Aloha mai kākou,

ʻAha ʻŌpio, OHA’s flagship Native Hawaiian leadership and civic engagement program, concluded last month. After lying dormant for two decades, it was revived to cultivate the next generation of Kānaka ʻŌiwi leaders. For one week, haumāna from across Hawaiʻi and the continent immersed themselves in leadership, governance, and public service.

Programs like ʻAha ʻŌpio leave me hopeful, not because these young people have all the answers, but because they remind us that the future belongs to those who engage it.

At this moment, legal challenges threaten legacies entrusted to us by a princess who dedicated her inheritance to an educational future she would never live to see; a prince and statesman who crossed oceans and endured indignities to secure homelands and opportunity for a people facing extinction, carrying their voice and aspirations into distant rooms deciding their future; and generations of kiaʻi whose defense of valleys, bomb-scarred islands, and marine sanctuaries helped spark an aloha ʻāina renaissance and a fledgling OHA.

It can be tempting to retreat into frustration, cynicism, or resignation.

I understand that feeling. It surfaces when decisions about Hawaiians are made without Hawaiians by institutions that mistake authority for understanding – a pattern that persists despite decades of Native Hawaiian leadership, advocacy, and achievement.

But moments like these invite more, not less, participation. What are we prepared to defend? What responsibilities do we owe the lands, institutions, and opportunities entrusted to us? Who possesses the character and courage to help lead us there?

The wellbeing of Native Hawaiians will be shaped not only by who serves at OHA, but by who serves throughout government, education, business, nonprofits, and community life.

Whenever I wonder whether one voice can matter, I think about how much of what we cherish today exists because someone before us decided theirs did.

A loko iʻa restored. A heiau protected. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi spoken by a new generation. None resulted from a single victory, election, court case, or leader. They exist because people chose to engage when disengagement was easier and persisted when success was uncertain.

This summer, I witnessed young people dedicate their time to learning how government works, how advocacy changes outcomes, and how leadership demands both courage and humility. If our ʻōpio can dream, engage, and step forward with purpose, so can we.

To every Kānaka running for office this election season, my sincere mahalo. Our ʻōpio are watching and learning from your example.

And to those whose kuleana is to vote – or who choose not to – your agency is no less consequential. The future our ʻōpio inherit will be shaped in equal measure by our engagement and our absence from it; by the choices we make and the ones we leave to others.

For their sake, may we be as faithful to their future as those who came before us were to ours: the generations whose burdens became our opportunities, leaving us not only the power to choose our leaders, but a future in which we, too, might be entrusted to lead.

Mahalo nui,

Summer Lee Haunani Sylva
Ka Pouhana Kūikawā
Interim Chief Administrator

The post I Mua Kākou appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

Most Native Hawaiians today live between two worlds: the lāhui and the United States of America. There is no denying that the relationship between Hawaiʻi and the United States has been fraught with tension and conflict. However, as we reflect upon the 250th anniversary of the United States, there is a common thread that connects what it means to be both Hawaiian and American.

That thread can be found in two remarkable documents that have intersected with Hawaiian values and have been incorporated into the foundation of modern Hawaiian kahua: the American Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the 1840 Constitution and Declaration of Rights of the Hawaiian Kingdom under King Kamehameha III.

At first glance, these two documents may seem to come from very different worlds. The Declaration of Independence was written by American colonists seeking to separate from a king. The 1840 Constitution was issued under a king who sought to preserve Hawaiʻi’s sovereignty by placing the Kingdom under the rule of written law. Yet both documents share the same principle: legitimate governments must recognize rights that come before the government itself.

The Declaration of Independence famously states that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The 1840 Declaration of Rights uses strikingly similar language, declaring that God made all nations “of one blood,” that all men are born free and equal, and that all possess unalienable rights, including life, liberty, property, safety, and happiness.

