Sylvia Luke

An Allies in Resistance rally was held on Saturday to protest cuts to DEI programs and to honor the legacy of Patsy T. Mink. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda spoke before the crowd.

The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded Hawaiʻi $6 million to expand telehealth, increasing access to devices and digital literacy education.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has received a four-year $72 million federal grant to build infrastructure, increase workforce development programs and establish community centers on DHHL land for better digital access.

Under the program, college students can earn their degrees and train as educational assistants at no cost. About 140 aspiring educators will be involved in the program, which will be the first statewide registered apprenticeship program for K-12 teachers.

The Hawaiian language pre-K classrooms will be at Lāna‘i High and Elementary School, and Blanche Pope Elementary School in Waimānalo, Oʻahu. They will have nearly 40 seats for keiki.

The change comes after a new law expands the time frame for parents to apply for financial help for child care and preschools in the state.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke is leading the Ready Keiki initiative to provide more preschools across the islands to help struggling families. Speaking to The Conversation, she shared the news that Ready Keiki will expand with additional preschool sites this fall.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke talked with us about two initiatives she has taken on: broadband and early childhood education.

Hawaiʻi's internet connectivity currently relies on three main undersea cables — two are nearing the end of their operational lifespans. The new cables, funded by Google, will connect Hawaiʻi to Japan, the continental United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.

The state’s Preschool Open Doors has expanded its subsidy program, meaning more families can now qualify for a break on preschool tuition. It’s one of the largest expansions to the state’s preschool subsidy program for families trying to get childcare for their kids.