Workshops and Community Engagement: Empowering Through Creativity and Healing

Meleanna Aluli Meyer’s dedication to fostering creativity and cultural healing extends far beyond her visual art and filmmaking. As a visionary educator and workshop leader, Meyer has facilitated numerous programs designed to empower individuals and communities through hands-on artistic expression and deep cultural engagement. Her workshops, spanning decades, reflect her belief in the transformative power of art to heal, reconnect, and inspire.

  • UH School of Medicine; Visual Arts Instruction - Healing Workshops at JABSOM (2016-2024)

  • Ke Ao Loa, Cohort Healing Work, Maui Committee and Presenter for 1898 (2024)

  • Women in Faith Creativity Workshop (2024)

  • Youth Creativity Community Workshop (2024)

  • Sharjah Biennial 15 UAE: Hawaiian Women in Film (2023)

  • Explorations in Education Futures Donkey Mill (2022)

  • Visual Futures Educational Redesign (2022)

  • East-West Center Mural Workshop; Weaving a Network of Care (2022)

  • Kukulukuhana: Presentation on Ho’omana (2022)

  • KS Portrait Show; Creative Lead Artist (2022)

  • Volcano School for Arts and Sciences (2021)

  • Workshop Development with Arts Center Donkey Mill (2021-2024)

  • Healing Historical Trauma; ‘Aina Aloha Mural (2018)

  • PRIDOC Workshop; Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Conference (2018)

  • IVAT Keynote Speaker (2017)

  • PACWIN: Healing the Wholeness of the Arts (2017)

  • Papa Ola Lokahi Staff; Workshop of Wellness and Healing (2017)

  • Cross-Cultural health Care Conference Workshop; Co-Presenter (2017)

  • PAC RIM Book Pavilion (2017)

  • Ho’oponopono and the Visual Art of Healing (2017)

  • Asian Leadership Development Program; East-West center (2017)

  • UH School of Social Work; Workshops on Healing (13-14)

  • Classes for Incarcerated Women (2013)

  • Kiki O Ka ‘Aina KOKA; Families of the Incarcerated (2013)

  • Alulike Program (2010)

  • KS Wellness Kuleana (2010)

  • The Importance of the Arts to Healing Our Spirit Worldwide (2010)

  • Shelters for Homeless and Adjudicate Youth; After School Art Workshops (2007-2009)

  • KA Scholars Program; Art to Go Special Projects (2004-2009)

  • Teacher Educational Cohorts for Halal Wanana (2003-2010)

  • Pacific Basin Consortium HAIS (1999)

  • Community Outreach SFCA Workshop (1998)

  • HAAE Hula Ki’i (1997)

  • Teacher in Service HAAE (1996-1997)

  • Curriculum Designer for Hawai’i Alliance for Arts; Education Artist and Family Ohana Workshops; Moloka’i (1996-1997)

  • Honolulu Community Actions Arts Workshop (1991)

Her initiatives have reached diverse audiences, including students, educators, incarcerated women, and professionals in healthcare and social services.

Meyer’s work with the University of Hawai‘i’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) from 2016 to 2024 centered on integrating visual arts into healing practices. Similarly, she has led programs like the "Ke Ao Loa Cohort Healing Work" and community-based projects such as the "Women in Faith Creativity Workshop" and the "Youth Creativity Community Workshop," both in 2024, fostering creative exploration and communal well-being.

Meyer’s workshops often emphasize cultural restoration and educational innovation, as seen in her contributions to the "Explorations in Education Futures" program at Donkey Mill Art Center and the "Visual Futures Educational Redesign" initiative in 2022. At the East-West Center’s mural workshop, Weaving a Network of Care (2022), she combined collaborative art-making with community healing, exemplifying her holistic approach to creative engagement.

Her commitment to addressing historical trauma and promoting resilience is evident in programs such as Healing Historical Trauma: ‘Āina Aloha Mural (2018) and her collaborations with organizations like PRIDOC and Papa Ola Lokahi. These workshops integrated Hawaiian cultural practices, such as ho‘oponopono, with creative methodologies to guide participants through personal and collective healing.

Through partnerships with schools, including Kamehameha Schools, Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, and various shelters and community centers, Meyer has designed and led programs that empower participants to find their voices and share their stories. Her work with incarcerated women and families of the incarcerated, including the Kiki O Ka ‘Āina program (2013), demonstrates her commitment to reaching marginalized communities.

Meleanna Aluli Meyer’s workshops and educational programs are testaments to her lifelong mission of healing and uplifting communities through creativity, culture, and collaboration. By blending her artistic expertise with her deep cultural knowledge, Meyer continues to inspire generations to embrace the arts as a tool for connection and transformation.