HONOLULU – ID8, through the Project Shaka Movement has launched an initiative to establish an official SHAKA emoji, distinct from the existing CALL ME emoji. Weʻre calling on Hawaiʻi-based cultural organizations, disability rights groups, government agencies, and individuals to submit letters of support for an application to Unicode, the global authority on emoji standardization. The Problem: Misuse of the CALL ME Emoji Although the CALL ME emoji was originally designed to suggest a phone call, its meaning has become outdated. Today, the vast majority of users intend it to represent the SHAKA—Hawaiʻi’s iconic gesture of aloha, “hang loose,” good and go-for-it. Accessibility Barriers & ADA Compliance Issues Using the CALL ME emoji as a stand-in for SHAKA creates significant accessibility challenges. Text-to-speech systems, which assist individuals with visual and hearing impairments, read the emoji’s title as “CALL ME” instead of “SHAKA” – resulting in incorrect communication. This misrepresentation discriminates against