Posted on: Thursday, July 15, 2004

ACLU Youth Award honors Maui student

By Anna Weaver
Advertiser Staff Writer

The ACLU of Hawai'i has awarded its second annual Youth Award to student Jana Pierce-van Loon for her commitment to civil liberties.

Pierce-van Loon, a college freshman from Kihei, Maui, is being recognized for her activism on- and off-campus while she was at Baldwin High School. As a member of an acting troupe, she has used her acting skills to dramatize gender and religious discrimination and fight other civil liberties violations.

After Congress passed the USA Patriot Act, which allows government more access to a person's private records to counter domestic terrorism, Pierce-van Loon wore a shirt reading, "I am a terrorist" to high school. When the school implemented a stricter dress code, she wore a yellow armband and spoke with school administrators about the subject.

Pierce-van Loon, who is now enrolled at Maui Community College and taking correspondence courses from Indiana University, said she'd ultimately like to "rule the world, but that's far in the future," so for now her goal is to be an independent filmmaker.

"I'm always on performance on a day-to-day basis," said Pierce-van Loon, who will receive $1,000 from the ACLU. "Sometimes people laugh, and sometimes I change people's minds.

"Activism is kind of implicit in me. I don't think I'll ever stop fighting for civil liberties, because above all else I believe in freedom."

Finalists in the Youth Award were Christen Brown of Kalani High School and Samantha O'Hanlon of Punahou School. Both will receive $500 each.

Saturday's awards ceremony will be held at the Hawai'i Supreme Court and is open to the public. Reservations are required. Call 522-5900 for more information.

Reach Anna Weaver at aweaver@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2455.