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| Diane Chung, Art educator |
You can always be better! Don’t limit yourself!
At 68 years old, Diane Chung shows no signs of slowing down. Although she is retiring at the end of this school year, the feisty professor has big plans to live life to the fullest. Here is an excerpt of the interview she gave Ka Lamakua on her thoughts about how women can be all they can be:
AB: What does being a woman of the present times mean to you?
DC: [It means] more opportunities, more benefits, and more education. Women today have so many resources at their disposal and there’s really no reason for anyone to be less than their best. The resources and education could enable us to be almost super-human beings.
AB: How do you apply that principle to your own life?
DC: Well, I’ll be retiring so my plan is to re-invent myself. I’m going to let my true personality shine. I’m going to say what I want to say, do what I want to do. I think it’s time I spent some time taking care of myself. When I turned 60, I started working out. Whatever I have left of me, I want to amplify it. At almost 70 years old, I want to be the new 45 (figuratively speaking)!
AB: What obstacles stood in your way of being that woman 10 or even 20 years ago?
DC: I think I was too busy, working two or three jobs, trying to meet commitments at work and in my marriage. Women in general are like that. We take care of everyone else and put ourselves last. We always do what’s needed. Now that I’m widowed, I think I’ll take care of myself for a little while.
AB: What are your plans to be a better woman?
DC: I’m going to be even smarter! I see a really bright future for myself and I’m not stopping even at my age!
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| Sandra Watanabe, Owner, SanPaper Creations |
You determine how your day goes! Awaken positively.
Sandra Watanabe graduated from UH Manoa about 21 years ago, and she never left. During her senior year, she started up a jewelry business in her last semester and has been going strong ever since.
Sandra recalls that being an independent business owner has been a challenge, however it’s been most rewarding. Here’s what Sandra had to say about finding your own path to success.
AB: What has your career been like as a female, independent business owner?
SW: At times it has been challenging, more often it’s also been rewarding. Right now the economy makes business a little tough. The struggles of the business serve to help me appreciate all the success that I have now. The rewards come back twofold when customers are satisfied and some seek me out yearly to do Christmas shopping or tourist buying. That’s what makes the business special.
AB: What does a person need to start a business like this and then be successful in it for 20 plus years?
SW: You have to be your own motivator. That’s one of the toughest parts. You have to be the one to motivate and encourage and strengthen yourself to get out of bed and go set up and do what you love. The downside is, when things go wrong, you can only blame yourself.
AB: How do you get that motivation to get up and keep going everyday?
SW: You have to just wake up positive. Your day will go according to your attitude when you first wake up in the morning. If you wake up with a good attitude, your day will go great, not because of other people, because of how you see it.
AB: What does it mean to you to be a woman of these times?
SW: I think we are lucky to be women [of this age]. We have all the rights and privileges and opportunities [that men have] and we should use them.
Lesson Number 3:
Don’t be a Victim!
Koko Santos has had a hard life. She’s faced more challenges in almost 30 years than many people will face in a lifetime. Just about any experience you can imagine, from drugs and sexual abuse, to jail time and single parenthood, this woman has had a taste of it all.
What has become of her after all these challenges?
If you look now, Koko is an accomplished artist and entrepreneur. This is an inspiring part of her story and why she’s still fighting and not putting up with excuses from other women.
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| Arika “Koko” Santos, Artist, Designer, Sculptor, Poet, Graffiti Artist and Photographer |
KS: “I believe there are two basic types of women: the stereotypical, conditioned woman and the rebel.
The conditioned woman is consumed with physical appearance, and subservient. She lives in the box that society creates. The woman that I am, the rebel, speaks her mind and sometimes sings to her own song. She creates her own individuality and breaks through society’s norm. What makes me a different woman is: no matter the circumstance, I arise and break through my challenges.
AB: Describe the aspects of your background that make you who you are today.
KS: I was raised in a single parent household with my mother and sisters in Los Angelos. I was sexually abused at a really young age by a stranger, and I did not have a father in my life so I was lacking the emotional stability that most have from at least a father figure in their lives. I experimented with drugs, served a stint in juvenile hall and struggled emotionally. I constantly questioned my worth and my identity. When I met my daughter’s father, he turned out to be an abusive (in every facet of the word) drug addict. All the negative said, I survived.
AB: How?
KS: I derived strength from my mom, my sisters and my sense of spirituality. Art became my savior, beginning when I was introduced to graffiti. I’ll tell anyone now, self expression saved my life. I had to first choose to believe that things could change for the better. As you do that you begin to make better decisions and take the actions to change things about your life.
AB: How long did this change take you, was it a one day journey?
KS: No, it is a life journey. I believe I manifest my destiny through faith, positivity and most importantly, my actions. No matter what happens to you in life, you have to take the action to change your destiny.
AB: How do you make the decision to not let your past hold you back?
KS: I don’t blame my circumstances for anything about the person I am now. I use [my past] to empower myself and others. I talk about the things that I’ve experienced in life as a means to heal and help others. I never wanted to view myself as a victim, but it was important for me to have an awareness of the situation. There is a difference between acknowledging and blaming your situation.
AB: How did the birth of your daughter affect your lifestyle?
KS: My daughter looks up to me. I was on the path to renewal before I met her father. When she was born, I made the decision again, to get out. I had to start to lead by example, that’s what I still do now. My daughter teaches me just as much as I teach her. She teaches me to always continue to become a better person for myself and society.
AB: What is your life mantra?
KS: Don’t be a victim! You can always change your circumstances by changing your mindset first. I could choose to be depressed by my past or abusive to my daughter or blame men. Instead, I choose to acknowledge those situations, and yet strive to be a better person, for if I am better, the world will be a better place.
Arika’s goal is to share her story with as many people as possible, not just women and to raise awareness in her community with a focus on youth. She is available for counseling, art jobs, or just talking and has provided the following contact information:
kokosart@me.com
www.kokosart.com
Facebook: Aloha Koko
Myspace: alohakoko
Phone: (808) 346.2535
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