Dolly Tatofi - KKV’s November ‘Āina Warrior

Being aloha and sharing aloha is foundational for Dolly Tatofi and are evident in her disarming kindness and the way she laughs easily and wholeheartedly. Guided by the teachings of her kūpuna and her mother who has passed (a nurse at Queens Medical Center for many years), she ensures that her two children understand that everything is connected. Many years ago, when she volunteered in the After School Program at Kamehameha IV Housing, or when her family participated in KKVʻs first Ehuola cultural food program, she may not have guessed that connection would lead her back to KKV. 

Dolly is happy to be a part of a compassionate MCH team filled with aloha and which supports moms, kids, and families within the Kalihi community she calls home. She points out that one of the defining characteristics of KKV is delivering quality healthcare to the community, as well as finding bridges to access that care. “Sometimes people may not know yet, what they need,” she says, “but through outreach, or after a clinic visit, they realize what we offer and that we are here to support them in many ways.” KKV is often able to fill in gaps of needed services like dental care and case management or providing healthy food to eat and diapers for keiki.  

With over 10 years' experience in the Mental Health field and six as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Dolly has served keiki to kūpuna in Hawai'i's healthcare communities. She holds a Master’s in Social Work and is currently an Ed.D. candidate at Chaminade University. She also co-founded the non-profit organization Pouhana O Nā Wāhine, the first Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence, which is set to break ground in 2023. She has long been an advocate for Native Hawaiian and Indigenous women, the healing of generational trauma, mental health awareness, and the importance of foundational Native Hawaiian practices and education in health care. When asked about her advocacy she says, “The work is about bringing safety back to our women; uplifting our women. In the world today there is a lot of conflict and war, and things are out of balance. We need to work to restore balance in a natural way and help raise up our sisters to do the work that is needed.”  

Most recently, Dolly presented at the international conference on Climate Change and Indigenous Women's Rights: Brazil, Guatemala, and the United States, a forum on how climate change may fuel violence against women and the strategies to restore safety in their communities. She is a board member of Hauʻoli Piha, an organization that supports Maui community's Mental Health needs, and is a consultant to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. When asked about what keeps her motivated as a guiding support for survivors of trauma or violence, she says, “It's not just about me. I want to help others to shift their perspective and help create a pathway to healing and wholeness of self, family, and communities. I am motivated to do whatever I can, wherever I go. I am motivated by aloha.”