It’s been a month since the devastating Kona low storms first hit the islands, and recovery efforts across Oʻahu’s North shore and west side have not slowed down.
Kaniela Ing, a member of a local nonprofit called Our Hawaiʻi, said the group remains dedicated to putting local people first in discussions about the future and wellbeing of Hawaiʻi.
“Once the attention diverts away from the immediate relief and reactions to these storms, that’s when the biggest decisions happen, and we can’t take for granted that the community will have a say,” Ing said.
“Sometimes the political people are too much in their bubble and they need to actually connect to the culture," he said. "That’s really the MO here, is how do we just build power in community so that whether it’s political or not, we can show up.”
Our Hawaiʻi recently hosted a virtual town hall that invited folks from all over Oʻahu to talk about how Hawaiʻi can start moving from immediate relief efforts to long-term recovery following the storms.
It featured community leaders who have been on the ground in impacted areas, residents who are looking for support, and state lawmakers to all share their perspectives on what the next steps could be.
ʻAlihilani Katoa, the Oʻahu organizer of Our Hawaiʻi, emphasized the importance of caring for ʻāina, trusting community, and focusing on preventative measures before disaster strikes.
“These moments of disaster, which are going to keep coming, are going to require us to be more organized, to keep each other safe, to uplift the voices of our community members, and to keep reiterating the importance of putting people over profit,” Katoa said.
The meeting broke out into four groups that the roughly 100 attendees could be a part of, which included groups for North Shore and west side residents. There were also groups specifically for flood victims who joined the meeting to be connected with direct support and resources. Organizers said this was a way to build more personal relationships with residents and to assess what areas were still vulnerable.
The group is hosting a week of building community power that runs through this weekend, and is looking for volunteers to go door-to-door to check on residents who might not have reached out for help on their own.
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