A Gathering Place for Hawaiians Abroad

By Moana Alo

For generations, Native Hawaiians have thrived, both in their homeland and across the diaspora. ʻAhahui Kīwila Hawaiʻi o San Diego (AKHSD) is a testament to that resilience, uplifting community, cultural preservation, and civic engagement for Kānaka living in the diaspora.

Established in 1993, AKHSD continues Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s legacy of improving the lives of Native Hawaiians through education, advocacy, and leadership development.

Kūhiō envisioned a future where Native Hawaiians remained politically engaged while staying paʻa to their traditions, even as colonization reshaped their land. As a U.S. congressional delegate from 1902-1922, he fought tirelessly for Native Hawaiian rights. He also founded the first Hawaiian Civic Club in 1918 to promote civic participation, cultural pride, and collective action.

AKHSD embodies this vision today. Though distant from Hawaiʻi, we remain connected to our kuleana to uplift our lāhui. Through civic engagement, cultural workshops, and advocacy, we ensure that the voices of Hawaiians abroad contribute to the collective movement of Native Hawaiians everywhere.

A core part of our work includes direct engagement with political leaders. Each year, AKHSD members travel to the California State Capitol to meet with elected officials and advocatec for legislation affecting our communities. We also participate in candidate roundtables, providing a space for our nā ʻōpio (youth) to engage with local leaders. These efforts amplify the Native Hawaiian voice in civic spaces and reinforce our presence in policy discussions that shape our future.

Our ʻōpio are the future of our lāhui, and AKHSD is committed to supporting them. Following Kūhiō’s example, we advocate for education and leadership development, offering cultural and educational scholarships to ensure our keiki remain connected to their heritage. Through mentorship and civic engagement, we help ʻōpio cultivate a strong Hawaiian identity and active community participation.

We create spaces and partner with other organizations so our keiki can learn moʻolelo, hula, language, and traditional arts, reinforcing the values of aloha, kuleana, and lōkahi. By supporting their growth, we empower them to become the next generation of Hawaiian leaders, whether in San Diego, in Hawaiʻi, or beyond.

Cultural preservation is central to AKHSD’s mission. We provide workshops to learn lei hulu, lau hala weaving, haku lei-making, ipu-crafting, and ʻulana lau niu. Cultural practitioners share their ʻike, helping our members remain rooted in tradition while fostering a thriving community.

AKHSD is more than a civic club – it is a gathering place for Hawaiians abroad. We participate in cultural festivals, collaborate with Pacific Islander communities, and acknowledge our shared history with other Indigenous peoples. By remembering Kūhiō, we remain dedicated to our people, culture, and future. E mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono – may the life of the land be perpetuated in righteousness.

Moana Alo is president of ʻAhahui Kīwila Hawaiʻi o San Diego, a dedicated advocate for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities, and a community services commissioner for the City of La Mesa. A Ph.D. student focused on community-based organizations, she works to uplift Indigenous voices through civic engagement, policy advocacy, and cultural preservation. Committed to servant leadership, Moana strives to empower nā ʻōpio and strengthen NHPI visibility in spaces where their presence is often overlooked.