The Moana Nui Rising Fellowship
A transformative fellowship journey for Indigenous Pacific women who work in ocean stewardship to build resilience in their leadership, build community in their work, and build care into their lives.
“Emergent strategy is about how we shape and generate complex systems and patterns through our own relatively simple interactions. Nature moves in small fractals of interdependence, accumulating nonlinear changes and creating more possibilities with the constant adaptations of a resilient earth. If we attend to nature’s lessons, we can remember that we, too, are nature; we can unveil our own organic gifts, our way to the future together, our path to thriving in this abundant world. Emergent strategy invites us to give up competing for death and begin collaborating with the planet and each other towards life.”
~adrienne maree brown from Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation
We are proud to announce we are now accepting applications for our pilot Spring 2027 fellowship session.
See below for details.
Important Information:
Our upcoming pilot fellowship will run from January 15, 2027 to April 15, 2027.
Fellowship recipients are expected to attend all community sessions, individual coaching sessions, opening and closing sessions.
Each fellow will receive a small stipend for each month of completed coursework.
Applicants must be able to attend all community and individual sessions, with some exceptions.
Our fellowship is centered around care and community. Each fellow must be willing to agree to community guidelines and best practices.
Our inaugural cohort will include a small group of 6-8 fellows.
Each applicant should meet the following criteria:
Identify as an Indigenous Pacific woman and works in ocean stewardship.
Those who work broadly in ocean stewardship and conservation, including those who work in STEM fields, law or policy, academia, non-profit organizations, grassroots organizations, the arts, and activism/movement building.
Must reside in Hawaiʻi, so that we can easily facilitate in-person gatherings.
Has a learning and growth mindset, and is seeking to improve the self in order to improve their work and communities.
Has a willingness to co-create the fellowship experience, by being open to offering valuable perspectives on the intersections between indigeneity, gender, conservation, and cultural health.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers
What are the dates for the upcoming fellowship?
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Our pilot fellowship will be held from January 15, 2027 to April 15, 2027. Our opening session will be held on Zoom on January 15, 2027 and our closing session will be held on April 15, 2027. Details TBA.
What is the time commitment for the fellowship course?
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Each fellow should expect to commit approximately 5 hours a week for gatherings, completion of course materials, and leadership coaching.
Over the course of the fellowship, we will meet bi-weekly over Zoom for community sessions. Each zoom session will be approximately 1.5 hours long. You will also be provided with 2-3 individual 45-minute leadership coaching sessions to complete throughout the duration of the fellowship. We are also planning an in-person gathering for the pilot cohort, community supporters, and our allies.
What is the application process?
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Our application process consists of a few simple steps. You must first fill out a brief application form located here. Each applicant must complete all required questions in a carefully considered, thorough, and detail-oriented way. Fellows will be selected based on the specificity and thoughtfulness of each essay answer.
Applications are due on Friday, December 18th, 2027 at 5 pm Pacific Standard Time.
Applicants will be informed via email of their acceptance to the program.
Does the fellowship include a stipend?
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Yes! The Moana Nui Rising Fellowship includes a small stipend to support your work and life. Stipend amounts will depend on how many sessions each fellow attends and completes. For more information, please reach out to us.
I don’t see my question here. Where do I go if I have more questions?
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Please reach out to us at liza@themoananuicollective.org