#Ryan Ozawa

“Shaka, A Story of Aloha” will premiere at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. The feature-length documentary delves into the origins, meanings, and mysteries of the iconic hand-sign, which this year became the official gesture of Hawai‘i.

A documentary filmmaker, tech journalist and renowned digital designer this week submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium to create a new emoji representing the iconic “shaka” hand gesture. The shaka — featuring the thumb and pinky extended while the middle three fingers are curled — is a globally recognizable symbol of the aloha spirit and Hawaiʻi’s diverse culture.

With experience in print, radio, television and online media, Ryan Kawailani Ozawa will publish “Hawaii Bulletin,” which will focus on island innovation.