Bruce Konman is one of the youngest staff to serve as Bike Shop Manager at KVIBE and although he is just 19, he has years of program experience.  His promotion reflects a passionate commitment to the program that started in the seventh grade.  “When I joined, to be honest all I wanted was a bike,” he says.  “Over time, I grew to appreciate what KVIBE is and the purpose behind it.”  

KIVBE offers an opportunity for youth to learn to strip, maintain, and fix a variety of bikes. After volunteering twelve hours of time in the shop, kids are rewarded with a bike of their own.  Bruce was one of the kids who got hooked by tinkering with his hands.  After a few years, he became an AmeriCorps VISTA at KVIBE, taking on more responsibilities in the shop, including mentoring the younger boys. Hands-on work ensures that there is always something to learn, a new skill to develop or even a start in a future career in mechanics.   

Bruce is just slightly older than the KVIBE program, which turns 18 this year. More than just a vocational program, KVIBE is a safe space for Kalihi’s young men and a program that builds critical leadership skills.  Participants are expected to work and live with Nakem—an Ilokano word meaning “soul-consciousness.”  This often translates to being authentic and being connected to having a deeper meaning or purpose in life. Bruce finds Nakem through a usual day in the facility, where he sets up shop, creating different stations for cleaning, stripping, and fixing up bikes.  

For the past few months, Bruce and the KVIBE team have been preparing for the annual Ahupuaʻa Ride, which takes place on April 8. “Most kids in the program are introverts,” Bruce says. “So it takes a while for them to get comfortable. I try to encourage them to come out of their shells as they prepare to tell stories during the ride.” 

There is always something going on at KVIBE. On Tuesdays, the kids look forward to artists night, when hip hop artists, poets, and other artists come out to teach and sometimes perform. Bruce also loves the spontaneous “ride outs,” where the staff, volunteers, and interns choose a route and ride in a large group, often listening to music along the way.  Occasionally there are a few mishaps, and Bruce admits that he “ate it” a few weeks ago riding on the streets of Waikīkī. But overall, the joy of tinkering, riding, and mentoring is what keeps Bruce coming back to KVIBE.