This was not a small assertion. It meant that rights did not belong only to kings, chiefs, or those with political power. They belonged to all people by virtue of their humanity.

The 1840 Constitution also placed written limits on government power. It did not abolish the monarchy, but it transformed it into a constitutional monarchy, dividing authority among the king, the chiefs, and representatives of the people. Law was no longer simply the will of one person. The government would now operate according to written principles.

That same idea is central to the American constitutional tradition. Government must be limited because human beings, even those in positions of leadership, are imperfect. Written constitutions help ensure the separation of powers.

The 1840 Declaration of Rights also protected religious liberty, reflecting First Amendment principles by safeguarding freedom of worship, and embracing the separation of church and state by preventing any one religion from being established by government.

It also protected property rights, which was especially significant in Hawaiʻi because land was central to the future of the Hawaiian Kingdom and people. Yet this history is also complicated. The shift toward Western concepts of private property later became a double-edged sword, contributing to dispossession for many Native Hawaiians. That painful reality reminds us that rights and legal systems are only as just as the people and institutions entrusted to carry them out.

The shared philosophies in these two documents do not erase the differences between Hawaiʻi and America, nor do they heal the wounds of history by themselves. But they do offer common ground: both recognize that freedom must be rooted in humanity, autonomy, and accountability.

This common foundation can be a source of strength for those of us who live as both Hawaiian and American. We haven’t always lived up to these shared ideals, but they still offer a powerful pathway toward solving present and future challenges. It is the common ground upon which we can build the basis for a better future for all in Hawaiʻi.

The post Two Worlds, One Foundation: Hawaiian and American Ideals of Freedom appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

As elected trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), we are entrusted with a profound responsibility: to serve our beneficiaries and represent the interests of the lāhui with integrity, respect, and professionalism. This trust is not earned through words alone – it is demonstrated through our actions, our conduct, and the manner in which we engage with one another and the communities we serve.

In recent months, concerns have emerged from beneficiaries regarding the tone, behavior, and decorum displayed in some of our meetings and interactions. While disagreement and passionate advocacy are natural and often necessary components of effective leadership, there is a significant difference between healthy debate and conduct that undermines collaboration, respect, and public confidence.

Trustee conduct matters. When interactions become adversarial, dismissive, degrading or demeaning, it weakens the collective ability of the Board to govern effectively. As leaders, we must be mindful that our actions set the standard for others and influence the culture of the organization as a whole.

Our beneficiaries expect and deserve leaders who can engage in difficult conversations while maintaining professionalism and mutual respect. They expect trustees who focus on issues rather than personalities, who seek solutions rather than division, and who demonstrate the values that OHA was created to uphold. Rather than interrupting and unnecessarily rudely ending comment on matters, leaders should be patient and allow for their colleagues to address issues as necessary.

Professionalism is not merely a workplace expectation: it reflects our commitment to our mission. Every trustee shares a responsibility to contribute to an environment where individuals feel safe to express differing viewpoints, where dialogue remains constructive, and where decisions are made based on thoughtful consideration rather than conflict or intimidation.

Recent experiences have highlighted the need for renewed attention to these principles. Reports of disrespectful interactions, dismissive behavior, interruptions, intimidation, and conduct that creates discomfort or apprehension among colleagues serve as reminders that we must continually hold ourselves accountable to higher standards.

No trustee, staff member, or participant should feel reluctant to contribute because of fear, hostility, or disrespect. Leadership carries with it the responsibility to model professionalism, foster productive engagement, and ensure that all voices can be heard.

Maintaining professional decorum means allowing all voices to be heard and not rudely interrupting or limiting comment but listening with intention and engaging in discussions that focus on issues rather than individuals.

When these standards are upheld, trust grows. Collaboration becomes more effective and leadership is respected by all of OHA.

Our beneficiaries expect more than policy decisions and governance oversight; they expect leadership that reflects the values of respect, integrity, humility, and aloha. The way we conduct ourselves is inseparable from the work we do. Professionalism is not optional, nor is it situational. It must remain a constant priority, particularly during periods of disagreement or challenge.

