Meet the perkiest cheerleaders in the Pacific

HONOLULU (KHON2) — If you haven’t been to an event that features the assistance of Cheer Honolulu, then you really are missing out on a treat.

You’re probably asking yourself who they are.

Well, Cheer Honolulu is a local nonprofit organization that is made up of adult volunteer cheerleaders. They come together to follow their passion and use it to help our community.

These cheerleaders have professions that range from teachers to firefighters and everything in between, and they use their passions, skills and talents to bring aloha with them wherever they go.

Cheer Honolulu supports the local 2SLGBTQ+ community by helping to raise money and spirits. They have been a part of Honolulu Pride for several years and work with other organizations like Spill the Tea Cafe to help raise money and awareness.

Inspired by the Pride Cheerleading Association (PCA), Cheer Honolulu was founded in 2019 for a couple of reasons: to help other non-profits raise money and to give locals an opportunity to do something fun.

“Every major city has [a PCA squad] and have raised more than a million dollars since they’ve started for the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Kimberly Loomis who is the Cheer Honolulu’s social media and website guru.

She explained that Cheer Honolulu is following in the footsteps of PCA and becoming a staple in non-profit fundraising. It’s also become an important staple as an emotional support structure for those volunteering.

“Cheer Honolulu is a great place to make friends and family and to support the community.” said Loomis.

And this perky squad are making a big difference both for the organizations they support and for one another.

It’s a safe space where those with a background and those who never had the opportunity can create and learn from one another.

“Often times we’re finding that several members weren’t able to participate in cheerleading at their old school,” said Anika Martin who is the Secretary for Cheer Honolulu. “And that’s usually due to gender discrimination either at the school or in their families. So, we’re really serving a space for those individuals who weren’t able to participate in cheerleading.”

Martin said Cheer Honolulu is really about serving as a nonjudgmental, welcoming space for those to experience this wonderful sport.

“We uplift and empower our community through the sport of cheerleading,” said Martin. “So, that’s really our biggest mission here.”

The amazing thing about Cheer Honolulu is that you don’t have to have any experience in cheerleading or gymnastics to join the team.

“You don’t need any cheer experience,” said Loomis. “You don’t even have to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Just be an ally. As long as you’re willing to learn, we’re willing to teach you. It’s a very safe place. Most of us do have cheer experience. Some just high school, some all-star, some college. But we do have some of us that have never cheered before; so, it’s a really safe place where if you want to learn something or try your hand out no matter how old you are. You can try it out here at Cheer Honolulu.”

Cheer Honolulu already has a great schedule for the remainder of the year; and each year, the team votes to choose a non-profit organization that will be the beneficiary of the monies they raise.

“This year, we voted on Spill the Tea, which is a mental health clinic that kids in the community can get support locally,” explained Stephanie Kleinberg who is the Director at Large for Fundraising. “You can find us at events, fund raising and performing this year at Pride Parade and Festival, Pride Run, Orange Theory Kakaʻako, Orange Theory Waikīkī, Hana Koa Brewing and Honolulu Museum of Art.”

You can click here for more information on Cheer Honolulu, how to join the team and how to invite them to your next fundraising event. Keep in mind that you do not have to be a 2SLGBTQ+ organization to engage with Cheer Honolulu.

You can also find them on their Instagram page.

So, while you are looking for a fun way to engage with the community or a great way to support the community, look no further than Cheer Honolulu. It’s a place where everyone gets a chance and everyone is accepted for the amazing person they are. The team is ALWAYS looking for new members.