you
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know there’s this issue about homeless people you hear people talk about the homeless in a negative way houseless I don’t know if I’m appropriate but I am there’s a lot of different words yeah but but I can tell you when you peel off the layers like I know one lady there who was a doctor of acupuncture in a different state well and now she’s helping people out there in the community but never gets recognized and there’s so many people out there that have so much skill and that are trying
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to help this homeless community and many of them are the homeless themselves truth you know and that’s what you’re doing you’re lighting up people to help each other and bring out the best they’re unbelievable I’ve met doctors I met lawyers you say why is a lawyer maybe they weather it started by them being in some crisis that got them homeless and then they started drinking and then they started a drug issue more trauma coming back from War and the amount of trauma that you’ve got to deal
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with you know it’s it’s you’re not ready to live in a square space so people really need to work out their processes and I I used to roam around on the Mondays where the where the nonprofits were taking their days off but the Mondays Veterans Day all those days where people need more encouragement rather than you can’t go into the business so those are the days where our veterans are going through the hardest days yeah July 4th Veterans Day Memorial morial day so they’re retracing a lot of
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things that come back so it’s a especially good day to wander around be in the field I’ve done a lot of suicide calls homicidal calls you know you want to check in with the people who have trauma Triggers on on different days so it’s important just to roam around without even a Jesus said you don’t need to roam around with food or gold in your bag you can just go forth and check in you know on your brothers and sisters is kind of what I recommend yeah I know that guy Jesus he was one of me I’m a Jewish kid
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into the corner in this you know G is all a refugee camp because Israel cleared off and moved you know it’s like let’s clear off Maui and let’s let all these white people come in you imagine how the Hawaiians feel yeah and it’s like so this whole thing is a mess but I don’t think the library should be showing things that are going to inflame and incite and break people and cause Jewish I have nothing to do with Israel there should be no reason why a Jew just CU you’re Jewish you know
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they’re pointing in you know we are not that and I don’t think that should be um going on and those kind of things bother me because in a land where Donald Trump has 50% however many of the vter 30 million people that he can do no wrong there are many opinions out there but that’s why things that you do things that I hopefully am doing to take down the walls and show that we can be together the harmony between people the Muslims and the Jews the Hawaiian and the non-hawaiians and or just family to
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family you know starting there you find when we mothers fathers yeah when we get to know each other and share and doing and caring we’re all one family you know Jesus said it best he said hey brah you know I don’t even know how to say it in Hawaiian pigeon I see I always find it interesting when I see white guys and white gals talking in Pigeon I’m always wondering what are they trying to be local I am not and now after living here 30 plus years I can’t believe it over 36 years I’ve been here this I’m now 72
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going to be 73 in April half of my life this has been my home for lifetimes and um the young people growing up now may know it as is now but um I didn’t really understand when they first told me in 88 you should have seen what it was like before but I can IM surely imagine when I got here in Kei Road was there weren’t too many traffic lights and um there was a right AC right next to Food Land was a Natural Foods Co-op and place it was just such a beautiful you’d walk across keii Road you know there were not there
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was no traffic now you try to make a left on ke road is a major obstacle you know things and the the traffic is just extraordinary and all the problems that we knew about and we could have planned about we thought about having bike ways and all kinds of stuff but as new ownership happened powers that be didn’t bring anything or put anything in place that would get that to be part of the developing community and so now to try to address it becomes Madness how do you Mage take a major roadway like South keii Road and re
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where do you rebuild it how do you rebuild it so we have ourselves you know quite a job and so when anyone’s building on the ocean it just knocks me out that these houses are selling on the ocean for Millions upon Millions upon millions of dollarss and yeah they say buyer beware but the buyer knows they’re not going to be here in the future so you know that thing about uh nimi not in my backyard well here we have a lot of that through when Co started I’m going to jump in when Co started I quit my job working with kids
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with autism which I love and I got a van uh and uh me and a team of people helped to start Maui rapid response so I could move product around tents tarps Food hygiene you know first aid um and so that was a that was really my introduction to sharing and caring throughout Maui but I really focused on South Maui but through that time was when I met a lot of um our unsheltered Ohana who who were raised here on this sacred Island yeah and witnessing their skill sets and wisdom and how we just have to maintain the
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space of sharing the strengths that are still here yeah sharing the weaving sharing about laa laa like sharing the strengths of the culture and that’s where it’s like the park systems or just creating spaces where people feel like they can teach each other and share so that’s that’s um something that always reminds me no matter how much building we’ve got going on there’s wisdom held among our brothers and sisters and that’s where like the encouragement of how do we create spaces so we can keep sharing the