As we move forward, let us recommit ourselves to the principles of professionalism and by treating one another with respect and maintaining appropriate decorum demonstrating our commitment to the people we serve, and reinforcing the credibility of the institution entrusted with their interests, with accountability and respect.

Let us remember that leadership is measured not only by the positions we hold but by the examples we set. Our beneficiaries deserve nothing less than a Board that conducts itself with honor, dignity, and aloha.

By strengthening our commitment to respectful leadership and professional conduct, we strengthen our ability to serve our people effectively and uphold the trust placed in us. This is both our responsibility and our kuleana as trustees elected by our beneficiaries.

The post Professionalism, Respect, and Our Responsibility to the Lāhui appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

The recent discussion surrounding the potential acquisition of KITV Island News and KIKU TV by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has generated significant public interest. Some have asked why OHA would even consider purchasing television stations. Others have questioned whether media ownership falls within OHA’s mission.

Those are fair questions. They deserve thoughtful answers.

At its core, it is about whether Native Hawaiians are willing to lead boldly in the spaces that shape public understanding and public discourse. It is about whether we remain consumers of narratives written about us or become participants in shaping how those narratives are formed.

For generations, Native Hawaiians have too often been the subject of stories rather than the authors of them.

Our history, culture, and aspirations have frequently been filtered through the perspectives of others. While many journalists strive for fairness, ownership still matters because it determines priorities, investment, and which voices are consistently amplified.

This idea is not new. More than 150 years ago, Native Hawaiian leaders understood the power of media. In the decades surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Hawaiian-language newspapers were central to civic life.

Leaders such as Joseph and Emma Nāwahī used publications like Ke Aloha Aina to inform the public, defend Hawaiian governance, and advocate for the rights of our people. They understood that political struggle was also a struggle over information and ideas.

Dozens of Hawaiian-language newspapers produced in the 19th century and early 20th century now stand as one of the richest archives of Native Hawaiian thought and civic engagement. The lesson is clear: controlling our narrative has always been central to protecting our future.

The opportunity presented by KITV and KIKU is not simply about broadcasting. It is about building Native Hawaiian capacity in journalism, production, communications, and digital media. It is about creating pathways for our people to become storytellers, editors, engineers, and executives. It is about ensuring that Native Hawaiian children see themselves reflected across every level of media, both in front of and behind the camera.

Media shapes how societies understand themselves. It influences civic participation, cultural awareness, and public priorities. In today’s environment of increasing media consolidation, Hawaiʻi must consider the value of locally rooted institutions that are accountable to the communities they serve.

This conversation is also grounded in global Indigenous experience. Māori Television in Aotearoa demonstrates how Indigenous media ownership can strengthen language revitalization, cultural identity, and civic engagement while serving broad audiences. It is one example of what becomes possible when Indigenous communities control platforms of storytelling.

For OHA, this is mission alignment. Economic development, education, cultural preservation, and language revitalization are interconnected. Greater visibility of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and Kānaka perspectives in mainstream media strengthens both our community and Hawaiʻi as a whole.

Any acquisition of this scale requires rigorous due diligence. Fiduciary responsibility remains paramount. Financial viability, operational capacity, and transparency must guide every decision. Concerns raised by trustees are welcome and taken seriously.

As chairperson of the Board of Trustees, I have challenged OHA to think differently about what Native Hawaiian leadership looks like in modern institutions and how we shape Hawaiʻi’s future beyond reactive positions. As I have said, this was never just about a television station. It was about whether Native Hawaiians are willing to lead boldly in the spaces that shape public understanding and public conversation.

Greater investment in storytelling has the power to transform how the world sees us – and how we see ourselves. The future of our lāhui requires institutions willing to build enduring pathways for Native Hawaiian success and self-determination.

