By Nanea Lo, OHA Administrative Assistant, Advocacy and Research
For Kānaka Maoli, leadership has always been rooted in kuleana – responsibility to our ea, ʻāina, kūpuna, and lāhui. It is about carrying forward ancestral kuleana while adapting to the challenges of the present moment.
As Hawaiians continue to face systemic inequities, climate change, threats to cultural survival, and struggles for sovereignty, the need for strong and grounded leaders has never been greater. Investing in leadership development is essential to our survival and our flourishing as a people.
In my work I have a front-row seat to the complex ways policy decisions and research priorities shape the lives of our people. Whether it’s land use, education, housing, or health, the issues are layered and intrinsically connected to our history of occupation and ongoing colonialism.
We urgently need leaders who can navigate these systems while remaining grounded in ea and aloha ʻāina – leaders skilled in policy and advocacy with a sense of kuleana to serve and uplift the lāhui. Whether in the kingdom or abroad, the kuleana is ours.
My leadership journey was shaped by programs designed to cultivate emerging leaders including the Kuleana Academy with Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), the Native American Political Leadership Program at George Washington University, the Young Pacific Leaders with the U.S. Department of State, and the Hawaiʻi Asia-Pacific Leadership Program with Pacific Forum. Each opportunity provided insights and skills that shaped my view of leadership as a collective responsibility.
At Kuleana Academy, I learned to connect grassroots organizing with policy level advocacy. In the Native American Political Leadership Program, I engaged in continental-level conversations about Indigenous governance – a reminder that Kānaka Maoli are part of a global Indigenous movement. Through Young Pacific Leaders, I connected with peers across Oceania tackling challenges from climate change to cultural preservation. And the Hawaiʻi Asia-Pacific Leadership Program gave me tools to think about leadership on a geopolitical scale and Hawaiʻi’s place in global politics.
These experiences not only built my technical skills but my confidence to stand in spaces of power while holding fast to my kuleana – courage to kūʻē when necessary, to speak up, and to be kūpaʻa in aloha ʻāina. Leadership is not just being effective in Western institutions; it is about transforming those institutions to serve our people – or creating new ones when they fail us. Without investment in leadership training and mentorship, future generations will lack the tools they need to meet the challenges ahead.
For our lāhui to thrive, leadership must be nurtured at every level. Leadership is expansive, and when we recognize it in all its forms, we strengthen our entire community.
To do this, we need to fund leadership programs. We must invest in empowering Hawaiians and create spaces where young leaders can develop proficiency while staying grounded in ʻike kūpuna. Institutions must support these efforts with resources and community members can mentor. Every contribution matters.
Leadership is not one person rising – it is about all of us rising together. Investing in leadership development is an investment in our ʻāina, lāhui, and the generations to come.
Now is the time to commit resources and energy into cultivating these leaders. By investing in leadership development, we are not just shaping leaders – we are ensuring the survival of our culture, the strength of our communities, and the ea of our lāhui.
