Introducing our Fall 2024 Interns!

Meet our Fall 2024 Interns!

We are excited to announce that the Pono-Pono Peace Initiative will be welcoming three new interns for the Fall 2024 semester! This new chapter presents an exciting opportunity for collaboration, as we are committed to supporting our interns in both their personal and professional growth. Each internship is uniquely tailored to align with the individual interests and passions of the students, allowing them to delve deeply into projects that resonate with them while contributing meaningfully to our organization’s mission. Our approach ensures that interns have the space and resources to develop innovative ideas and projects they are passionate about, all while assisting us with our ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting local and global peace and understanding. This arrangement fosters a mutually beneficial environment where interns can gain valuable experience and make impactful contributions. We look forward to the fresh perspectives and creative solutions our interns will bring, confident that their involvement will enrich our projects and advance our shared goals.

Introducing our first intern for the semester! “Hi! I’m Annie Jones, a senior at BYU-Hawaii majoring in Peacebuilding. I’m excited to intern with the Pono Pono Peace Initiative this fall. Originally from Mesa, Arizona, I love music, surfing, traveling, and making meaningful connections. This semester, I look forward to using my passion for peacebuilding to help create opportunities for IPB students to apply their skills in our community.

My interest in peacebuilding began when I took IPB courses that deeply resonated with me. The skills I’ve learned have not only enhanced my life but also my relationships. I’m dedicated to sharing these tools to help others improve theirs. I’m particularly passionate about peace education and want to develop creative ways to teach peacebuilding skills that encourage people to promote peace in their daily lives. In the future, I hope to establish an NGO focused on peace education, starting at the grassroots level. My vision is to work with children in high-conflict areas, teaching them effective conflict resolution techniques. This, I believe, can help break cycles of violence and empower future generations to become compassionate leaders. Although challenges like time and funding stand in the way, I’m determined to keep progressing toward my dream, starting with the projects I’ll be working on this semester.

Here’s a bit about our second intern: “Aloha everyone! My name is Cantalise Ferreira but you can call me Talise. I am a Brazilian-American student here at BYU Hawaii from California. I love to read, cook, and any activities that include the ocean!

I’m an Intercultural PeaceBuilding major with minors in Psychology and HTM, I will be graduating in just two semesters! I am so excited to be an intern for the Pono-Pono Peace Initiative because I believe that this company and its work can help student such as myself get valuable experience and practice in Peace building situation and be a channel through which more students get more opportunities to practice the theories we are taught. I chose to study PeaceBuilding because President Nelson reminded us the being a peacemaker is a choice, he urged us each to choose to be peacemakers now and always. While I haven’t quite nailed down any specific plans for future goals or careers with my degree I know that there are plenty of options! Peace building is needed in every job in every part of the world. From HR to NGO’s and from Teaching to Family life, the skills I have been able to learn will help me a better wife, mom, friend, employee, and disciple of Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to the many projects and activities that we at the Pono-Pono Peace Initiative have planned for this semester  such as the Peace building in Action competition and I can’t wait to help other students become peace practitioners.”

Meet our third and final intern for the semester: “My name is Kamilah Pedersen, and I’m from Alberta, Canada. I’m currently a junior studying at Brigham Young University of Hawaii.

I chose peace-building because I recognized the power and strength that comes with the principles taught. While it's often portrayed as super idealistic and elusive, it's actually super tangible and practical. Creating peace starts with you and then branches outward, which means you can't afford to be apathetic or desensitized. Once you start being brave and love a little more dangerously, it's incredible to see how conflict can transform us and create positive change. I have always had a strong pull toward justice and healing, and I love experiencing how peacebuilding can make that happen in such a broken world. My current dream is to change the Title IX experience within BYUH campus as well as implant preventative methods to help combat incidents of Sexual Assault. Right now, it’s hard working within the systems of the university and finding the people who are actually willing to make a change, but I hope with more time and expertise I’ll be able to make this difference.”

We are excited to embark on this collaborative journey and to support the growth and success of our interns in the coming semester!