The post Why OHA Should Consider Owning KITV and KIKU appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has selected Leslie P. Chinn as its new Director of Human Resources, bringing to the organization nearly two decades of experience in employment law, employee and labor relations, human resources administration, and public-sector leadership.

Chinn joins OHA from the City and County of Honolulu, where she served in senior human resources leadership roles and advised on a broad range of employment, labor, and compliance matters.

Her professional background also includes service with the City and County’s Department of Corporation Counsel and the University of Hawaiʻi Office of the General Counsel, where she provided legal guidance on complex personnel, policy, and organizational issues.

“An HR director with deep employment law acumen, extensive HR experience in both private practice and public service, and a demonstrated ability to navigate complex regulatory and compliance environments is a rare asset in any organization,” said Summer Sylva, OHA Interim Chief Administrator.

“At OHA, it is an especially meaningful windfall. Leslie Chinn brings not only the technical grounding and judgment that comes from nearly two decades of legal and human resources leadership, including service in the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Human Resources and Department of Corporation Counsel, as well as the University of Hawaiʻi’s Office of the General Counsel, but also the practical wisdom that comes from advising institutions through some of their most sensitive employment matters.

“Just as importantly, she brings an authentic, grounded presence – marked by aloha, integrity, and a genuine ease with people – that strengthens our ability to recruit, retain, and support high-caliber talent in service of OHA’s mission and aspirations to be an employer of choice in Hawaiʻi’s competitive job market.”

Chinn will lead OHA’s human resources operations, including talent acquisition, employee relations, organizational development, labor relations, compliance, and workforce planning. Her appointment comes as OHA continues to strengthen its organizational capacity and advance efforts to attract, retain, and support a high-performing workforce dedicated to serving Native Hawaiian communities.

“I am honored to join the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and contribute to its important mission on behalf of Native Hawaiians and the people of Hawaiʻi,” said Chinn. “OHA’s employees are among its greatest strengths, and I look forward to partnering with leadership and staff to build upon the organization’s strong foundation. Together, we can continue creating a workplace where employees feel supported, valued, and empowered to do their best work in service of our beneficiaries and communities.”

Sylva noted that Chinn’s appointment reflects OHA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening organizational capabilities and fostering a workplace culture that attracts and retains talented professionals.

The post Chinn Named OHA Director of Human Resources appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) specifically recognizes the significance of Section 2864, which establishes direction for the Department of the Army to pursue lease renewals on terms acceptable to both the State of Hawaiʻi and the Department of the Army, while also requiring critical environmental review and congressional reporting requirements.

Most encouraging is the NDAA’s movement away from condemnation and toward negotiated solutions. The process outlined is consistent with OHA’s long-standing position opposing condemnation – whether forcible or “friendly” – and insisting that lands held in public trust remain in the public trust and continue benefiting Native Hawaiians and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people. Senate language reflects important progress toward a more collaborative and constructive path forward.

OHA has also repeatedly emphasized the importance of addressing unresolved deficiencies in the EIS previously rejected by the Hawaiʻi Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) in May 2025, and continues to advance its work to ensure that Native Hawaiian customary and traditional practices, natural and cultural resources, and public trust obligations, are fully documented and considered in any land use decisions affecting public trust lands leased by the military.

As part of this effort, OHA is actively moving forward with a comprehensive Ka Paʻakai Analysis (KPA) for the Pōhakuloa Training Area. The Board of Trustees has approved a Permitted Interaction Group allocation of $60,000 to support this work.

OHA also notes that the NDAA contemplates the pursuit of future lease arrangements. As discussions continue regarding potential lease terms, community benefit commitments, land-back and lease-back models, and other components of any future agreement, OHA believes those arrangements must remain consistent with Hawaiʻi’s environmental laws and public trust obligations.

Any benefits derived from renewed use of these lands should reinforce the purposes of the public trust, protect traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, honor the history and significance of these lands, and preserve the value they were intended to provide for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people.

