Advocating for the Lāhui

Senior Policy Analyst Kaʻano‘i Walk (kneeling) gathers with other Hawaiian culture-based education advocates at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. They are (l-r) Pila Wilson – UH Hilo professor of Hawaiian language, Kau‘i Sang – DOE director of the Office of Hawaiian Education, Kauanoe Kamanā – principal of the Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Hawaiian medium education site – Kēhau Aipia-Peters – chairperson of the Nāwahīokalani‘ōpu‘u Iki Charter Governing Board, ʻAnakala Les Kuloloio – ‘Aha Moku po‘o of Kahoʻolawe - Moku o Kanaloa, and Keiki Kawai‘ae‘a – director of Ka Haka ‘Ula o Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language.

Newly named Senior Policy Analyst Ka 'ano 'i Walk is KS" culture-based education advocate at the state legislature

Feb. 24, 2016

Contributed by Kau'i Burgess

In a driving effort to achieve its vision for a thriving Lāhui, Kamehameha Schools recently named former KS Cultural Specialist Ka‘ano‘i Walk to serve in a newly established senior policy analyst position within the Education Group.

Walk’s kuleana is to analyze and advocate for culture-based educational initiatives as they move through Hawaiʻi’s legislative process. His primary goal is to help influence legislation and decision-making by legislators to advance educational outcomes for Native Hawaiian learners.

“Serving in this new and exciting position allows me to use my schooling and knowledge in Native Hawaiian law to advocate in support of what I’m most passionate about: Hawaiian culture-based education,” said Walk.

“My early educational experiences at the Kula Kaiapuni o Waiau fortified a strong Native Hawaiian identity foundation within me for which I’ve successfully built upon throughout my educational and career journey.”

Walk hails from Hauʻula, Oʻahu and was nurtured by parents who have a deep love and passion for Hawai‘i, its language and its culture. He attended Hawaiian language immersion school until entering Kamehameha Schools Kapālama in the seventh grade.

After graduating from KSK in 1999, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hawaiian studies and political science from Brigham Young University-Hawaii, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s William H. Richardson School of Law.

Walk served as a lecturer at the Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge before joining KS as a cultural specialist in 2013. While in this position, he helped promote Hawaiian language and culture throughout the organization.

A longtime commitment to culture-based education
For many years, KS has been committed to helping Hawaiian culture-based educational institutions navigate the legislative process, to ensure that the basic tenets of culture-based education are secure in Hawai‘i.

This support has included convening Native Hawaiian-serving organizations to discuss bills that could greatly impact the lāhui, submitting testimony in support of culture-based education and practices, and ensuring awareness among stakeholders at every level.

Today however, guided by its Strategic Plan for 2015-2020, Kamehameha Schools is taking a more active role in legislation at the local, state and federal levels to advocate for Native Hawaiian rights in education, culture, and ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i.

For more information about KS’ drive to improve Native Hawaiian learner outcomes, read the goals and the Educational Pathway Milestones written in Kūhanauna, KS’ strategic plan.

My early educational experiences at the Kula Kaiapuni o Waiau fortified a strong Native Hawaiian identity foundation within me for which I’ve successfully built upon throughout my educational and career journey.
Kaʻanoʻi Walk, KS Senior Policy Analyst - Education Group

Walk testifies in support of OHA’s Public Land Trust bill and three bills that advance ʻōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language).

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