Jayna Omaye
Born and raised on Oʻahu, Jayna Omaye loves writing about the communities she grew up in and highlighting the challenges and successes that make Hawaiʻi so special.
Before joining Hawaiʻi Public Radio, Jayna was the ethnic and cultural affairs reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. While at the newspaper, she mentored and taught high school students about journalism as part of a youth storytelling project that she spearheaded about Hawaiʻi’s Japanese American veterans.
Jayna has also worked as a reporter at the Orlando Sentinel newspaper in Florida and as a staff writer at Honolulu Magazine, where she won numerous local and national awards for her stories on arts, culture and history.
A Moanalua High School graduate, she earned her master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon. When she’s not chasing a story, Jayna enjoys dancing hula and playing taiko.
She covered culture and arts for Hawaiʻi Public Radio from 2022 to early 2023.
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A new exhibit at the Honolulu Museum of Art will feature about 50,000 flowers, plants and other materials found in Hawaiʻi. HPR's Jayna Omaye spoke with British artist Rebecca Louise Law about using the environment as her inspiration. -
For the past two years, the Aloha Festivals was held virtually due to the pandemic. Founded in 1946, the festival is a cultural celebration of Hawaiʻi’s music, dance and history. The festivities return in person, starting Saturday, Sept. 10. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is producing a "Wordsworth the Poet" musical. It will debut in November. HPR's Jayna Omaye spoke with author Frances Kakugawa. -
Although lots of festivals are concentrated on Oʻahu, many say there is a vibrant arts and culture scene on the neighbor islands to serve Hawaiʻi's diverse communities. Organizers are excited to return in person after two years of pandemic impacts. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
The Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra recently announced its upcoming concert lineup, which includes returning and new series. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
The Playbuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company production will be based on actual caregiving experiences. Officials are looking for caregivers who would like to share their experiences at upcoming story circles. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
Many of our ethnic and cultural festivals are returning in person after two years of cancellations and virtual events. For the volunteers who plan and run these festivals, they said it’s so much more than an event. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
Two University of Hawaiʻi professors recently received a $182,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the two-year project. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
Organizers of Wailau, UH Hilo's storytelling series, are preparing for their first live show, which will be held on campus in November. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more. -
The Korean Festival returns this Saturday at the Civic Center grounds in Downtown Honolulu. The cultural staple was canceled for the past two years because of the pandemic. HPR's Jayna Omaye has more.