This legislative development follows OHA’s recent high-level engagement in Washington, D.C., where OHA leadership met with members of Hawaiʻi’s Congressional Delegation, senior senate staff, and key stakeholders.

Notably, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s action reflects meaningful progress in acknowledging Hawaiʻi’s unique legal and cultural context. The removal of condemnation as an option and the requirement for renewed environmental review are consistent with what OHA has long advocated – that these lands must not be permanently alienated and that Hawaiʻi’s concerns must be fully addressed in good faith.

Congress appears willing to respect Hawaiʻi’s laws and institutions. The opportunity before us now is to fully embrace the responsibilities and authorities those laws entrust to us. OHA will continue to ensure Native Hawaiian rights and public trust responsibilities remain central to any future decisions.

The FY2027 NDAA is expected to advance to the full U.S. Senate for consideration by the end of July. OHA will continue to closely monitor the bill’s progression and engage with federal and state partners as appropriate to ensure that the final legislation preserves protections for Native Hawaiian rights, cultural resources, and public trust lands.

OHA will also continue its coordination with DLNR and congressional offices to ensure that the EIS resubmission process is substantive, responsive, and consistent with Hawaiʻi law and prior state findings.

OHA remains committed to ensuring that any future disposition or renewal of military leases on Hawaiʻi lands: protects Native Hawaiian traditional and customary rights; upholds public trust obligations for kingdom and crown lands; avoids permanent alienation of public trust resources; ensures meaningful state and Native Hawaiian beneficiary consultation; and incorporates rigorous environmental review, including traditional and customary practices.

OHA will continue to provide technical support, policy input, and community engagement at the state and federal levels as this process advances in Hawaiʻi and Washington, D.C.

The post Key Provisions in the 2027 NDAA Support Negotiated Solutions appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

1 of 4

By Rozelle Agag, OHA Associate General Counsel

At a time when conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion are being rolled back across Washington, D.C., and the nation, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs traveled to the nation’s capital carrying a message grounded not in politics or ideology, but in trust responsibility and meaningful engagement: Native Hawaiians must have a seat at the table in decisions about the future of military leases of Hawaiʻi’s public trust lands.

The OHA delegation – Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele, Vice Chair Keoni Souza, Chair Emerita Hulu Lindsey, Interim Chief Administrator Summer Sylva, and I – spent several days meeting with congressional leaders from both parties, members and staff of the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee, as well as senior Department of War officials at the Pentagon.

OHA’s mission centered on an issue that will shape Hawaiʻi’s future for generations to come: the future of military-leased lands set to expire between 2028 and 2031. Those lands include major installations on Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi, including Pōhakuloa Training Area, Mākua Military Reservation, and the Pacific Missile Range Facility.

Those lands – leased by the State of Hawaiʻi to the U.S. military in 1964 for just $1 over a 65-year term – include tens of thousands of acres held in the public land trust, which constitute crown and government lands intended to benefit Native Hawaiians and the people of Hawaiʻi.

At the time those leases were executed, OHA had not yet been established. Today, pursuant to Chapter 10 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, OHA serves as the state’s principal public agency responsible for Native Hawaiian affairs, including advocacy and trust responsibilities relating to the public land trust and the betterment of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.

Against that backdrop, OHA’s delegation carried a clear message to Washington, D.C.: that meaningful Native Hawaiian participation in decisions concerning Hawaiʻi’s public trust lands is integral to the trust duties OHA was created to uphold.

Importantly, the conversations in Washington remained focused on shared responsibilities and practical governance. OHA framed the issue as one grounded in constitutional law, state trust obligations and long-term community stability – a framework that appeared to resonate across meetings and offices.

For several lawmakers and congressional staff, the meetings marked their first substantive introduction to OHA and its role within Hawaiʻi’s governmental structure. Delegation members observed bipartisan understanding that Native Hawaiian inclusion in military lease negotiations is not a political question, but a matter of state constitutional responsibility, sound governance, and meaningful community engagement.