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wisdom because we’re going to go through a long time of this rebuilding but the wisdom is still here between us so that’s I’m I like creating peace pods and connecting the dots with peace pods across the island so people feel safe to share you peace pods PE yep I just want to let all our audience know I’m here with Melanie UNAM and Melanie is uh prayer and movement and Lotus Ministries look up on Instagram and on Facebook you’ll see more about her we are on K KU 88.5 FM the voice of Maui
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and we’re simoc cast on akaku Maui Community TV our repeat on television the only one I know scheduled is right after democracy now at 7 a.m. on Saturday so if you’re watching democracy now and you’re on Maui first of all you’re up early what are you doing up so early but at 700 a.m. you’d be able to see this show and on Maui neutral zone.com you’ll be able to see this show and all our past shows you know we are um the way we’re set up is a call in and call out talk show
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they’re going to see at the bottom of their screen a number to call in whether it’s today um um excuse me I think that the most important thing is to have that input from the community I wouldn’t be surprised that after this show and I hope you’ll share it as well um that you’re going to get a lot more people coming to you and sharing to you not only to come to help you in what you hoping to do but in Sharing what we’re all hoping to see which is cooperation and practicing I mean I
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think people use the word collaboration and cooperation but we haven’t been very well practiced in that I found that too I went to the shelter that was built by FEMA near the airport yes which houses a number of I don’t remember the number 5 I think it Oh I thought it was 120 but let’s say it’s I don’t care numbers I went there because people that weren in the burn Zone who needed help I went there to see how what help they have that they could then refer to agencies on the island and
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so that those people although those other agencies may be stressed that is their job right that’s what we all keep pointing to and I found that people that run that shelter said to me nicely no um we don’t refer them to anywhere that’s not part of our chartered Mission well how what are we talking about we’re talking about people that are coming and looking for help that even when they go for help those agencies don’t refer them to other places it’s beyond my understanding little things like that
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that kind of level of cooperation is even minimal but it’s not Happ happening yeah it there’s a lot back to P like I’m really interested in being a community Catalyst for collaboration and we use the word a lot but there’s still needs to be a lot of work to really trick trickle down to the people most in need and work better together as care teams and how do we do that what’s your idea of how we might do that I think that’s a great idea I am I think people need to gather more often I mean
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in col I try to gather the people who are there and sharing care and it’s hard to even get them together the people who go and minister or do you know do anything there but it’s like I think we need to personally I think you once a week meeting you know and you have a a meeting structure you know and how to check in not it’s not about gossip it’s about how you’re checking in in your community and what are you know what is the how do we lead good communication you know how do you share and care and
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not it’s not about emotion it’s you know it’s sharing data and then what are we going to do about it and coming back the next week and going through you know where have we progressed you know and what do we do when we hit a roadblock I believe people need to get better in all the organizations nonprofits government and just the free form folks sitting around and practicing free form free form yeah I mean I I’ve had to choose to become free form because I’m there’s not a I haven’t found uh I haven’t found
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that aspect of deepening more mature communication for actualizing Solutions I think people are doing awesome jobs individually but I really would like to see more um more communication I mean I told the mayor this I’m like we already I was invited to to speak to the May which mayor the one that we got now yeah right before the fire I was invited there was a bunch of us who went and I I said I’m like the solutions are already here yeah you got to in you got to look at this this is you know we have this committee
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Wednesday whatever it was forever once a month I think it was every other week and they came out with this thing which gets updated with a list of services and they think that this is their they felt like they had yeah but people don’t have a phone people can’t yeah that’s what exactly it it’s like this is the ultimate if you people don’t have phones their phones are they can’t get on the bus they smell too you know they can’t get on the bus dot you know to go so it’s I love how the bus is still free
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since the fire I’m going to share that as a there’s a lot of positive things going on but yeah phone numbers what people really need help with is sitting beside them and you know doing it with them it’s like the phone numbers is is it’s hard to advocate for yourself when you’re unsheltered and going through trauma I can tell you A lot of people have been afraid that’s because they don’t know that if you sit with someone that’s homeless you’ll discover I’ve discovered every single
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time every time that there’s a lot of person there they’re individuals that deserve dignity and when you sit and give them the time and attention you’ll discover a wealth there that needs to be really explored and helped you know yes and wisdom I mean I’m like there’s so much wisdom in that field you know what looks like the muddiest is uh so I like going to listen to people’s stories and building trust and it’s different like that you got we got to build trust you know people who
