Youth panel will tackle tourism, outmigration and voting

Kamahaʻo Halemanu (right) will be one of 12 haumāna speaking at the HI Now Daily town hall.

Oct. 22, 2024

In a critical moment leading up to the general election, Kamehameha Schools haumāna are stepping into the spotlight on Oct. 28 to lead a live town hall broadcast on HI Now Daily from Hawaii News Now.

Twelve students from across Hawaiʻi pae ʻāina will tackle hot topics like tourism and outmigration, all while calling on their peers to embrace their kuleana to vote. This panel is a part of Our Kaiāulu Votes, an ʻōiwi-led movement empowering ʻōpio, ʻōiwi and kamaʻāina to use their voices in shaping the future of the islands.

“This ʻōpio town hall is exactly what Our Kaiāulu Votes is about – empowering our young people to advocate and shape the future of Hawaiʻi,” Manuwai Peters, a senior coordinating project manager at KS, said. “By engaging their peers on critical issues, these students are showing that our lāhui’s strength lies in the hands of the next generation.”

These emerging ʻōiwi leaders will share their takes on some of the most pressing issues while driving home the importance of voting and civic participation. For KS Maui’s student body president, Haven de Silva, it is an exciting chance to encourage more people to vote.

“We need more voters out there,” de Silva said. “In the past, people have fought for you to vote, so it is your kuleana now.”

KS Maui senior Reece Dean voted for the first in the 2024 primary election.

Reece Dean, treasurer of KS Maui’s student government, cast his first-ever vote in the 2024 primary election. Now, he’s raring to go, encouraging his classmates to follow suit.

“As a leader in the Associated Students of Kamehameha Schools, we want our peers to see that their voice is important and they can use it for the future of our lāhui,” Dean said.

Kapālama junior Kahiau Takahashi admits she is a bit nervous about the broadcast. To prepare, the class secretary is turning to her ʻohana and hoaloha for diverse perspectives, an approach she feels will give her a more holistic viewpoint.

“By doing this, I’m allowed to be a voice for youth today,” Takahashi said. “I want to make sure that I’m accurately representing how people feel about these topics.”

Meanwhile, Kamahaʻo Halemanu, senior class president at KS Hawaiʻi, is eager to dive into outmigration. As a college-bound senior, Halemanu sees firsthand how the issue affects the future of Hawaiʻi.

“Every time students, mākua, kūpuna, aunties and uncles leave our home, that’s one less resource that we have to take care of our ‘āina and give back to our lāhui,” Halemanu said.

KS Kapālama haumāna participated in a walk to the box event outside of Honolulu Hale and ʻIolani Palace during the primary.

Having already moderated a panel at this year’s Native Hawaiian Convention, he is well-prepared for this moment.

“If we want to solve these Native Hawaiian issues, we have to keep Native Hawaiian people – our problem solvers – here,” Halemanu said.

As these haumāna head to the Honolulu studios, they embody Kamehameha Schools’ mission to cultivate ʻōiwi leaders rooted in their culture. By taking part in this, they embrace their kuleana to uplift their lāhui and perpetuate ea, envisioning a thriving Hawaiʻi with kānaka at the helm.

“It’s all about intention and execution,” de Silva said. “An ‘ōiwi leader knows their community and the issues they face, and through cooperation and gathering all types of ʻike, we can build a better lāhui.”

Voting is a civic tradition in Hawaiian history and Our Kaiāulu Votes is reigniting that spirit with walk to the box events and panels like this one. Tune in to HI Now Daily at 3 p.m. on Oct. 28 to watch.