The delegation also delivered another firm message: condemnation or any permanent dispossession of public trust lands are unacceptable outcomes for OHA. Any future military presence in Hawaiʻi should proceed through transparent, lawful, and community-informed processes that create the conditions for trust and long-term stewardship to be strengthened over time.

Related themes surfaced publicly during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific.

During the hearing, Hawaiʻi Congresswoman Jill Tokuda questioned Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, about the importance of meaningful consultation with local and Native Hawaiian communities in sustaining military readiness in Hawaiʻi. Tokuda also underscored that condemnation should not be part of future negotiations over continued military access to leased lands.

Those discussions also began to carry over into broader defense policy deliberations in Washington. Perhaps most significantly, the conversations helped advance discussions around potential language in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the annual defense policy bill that shapes defense priorities, budgets and operational directives. Among the concepts being explored is language that would expressly acknowledge OHA’s role and responsibilities in negotiations involving military-leased lands in Hawaiʻi.

The delegation also addressed another urgent concern facing Native Hawaiian communities: federal funding uncertainty and the potential impacts on Native Hawaiian programs and services. Meetings with Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation included discussions about safeguarding critical resources that support Native Hawaiian communities.

OHA leaders also continued advocacy related to long-awaited public land trust funding for OHA – efforts that helped elevate awareness around the issue and support passage of legislation authorizing $55 million for the agency during the closing days of the state legislative session.

The measure now awaits the governor’s signature.

Even as OHA addresses pressing fiscal and policy challenges, leaders acknowledge that longer-term work surrounding Hawaiʻi’s military leases and public land trust is only beginning. To help inform that work, OHA assembled a Technical Advisory Group composed of community, cultural, legal, environmental, and policy leaders with diverse perspectives and expertise. The group is guiding OHA’s policy development, negotiation strategy, and engagement efforts as discussions with the state and federal government move forward.

The decisions made over the next several years will shape not only the future of military presence in Hawaiʻi, but also the stewardship of lands deeply tied to Native Hawaiian identity, history and long-standing interests in how those lands are governed and cared for.

For OHA, the significance of the trip to Washington extended beyond politics or policy.

The trip itself marked an important step in establishing the kind of sustained Native Hawaiian engagement OHA believes must continue as future lease negotiations move forward: meaningful Native Hawaiian presence and participation in the rooms where these decisions are being made and at the tables where their terms are negotiated.

The post OHA Takes Native Hawaiian Voice to Washington, D.C. appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

In Parts I and II of this series, I shared reflections guided by the wisdom of our kūpuna and the values they instilled in us about service, humility, and our shared kuleana to the lāhui.

As we think about the kind of Hawaiʻi we hope to leave for our children and grandchildren, those lessons continue to guide the work that matters profoundly, like strengthening housing stability, growing and protecting our trust fund and assets, investing in education, and supporting the next generation of our lāhui.

One of the greatest challenges facing Native Hawaiian families today is housing. Too many of our people are being priced out of the communities where generations before them were raised, forcing families to leave Hawaiʻi in search of affordable living elsewhere.

For Native Hawaiians, this is deeply personal because Hawaiʻi is more than just a place to live. The ʻāina is our culture, traditions, practices, and identity as a people.

Housing programs initialed by the state, like kauhale communities, have provided much needed immediate relief, dignity, and hope for individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity.

OHA must continue creating long-term pathways toward stability and homeownership for our Kānaka. Expanding affordable housing opportunities, supporting key partnerships, and advocating for responsible development are critical to helping Native Hawaiian families remain here at home. Supporting and growing housing opportunities must remain a priority if we want future generations to live, work, and raise their families in Hawaiʻi.

