PGC in the Community

Connecting with our community and learning alongside others in our field are important parts of Pacific Gateway Center’s work. From local celebrations to national conferences, these opportunities help us build relationships and strengthen our services.

Connecting Close to Home

PGC was recently invited to speak at First Unitarian Church of Honolulu. Than "Mr. Than" Aye shared PGC's mission and the ways it supports immigrants, refugees, and others building their lives in Hawaiʻi. PGC staff also joined the celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day, connecting with community members and honoring Ukrainian culture and heritage.

The first-ever Hawaiʻi Immigration & Inclusion Conference, held September 30 at the East-West Center, marked another milestone for the broader community. It brought together local and national immigrant- and migrant-serving organizations to strengthen the support network, share successful strategies, and establish a baseline for measuring community progress year over year.

Learning with a National Network

PGC's Maui Immigrant Resource (IRC) Manager, Nicole Kealoha and IRC Specialist, Globalyn Valdez represented PGC at CLINIC Convening 2026, held May 27–29 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. Organized by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., the annual conference brings together immigration legal practitioners, advocates, and nonprofit leaders from across the country. Sessions covered developments in immigration law, advocacy strategies, and ways to sustain and strengthen immigration legal services programs.

PGC attorney Max Katner attended the 2026 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference in San Diego, joining thousands of immigration law practitioners. The four-day event featured more than 110 panels and talks addressing business and family immigration, asylum and refugee programs, and government policy changes. Discussions focused on challenges facing practitioners and their clients, including the Trump Administration’s restrictions on legal immigration pathways, rising filing costs, USCIS application backlogs and staffing shortages, and the effects of artificial intelligence on legal practice. Attendees also explored ways to support clients facing increasing uncertainty and anxiety about the immigration environment.

Whether gathering locally or connecting with colleagues nationally, PGC’s team continues to listen, learn, and build relationships that support our work. Mahalo to the organizers and community partners who make these opportunities possible.