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are often unsheltered experience a lot of trauma you know so you got to develop you know what communication communication skills showing up consistently people knowing that they can trust you to carry their you know thing to The Next Step you know because it’s it’s intimate work yeah helping people to take the next step but their whole life is exposed they’ve been totally exposed and here’s one that I don’t I’m not going to point fingers but someone there in the park when they tell me that
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they got their ice for the week through one of the workers that’s out there from one of the agencies who’s a dealer like what yeah but no one wants Maui is not talking about meth is that what you mean by Ice are you’re you’re talking about for your cooler yeah it’s a it’s a conversation that we need to have I I connect with a lot of young especially men 20 30 year olds it’s different the 20 and 30 year olds impacted with meth compared to the 50 and 60 year olds it’s a different
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medicine it’s it’s completely changed and it’s taking the youth’s minds away and it it’s a very small open anyway that I could I would love to sit and talk about that but that’s a no but it’s not that small and again yeah I’m bringing it up to you you know how many years ago we spoke about this and I it’s like it’s we don’t have the resources we don’t have the resources the people that are out there are they’re they’re like ducks on the surface they’re calmly helding but
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underneath the ground they’re pedaling as fast as they can they look calm at we have these Solutions but they don’t have enough Solutions but we have so many spaces we have parking lots we have empty churches except for an hour on like we have so many spaces to make available for Sanctuary across this island and you can’t force people to do but I’m not going to say we don’t have the resources I won’t so I believe we do have the resources well you and I agree but we don’t have the resources in the
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government who keeps pointing I know people they really believe that they’re they say well they should go to the shelter they should go to this agency they what do you mean we but when you go to those agencies there’s no room for the volume of challenges so if Community doesn’t step up then we have no resources but what you said there are many spaces there was one person that said to me if every Church put under their wing six or seven people to help we would virtually get rid of the
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Homeless Problem yep but that’s not what’s happening not yet people again you’re a very good believer I am I really am and that’s good cuz so am I remember I started this in 1991 uhhuh so it’s not been quick in happening and we look at a world we are so fortunate to be here on Maui while the world is doing what they’re doing at a distance but it’s in a microcosm so we I think we have such an opportunity opportunity but what kills me is I’m hearing from you saying that what hurts
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me so deeply not you I’ve been talking about this since I ran for mayor since I ran 9294 that’s a lifetime ago that we could have but now now is the moment of power you’ve heard these people say that you know that what we have going on now gives all of us an opportunity to make those strides toward cooperation and getting involved in these ways and now the whole world is going to be with us so don’t turn your back on the fact that possibility exists for a better world people like Melanie way long after I’m
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gone and I’m not leaving so quick by the way you know way after I’m gone we need people to step up hon I honor your excitement about weaving because we do have to weave the generations and we have to share the skills so we can not you know like so I like this and I like we we then we need the 20 30-year-old sitting with us and then the 10-year-olds so we can really weave all of the that’s what I mean here I am 35 years ago that someone would remember me cuz I was their substitute teacher and
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they remember Mr Schwartz my goodness gracious but I just I made room for them you know I I used to have this thing when I was substitute teaching the teachers would leave you a plan and these are the trouble students don’t let so when I came in many times I’d say okay who’s Joe and some big guy would get up and he was there and he would become my champion in that classroom and he brought and people would be seeing him in a whole new light and it gave him or her such good feeling and you know and
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that’s why they remember me I think well and then learning I mean teaching kids inside boxes is a tough situation too so I think it would be fun to look at the how we’re going to shake up education are we teaching people how they learn are we you know are we really taking um into account that people don’t really learn necessarily how we’re teaching them and we want to take our hats off to the teachers that are always making strides in this direction they are Valiant Heroes working with our but a
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lot of the unsheltered I think are the kids who who need to be outside yeah like you know I think we all need to connect to the to the land and how are we blending that into our education but that is as I’m finding like needs to be a a top priority dealing with addiction with trauma is making sure people have space to connect back to the land work the land you know learn to weave learn my carving for me is my meditation and my prayer and then I’m making you know useful things but it it’s really
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important to get people connected back to the land yeah well you know I’m hoping that uh you guys are going to write down uh Melanie’s contact stuff and be in touch with her to help some of these things happen and you could be a leader with her in helping that happen that’s what we mean of course we all know what a net looks like right yeah but it’s that old thing you know bunch of people standing separately but when you hold hands you create a net and the bond is so strong you can hold water you know we can work
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together to catch the rain that we’ve been praying for you know uh I have a friend who’s a pastor who’s actually on the board uh is Reverend Rayfield Johnson what kind of name is that I never you know you heard those commercials you could call me Ray you could call me Jay but don’t call me Johnson was very funny but he’s on my board he said to me years ago what would you Jesus do brother Rayfield at that’s his email address cool and what would Jesus do what would you do if you saw this situation you