Investing in our future also means protecting the resources that will sustain our lāhui for generations to come. The Native Hawaiian Trust Fund assets are nearing $1 billion dollars, and protecting those assets has required discipline, careful planning, and long-term thinking. We strengthened investment policies, diversified asset classes, adapted to changing markets, and remained focused on long-term stability.

This work is about more than numbers. It is about creating opportunities for future generations, acquiring income-producing assets, and preserving legacy lands and cultural sites that keep our connection to our lands.

Protecting our financial resources must also create direct benefits for our communities. Investments in housing, small business support, workforce development, and cultural preservation strengthen our lāhui and create opportunities for future generations. We have a responsibility not only to protect what we inherited, but to leave something stronger for those who follow us.

Education remains equally important, especially as many Hawaiian-focused charter schools continue facing uncertainty from federal funding cuts and ongoing financial challenges. These schools help preserve the pillars of our strategic plan, Mana i Mauli Ola, which are ʻohana, moʻomeheu, and ʻāina, while creating learning environments where Native Hawaiian students feel connected, supported, and proud of who they are.

Supporting our youth must also extend beyond the classroom. I strongly believe youth sports and mentorship programs build confidence, discipline, teamwork, and healthy relationships for our keiki. Coaches, mentors, and community programs often become extended ʻohana, providing guidance and positive role models that stay with our children throughout their lives. These investments strengthen both families and communities.

As I reflect on the future ahead, I continue to believe deeply in the strength, resilience, and spirit of our lāhui. For me, this work has always been personal. It is about ensuring our children and grandchildren can live here in Hawaiʻi, stay connected to their culture, and feel proud of where they come from.

I remain immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and will continue doing my best to help build a stronger future for our lāhui for generations to come. Mahalo.

The post PART III: Serving the Lāhui – Investing in Our Future appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

Last month, I had the opportunity to visit the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) during the OHA trustees’ annual meetings on Kauaʻi. For many in Hawaiʻi, PMRF is a familiar name, yet few fully understand what the facility is, the role it serves, and why conversations surrounding its future are becoming increasingly important for our state.

Located on Kauaʻi’s west side near Barking Sands, PMRF is different from most military facilities in Hawaiʻi. It is not a large troop base or harbor operation. Instead, PMRF is a specialized testing and tracking facility used for missile defense and other military research in the Pacific.

Often described as the world’s largest instrumented multi-environment range, PMRF occupies a unique position within America’s defense infrastructure. Hawaiʻi’s geographic isolation and expansive access to the Pacific Ocean make the facility especially valuable for testing and tracking capabilities that cannot easily be replicated elsewhere.

PMRF is approaching a major turning point. Current leases and easements covering more than 8,000 acres on Kauaʻi are set to expire between 2027 and 2030, and federal agencies are seeking long-term extensions. Public discussions are already underway. Last year, a draft environmental impact statement was released, followed by meetings on Kauaʻi where residents shared differing views about the facility’s future.

Supporters of PMRF point to its role in national security and its importance to Kauaʻi’s economy. The facility is one of the island’s largest employers and provides jobs for many local residents. For some, it also helps diversify Kauaʻi’s economy beyond tourism.

At the same time, the lease discussions have renewed broader conversations about military land use in Hawaiʻi. Some community members and Native Hawaiian organizations have raised concerns about environmental impacts, water use, cultural access, and the future of public trust lands. Others have stressed that Native Hawaiian communities must have a meaningful role in decisions involving these lands.

What makes PMRF different from many other military land issues in Hawaiʻi is that the debate is less about live-fire training and more about land use, stewardship, access, and the relationship between Hawaiʻi and the federal government. Much of the land tied to PMRF serves as buffer space and support infrastructure rather than active testing areas.

Still, decisions about the facility’s future carry broader implications for Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi, touching on economic opportunity, cultural stewardship, and the state’s role in an increasingly important Pacific region. In the coming years, state leaders, federal agencies, Native Hawaiian organizations, and local communities will all help shape those decisions. I particularly look forward to how OHA will perform its unique constitutional role in this matter.

