Jo-Jikum

About Us

Our Mission:

Our mission is to support the next generation of Marshallese to navigate and develop solutions to environmental issues impacting their islands such as pollution, climate change, and nuclear legacies.

Our Vision:

A wave of empowered Marshallese youth who rise to meet the challenges of a climate threatened future as leaders, change makers, and creators.

Our Motto:

"L̗iok tūt bok"

"Liok tūt bok" is a Marshallese proverb. From the collection Jabōnkōnaan in M̗ajel̗ compiled by Stone, Kowata and Joash: "Pandanus roots grab deep through sand to hold firmly...The understanding is that once the roots are penetrated deeply into the coral, they will remain for an indefinite time. Traditionally, this term signifies strong footings of a beginning."

We believe that like the roots of the pandanus tree the next generation of Marshallese must also be rooted in the land.

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Background: Our Islands and Our Work

The Marshall Islands is an independent atoll nation in the northern Pacific, within the region of Micronesia. Marshallese communities have lived here for thousands of years, sustaining deep connections to the land and ocean. Our history includes periods of colonization and the devastating impact of U.S. nuclear testing, and today our islands face the accelerating threat of climate change.

Jo-Jikum was founded to equip Marshallese youth with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to confront the environmental challenges we now inherit.

Our core programs include the Climate Adaptation Arts Seminar (CAAS), the Jo-Jikum Internship Program that is in collaboration with the National Training Council (NTC), the Legendary Kiosks, Booklet Project, and the Volunteer Network Program. In addition to these programs, we coordinate national and international campaigns, lead community workshops on topics such as climate policy and waste management, and run social media advocacy efforts that center Marshallese voices and issues.

We also collaborate with researchers, educators, and artists who seek to learn from and work alongside our communities in ways that respect local knowledge and experience.

Youth Programs and Community Workshops

Online and Community Campaigns

Research Support

Programs

We design programs that build leadership, strengthen environmental knowledge, and develop skills in the arts, media, and project management. Our core programs include the Climate Adaptation Arts Seminar (CAAS), the Jo-Jikum Internship in collaboration with the National Training Council (NTC). We also coordinate the Legendary Kiosks initiative, the Booklet Project, and the Volunteer Network Program, which expand youth engagement and community action across the islands.

Our Jo-Jikum Team

Meet our team members.

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

Co-Founder

Kathy is an internationally acclaimed poet who helped co-found Jo-Jikum alongside her cousins. She is known for her poetic performance at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014. She currently runs Jo-Jikum in Majuro, Marshall Islands while also serving as Climate Envoy for the Marshall Islands government.

Danity Laukon

Director

Danity Laukon is a passionate educator, advocate, and the Executive Director of JoJikum, dedicated to empowering Marshallese youth through education, culture, and environmental stewardship. With a background as a teacher and language curriculum specialist at the Marshall Islands Public School System, Danity has long championed the role of education in shaping the next generation of leaders. As a co-founder of MISA4thePacific, Danity has helped raise critical awareness across the region about the legacy of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands and its shared impact on Pacific communities. She also contributes to international disarmament efforts by providing input on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), ensuring Marshallese and Pacific perspectives are heard on the global stage. Her commitment to justice, truth-telling, and regional solidarity continues in her role as a member of the Pacific Women Mediators Network, where she works alongside women leaders advancing peace and dialogue across Oceania.

Koneaea Ishimura

Associate Director

Konea Ishimura is an undergraduate at the University of the South Pacific (USP), pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Sociology. He joined Jo-Jikum after working with the Pacific Regional Innovation Network (PRIN) under USP and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he helped establish a 'Hub for Innovation' to connect aspiring creators and entrepreneurs with experienced professionals. Since transitioning to Jo-Jikum, Konea has led various projects focused on climate change, youth activism through art, and presering traditional knowledge such as stories, language, and artforms. His recent work includes constructing legendary kiosks in Majuro, publishing story books from Arno and Aur atolls with the Public School System, and organizing an art exhibition to raise awareness about climate change and the RMI's nuclear legacy. He attributes his growth and success to the Jo-Jikum team, who embody the organization’s motto, 'Liok tūt bok,' standing firm and determined in the face of challenges.

Loredel Faye R. Areieta

Program Manager

Loredel, or Lorie, is the Program Manager at Jo-Jikum Youth Center, where she oversees and designs projects focused on youth engagement and climate change. She joined Jo-Jikum in October 2021, bringing experience from her role as a Climate Change Extension Agent at the College of the Marshall Islands. Loredel holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo (2017) and has worked with youth in the Marshall Islands for nearly six years. She offers her community outreach skills as well as a passion for the environment and climate change.

Danica Muller

Finance Officer

Danica Muller, is the Office & Accounting Manager for Jo-Jikum where she oversees the finances and other ad-hocs for the center. She joined Jo-Jikum team as a part-time accountant in 2020 and recently joined as a full time member in Aug 2024. She is bringing her experiences in the accounting field where she joined the Marshalls Energy Company’s accounting team in 2014-2024, and also experiences in managing grants from an organization called Namdrik Atoll Development Association. Danica holds an Associates of Applied Science, Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and multiple certifications of finance training. Aside from accounting work she encounters on a daily basis, she enjoys doing arts and crafts in her spare times.

Johnny "Jobod" Silk

Senior Youth Coordinator

Johnny “Jobod” Silk is one of Jo-Jikum’s Youth Coordinators. As the RMI’s National Climate Youth Representative under the UNDP Deep Dive Project, Jobod works to ensure youth perspectives are included in adaptation and mitigation initiatives. He is also a proud member of the Pacific Climate Warriors, advocating for climate justice, the 1.5°C goal, and the phasing out of fossil fuels. A key part of his work involves encouraging youth to share their climate experiences through art. Jobod co-wrote the song "Ñe Ejjab Kiō Enaaj Ñāāt" ("If Not Now, Then When?") during Jo-Jikum’s 2016 Climate Change and Arts Summer Camp, inspired by his own early encounters with climate change. He also helped gather grassroots perspectives for the RMI’s National Adaptation Plan, launched at COP28.