Hawaiʻi Rising

93. December 2025 Community News: Lāhaina Strong and the Lāhaina Community Land Trust

Community news for December 2025! After headlines, we feature interviews with two Maui Aloha grantees organizing in Lāhaina:

• First, De Andre Makakoa from Lāhaina Strong shares about community organizing after the 2023 wildfire as well as the 2025 documentary Lāhaina Rising, which won the Made in Hawaiʻi award at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival.
• Second, Carolyn Auweloa from the Lāhaina Community Land Trust speaks about the community land trust as a structure to ensure that land remains permanently accessible to Lāhaina residents and to give the Lahaina community a say in how its land is used — whether for affordable housing, open space, or commercial properties. Founded after the fire in 2023, LCLT is on track to have secured 17 properties by the end of 2025.

Click here for the interest form for I Ola Wailuanui's Heiau Mapping Internship .

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

 

92. The Moʻolelo of Lā Kūʻokoʻa with ʻĪmaikalani Winchester

Today is Lā Kūʻokoʻa, the Hawaiian Kingdom’s Independence Day! On this day in 1843, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was officially recognized as a sovereign nation by Great Britain and France in the Anglo-Franco Proclamation.

In this special episode, we speak with ʻĪmaikalani Winchester to hear the history behind Lā Kūʻokoʻa. ʻĪmai is a lead organizer for the annual celebration of Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea at Thomas Square. These two national holidays are linked, both commemorating landmark moments of the Kingdom’s history in the same year 1843. So in this episode, in commemoration of today’s holiday, ʻĪmai is guiding us through this watershed moment of Hawaiian history.

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

91. Live from Hale Līhuʻe: A pop-up radio show featuring our Kauaʻi-based partners!

HPF and our partners are on the radio! In this special episode, we share a recording of a live radio show on KKCR Kauaʻi Community Radio highlighting our Kauaʻi-based grantee partners through a pop-up broadcast from Hale Līhue. Hosted by KKCR's executive director Anni Caporuscio, the broadcast features Akira "Kiki" Katsumata-Smith (Rice Street Business Association), Pualiʻi Rossi-Fukino (I Ola Wailuanui), Tina Aiu (Kīpuka Kuleana), and Kāhealani Collins (Kalauokekahuli), as well as HPF's executive director Micky Huihui.

Tag: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

90. Kamāwaelualani: The Missing and Murdered Native Hawaiian Women, Girls, and Māhū Movement

A conversation with Nikki Cristobal, Ashley Mahaʻa, and Makanalani Gomes about the Missing and Murdered Native Hawaiian Women, Girls, and Māhū (MMNHWGM) movement.

The MMNHWGM movement and research work is a focus of Kamāwaelualani, a Kauaʻi-based grassroots organization dedicated to Native Hawaiian public art, education, and community activation. Kamāwaelualani undertakes this work to re-connect Hawaiʻiʻs people with cultural stories and places, re-instilling Kauaʻi-based values of protection of treasured places, community cohesion, and the centering of Native Hawaiian culture. 

Website: https://www.kamawaelualani.org/

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai’i, Hawaii

89. November 2025 Community News: Holomua Outreach and the Waiʻanae Moku Kūpuna Council

Our first monthly community news episode! In each news episode, you'll get community headlines followed by two interview segments sharing timely updates from our partners from across all our grantmaking programs.

Our November 2025 episode features updates from two hui who demonstrate that community takes care of community:

• Mōʻī Kawaʻakoa from Holomua Outreach shares about their urgent organizing with the houseless community living along Holomua Road in Hāmākua, Maui.
• Lynette Cruz from the Waiʻanae Moku Kūpuna Council discusses their community-led disaster preparedness and emergency response planning process in Waiʻanae, Oʻahu.

Subscribe to our new Hawaiʻi Rising zine at hawaiipeoplesfund.org/podcast.

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

88. Earth RM: Healing 'Āina through Bioremediation

An interview about building up communities' capacity to heal their own lands with Kauʻi Lopes, Hannah Hartmann, and Kaʻimi Kaleleiki.

Earth RM is a Hilo-based nonprofit with a mission to develop, implement, and share accessible bioremediation solutions to heal communities, lands, and waters affected by environmental pollution. Bioremediation involves allying with microbes, fungi, and plant communities to break down environmental pollution. In this episode, the Earth RM team walks us through the bioremediation process with a current site and shares about an upcoming workshop in Kona for community members to learn about bioremediation.

Website: earthrm.org

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

I Ola Wailuanui: Living ʻĀina and Thriving Community in Wailua, Kauaʻi (Feb 2025)

An interview from early 2025 about community stewardship of ʻāina with Pualiʻi Rossi and Mason Chock from I Ola Wailuanui.

I Ola Wailuanui is a grassroots community organization formed and managed by Kauaʻi residents for the purpose of preserving, protecting, and restoring Wailuanuiahoʻāno and the environmental, historical, and cultural treasures there. Their vision is a living ʻili ʻāina for and by thriving kamaʻāina who are culturally rooted and engaged in the stewardship of Wailuanuiahoʻāno. 

Website: www.wailuanui.org/

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

87. Rice Street Business Association: Revitalizing Downtown Līhuʻe

A conversation about community restoration of place with Addison Bulosan of the Rice Street Business Association (RSBA).

RSBA is dedicated to fostering a thriving, just, and self-sustaining Downtown Līhu‘e by empowering local entrepreneurship, perpetuating Native Hawaiian culture, and strengthening community power. RSBA invites Kauaʻi community members to the annual Rice Street Block Party this coming Saturday, October 25 from 4-8pm!

Website: https://www.ricestreetbusinessassociation.com/

Phone: (808)-652-1442

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii

86. PFLAG Oʻahu: Love Without Apology

Season 5 of Hawaiʻi Rising is here! The new season kicks off with a conversation about building support and acceptance for LGBTQ+ loved ones with Ryna Yamada and Cameron Miyamoto, the co-presidents of PFLAG Oʻahu.

PFLAG Oʻahu is a local chapter of the US’ largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. PFLAG Oʻahu hosts a monthly support group and serves as a resource for families and community organizations, wherever they are on their journey to acceptance.

Email: oahupflag@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/PFLAG-Oahu-61569606350020/

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai’i, Hawaii

Hawaiʻi Rising - Season 5 Trailer

Announcing a new season of Hawaiʻi Rising featuring our 2025 grantee cohort, issue-area episodes, and new monthly community news segments, coming soon wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Tags: Hawaiʻi, Hawai'i, Hawaii