Regardless of where one stands on these issues, Native Hawaiians and all Hawaiʻi residents deserve a clear understanding of what PMRF is, why it matters, and why these upcoming decisions will have lasting implications for Kauaʻi and our state as a whole.

The post Kauaʻi, PMRF, and the Road Ahead appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.

SB903 does two important things.

First, it releases $55 million in Public Land Trust funds already owed to OHA but held back under the current annual cap. These are resources intended to benefit Native Hawaiian communities at a time when federal funding reductions, threatened cuts, and continuing attacks on longstanding Hawaiian programs have heightened uncertainty for many families and communities.

Second, it strengthens the mandate of the Public Land Trust Working Group and creates space to determine a pathway toward resolving longstanding funding disputes. In doing so, it does not predetermine any outcome but instead allows work to continue toward establishing a fair, consistent formula for how Public Land Trust revenues are calculated and paid to OHA going forward, with greater accountability from the state.

“OHA’s support for SB903 reflects both responsibility and urgency,” said Summer Sylva, OHA interim chief administrator. “At a time of growing federal funding uncertainty and increasing pressure on Native Hawaiian-serving programs, the immediate release of $55 million in Public Land Trust funds is critical. These are resources already owed to Native Hawaiians, and they strengthen OHA’s ability to respond to external pressures that threaten programs our communities depend on. For years, OHA has been careful not to advance processes that predetermine outcomes for our people. That has not changed. What this measure also does is create space for Native Hawaiians to lead a broader conversation about ea, political and economic autonomy, and the state’s continuing obligations to our people.”

For many years, OHA – and the broader Native Hawaiian community – have approached master settlement proposals with scrutiny and circumspection, particularly when proposals overreached or sought to control matters that legally and morally belong to the Native Hawaiian community alone. That caution has been grounded in a core principle: the future of Native Hawaiian self-governance must not be predetermined for Native Hawaiians. That principle remains unchanged.

What has changed is the urgency of the moment.

As federal support becomes less certain, Native Hawaiians are increasingly confronted with important questions: how do we exercise greater political and economic autonomy consistent with our values and our obligations to past, present, and future generations? What pathways to exercising ea exist – not only familiar ones, but those yet to be explored? And how must the state remain accountable for helping correct past and present injustices while serving as a constructive partner moving forward?

OHA believes the necessary conditions, boundaries, and safeguards are now in place to allow these conversations to proceed in good faith. OHA enters this process with eyes wide open and with clear expectations established at the outset, while remaining equally clear that the substance, direction, and ultimate decisions must be determined wholly and fully by Native Hawaiians.

SB903 does not alter those fundamental principles.

• It does not compel a master settlement.
• It does not diminish OHA’s autonomy.
• It does not decide Native Hawaiian self-governance.

“The Board of Trustees remains firmly grounded in a simple principle,” said Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele. “The future of Native Hawaiian self-determination will be determined by Native Hawaiians. The release of these long-overdue resources strengthens OHA’s ability to respond at a critical moment of funding uncertainty and continued challenges to Native Hawaiian-serving programs. Our responsibility is not only to protect that principle, but to help build the stronger political, economic, and institutional foundations that present and future generations will need to exercise it.”

OHA extends its mahalo to the House and Senate conferees, their respective committees, and members of the Native Hawaiian Caucus for their leadership and care in advancing this measure. OHA also extends special appreciation to Speaker Nadine Nakamura, Senate President Ronald Kouchi, Representatives Tarnas, Todd and Kahaloa, and Senators Dela Cruz, Richards, and Keohokalole for championing this issue throughout the 2026 legislative session and for standing alongside Native Hawaiians and OHA in carrying this important kuleana.

The post Legislature Releases $55M Owed to OHA appeared first on Ka Wai Ola.