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know I think it’s also about like Having the courage to do something that might be out of your like we’re new every day so how we show up to our brothers and sisters or ourselves who are struggling we’re new yeah so we might have to have more courage to walk alongside people that were scared I think we people get scared of helping others because we don’t know how to do it and uh you know but we don’t know how to do it unless we show up but I do believe and you know it’s like all right
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let go and let God I’m I’m here as a witness I got I got you know give it up but it works like I it prayer works it works and it and people love being heard I don’t need I don’t I I will go and pray for if people ask I’m not fanatical in that sense but when you ask people like is there a prayer I can listen to you know your own words it’s like it’s so cool I feel so blessed to feel PE hear people’s stories and then where two or more are gathered Solutions happen I
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I I witness that I like I witness Solutions happening and it’s different than we’re expecting or hoping but it were you know we if we are gathering with clear heart it it really can change yeah mountains can move well that’s every day every day yeah ain’t no mountain high enough to keep me away from you babe remember the day you set me free what a funny thing music is an amazing tool to be able to you know you know what well yeah so back to meth so meth plus this dark music create it’s a whole
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process going on I we really I feel like we need to look at that we need to look at that but it’s like music there’s a difference between good vibr it’s not all good like you know there’s bumper stickers oh it’s all good it’s like that’s not true the path we have to have a discer Discerning path yeah path of discernment and we the thing that seems to make that actualize is the individual taking the responsibility to do that because you can bring a horse to water but you can’t make them drink yes but
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what if you make him comfortable but people don’t know like I’m yeah make him you know some people might not drink until they see it safe to drink yes so what you’re doing is invaluable and I’m very thankful to have met you I hope we can be working together I’m sure we may um you out there I want you to know some of you who are tuning in you thought that I was G to have Eddie Garcia Here Eddie couldn’t make it at the 11th hour he was actually I mean to think that RFK is now aware of
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this problem in Olu ALU brings up my hope that someone he’s an environmental lawyer we were looking for an environmental lawyer maybe we have found one you know there but we have MelanieUndem I have to get it it’s okay I don’t really use it too yeah well just CU these are blind eyes but Melanie you’re you’re really a a terrific guest you bring out the love and caring and cooperation that I hope that all of you Embrace and um I’m knowing that the good work that you’ve
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been doing will be added to and it’s going to help more and more more people so you’re right about you know that Park and stuff how are things there in the park these days I haven’t been out in um that’s a great question the um the floods are gone so we have people able to move on their own is it on muddy yet it’s it’s pretty much dried out yeah okay um it’s me it’s dirty it it there’s you know there’s trash everywhere so I know that population well enough I’m like you
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got to clean up your stuff like I’m like you guys if you’re living in the park clean up your stuff like you got to clean up your stuff so there isn’t a lot of accountability and when there isn’t a lot of accountability in that then that’s when sweeps happen because when it gets too messy or too smelly or people are taking over too many spaces then it’s just like CH I recommend I’m like yo if you guys are going to live in the park you should have your stuff cleaned up before the sun rises you you
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should not be hanging out you know so don’t Camp you know or there’s camping that goes we can’t deny there’s camping that happens in the park but but be way more subtle and there are people visiting yeah and so treat it all with respect exctly right so there’s there’s so many people who are unsheltered who are you know the highest moral value you know like you know there there those aren’t the people were worried about but go ahead this you’re okay I can hardly believe it we have less than two minutes
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left so the park is awesome the park is an awesome place to integrate and practice and be held accountable and you know I think Kal Could Be Heaven on Earth yeah why not make it all you know a good model for how it the parks and the police and the jail and the sanctuaries all work together cuz it’s happening there anyway so we might as well gather and talk about it yeah yeah Cola Park is one of my favorites you know I’ve been here now but I’d like to see bathrooms with you know soap and hot
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water and people can look in the mirror you know like that will if people can see themselves in the mirror are there are no mirrors there no mirrors no soap never they don’t put soap in there not not since I’ve been here wow see yeah wow there was a bathroom that had soap and that’s the bathroom that the mayor used to go to most often so that one I heard would more typically have soap but this is a longer story well I am just looking I don’t want to miss the end of my show for we have 42
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seconds isn’t it amazing we run through another one Maui neutral zone.com you can watch this show and all of our shows we’re uh very happy to be with you audience and Melanie thank you for joining us I hope you’ll come back again I look forward um more music it is the end of the show but we are just beginning together we are stronger and that’s really the most important message and uh Melanie blessings to you everyone get in touch with this young lady we will see you next week here from
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the neutral Zone aloha [Music] aloha
