The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement's annual convention kicked off Tuesday on Big Island with the theme "Experience Hawaiʻi Island."
CNHA CEO Kūhiō Lewis talked to HPR about what's in store for the gathering at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. Last year, the multi-day event was held on Maui.
"Whether it's Las Vegas, whether it's Maui, whether it's Hawaiʻi Island, I think it allows people to engage that wouldn't otherwise engage, but it also gives us a chance to highlight that destination," Lewis said. "We are bringing all that Hawaiʻi Island has to offer into this space."
Lewis stressed that the convention is not just for Hawaiians.
"It's designed to be enriching for the people of Hawaiʻi, the people outside of Hawaiʻi," he said. "This is a chance for us to work with all ethnic people, learn about Hawaiʻi, experience Hawaiʻi, experience our culture."
Lewis said he thinks Hilo, and Hawaiʻi Island more broadly, could lead the rest of the state in issues like affordable housing, regenerative tourism, and more.
"If you look at Hilo, I actually see a future there, where the prices are still stable, the home prices, there's still a lot of land left, the politics is not as bad. I mean, maybe we could focus on that as the future," Lewis said.
The convention will also host a debate Thursday between the two candidates for Hawaiʻi County mayor: incumbent Mitch Roth and Kimo Alameda.
Roth did not secure enough votes in the primary election to win outright. Roth and Alameda will appear on the general election ballot leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.
The three-day convention will be held from Sept. 17-19. For more information, click here.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 17, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
