1. PRESS
RELEASE
Contact:
Lanialoha
Lee
312.380.0643
or
312.420.8777
(cell)
2510
W.
Gunnison
St.,#2,
Chicago,
IL
60625
alohacenterchicago@gmail.com
Facebook:
AlohaCenterChicago
ALOHA
HAS
ARRIVED
IN
THE
MIDWEST!
Chicago,
Illinois,
September
4,
2015.
The
Aloha
Center
of
Chicago
officially
opens
its
doors
on
September
12,
2015.
It’s
the
first
center
of
its
kind
in
the
Mid-­‐West.
“We’re
happy
to
call
Chicago
home,”
says
Lanialoha
Lee,
the
executive
director
of
the
Aloha
Center
Chicago.
Classes
are
designed
and
taught
in
the
traditional
Hawaiian
way.
“I
teach
the
way
my
grandmother
taught
me,”
“I
instilled
Hawaiian
values
within
every
student
I
had
ever
taught,”
says
Lee.
We
are
located
within
the
Avondale
Vintage
Market
at
3065
N.
Rockwell
Street,
Chicago,
Illinois
60618.
Hawaiians
and
Hawaiians-­‐at-­‐heart
are
all
welcome
to
join
us
in
celebrating
and
exploring
our
unique
heritage
and
cultural
traditions.
Want
to
get
fit
Island
Style?
Want
to
learn
how
to
play
the
`ukulele
or
dance
hula?
Or
try
your
hand
at
Tahitian
drumming?
Don’t
miss
this
opportunity
to
try
for
free.
And
don’t
forget
to
register
for
the
`Ukulele
Cigar
Box
Making
Workshop
conducted
monthly!
The
open
house
runs
from
9:00am
to
1:30pm
and
offers
the
following
free
classes:
9:30
to
10:15am
Aloha
Boot
Kamp
(ages
6-­‐8)
combined
`Uke
&
hula
10:30
to
11:15am
Aloha
Boot
Kamp
(ages
9-­‐11)
combined
`uke
&
hula
11:30
to
12:00pm
Tahitian
Marathon
12:30
to
1:30pm
Fitness!
Island
Style
Regular
six-­‐week
class
sessions
begin
on
September
15,
2015
with
ongoing
classes
available
Tuesdays,
Wednesdays
and
Saturdays.
Registration
for
classes
is
available
during
the
open
house.
Stop
in
to
sample
a
class,
tour
our
space
and
connect
with
the
island
vibe.

2. Lanialoha
Lee
has
over
35
years
experience
as
a
Cultural
Specialist
and
Fine
Arts
performer
and
teacher
of
music
and
dance
in
Chicago
and
throughout
the
Midwest
region.
As
a
Kumu
of
mele
and
hula
(Master
Teacher
of
Music
and
Dance)
Lanialoha
has
taught
all
ages
from
pre-­‐school,
public
schools
K-­‐12,
Colleges
and
Universities,
and
including
Urban
Gateways
that
availed
pacific
island
cultural
arts
programs
to
fifteen
counties
of
the
northeastern
Illinois
region
and
surrounding
states
for
seven
years.
Since
fall
of
1996,
Lanialoha
has
developed
all
pacific
island
classes
through
the
Old
Town
School
of
Folk
Music
in
the
Lincoln
Square
area
for
the
past
19
years.
Lanialoha
was
a
grant
recipient
of
3arts
for
the
Category
of
Music
as
an
`Ukulele
performing
artist
in
2012
for
$15,000,
and
Illinois
Arts
Council
Master/Apprentice
grant
recipient
of
$3,000
in
2013
&
2014
for
Hula.
In
the
summer
of
2014
Lanialoha
succeeded
in
a
$5,500
crowd-­‐funded
project
called
`Ukulize
It!,
Power
Strums
101.
An
`ukulele
strumming
method
created
and
developed
by
Lanialoha.
The
Aloha
Center
Chicago
is
a
unique,
and,
innovative
multi-­‐media
resource
cultural
center
dedicated
to
the
preservation
and
perpetuation
of
Native
Hawaiian
and
other
Pacific
Island
traditions.
An
indigenous-­‐model
and
central
hub
for
spawning;
Excellence
in
specialized
cultural
and
educational
program
opportunities;
Socialization
and
communication
within
our
targeted
populations;
To
provide
affordable
access
with
a
social,
educational,
entertaining
atmosphere
for
worldwide
communication.
We
reserve
our
greatest
aspirations
for
the
Aloha
Center
Chicago
to
one
day
become
a
sustaining
primary
pacific
island
portal
and
place
for
capacity
building,
cultural
practices
and
celebrations
of
all
aspects
Native
Hawaiian
and
other
Pacific
Island
cultural
traditions
and
values.