Sowing Seeds of Service
In its ongoing effort to evoke positive systemic change, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice has interest in areas like research, policy development, education, coalition-building and advocacy. That’s why it needs a leadership team whose members can do a little bit of everything, too.
“Being at a smaller organization, you wear so many different hats,” says Connie Choy, who serves as the nonprofit’s development director.
In addition to fundraising and managing the organization’s donor base, she also focuses her efforts on supporting the org’s five main areas: housing, economic justice, hunger, education and health care. It’s been busy, no doubt, but it’s something that Choy finds more than fulfilling. “It’s a great organization,” she continues. “There’s a lot of work being done on the ground level with nonprofits across the state, and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Nonprofit work has dominated the landscape of her successful career, but Choy’s initial plan was to pursue a path in advertising.
She took at job at a local public relations firm, but soon found herself pursuing a master’s degree at USC. During her time there, she was a staff writer for the school’s Viterbi School of Engineering, volunteered at Planned Parenthood in LA and worked on an exchange program that connected USC students with displaced refugees.
“I met so many different students and heard their stories. That’s what solidified my interest in doing more mission-based, values-driven work,” Choy says.
She later took a position as a philanthropic communication writer at Planned Parenthood’s national office in New York City.
That choice plunged her into the world of nonprofit work, and when the chance to return home and work with a local not- for-profit arose, she took it.
“It’s been a learning curve,” Choy relays of her time with Hawai‘i Appleseed. “We’re a very small nonprofit, and I came from working at one of the biggest nonprofits.”
Long-term projects include revamping outdated systems and procedures that perpetuate inequality here in the islands through policy development, coalition-building and advocacy. But Choy and Hawai‘i Appleseed have been shining in recent months for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even though our economy has been hit, people are really speaking out,” Choy notes. “They’re finding ways to help, whether that’s submitting testimony, voicing their support for certain bills or talking with the community about what needs to be done. That’s really been the most fulfilling thing—seeing us work with different organizations and partners to find a solution to our problems we’re facing right now.”
To that end, the group has been focusing on raising the minimum wage, addressing affordable housing and hunger (specifically free/reduced school meals), and making sure everyone has access to quality medical care. (Learn more about Hawai‘i Appleseed’s mission online at hiappleseed.org.)
“What’s really great about the organization is that it’s really focused on cross-sector collaboration,” Choy shares. “You can’t have the government calling the shots on everything. You need input from the business community, social service providers, other nonprofit partners, etc. Our work is to bring all these different sectors together and create lasting solutions and changes.”