Our vision
We envision a Hawaiʻi media ecosystem abundant with stories, storytellers and storytelling practices that uplift ʻāina, community, and collective liberation.
We’re working toward that vision by collaborating with aloha ʻāina and collective liberation movements across Hawaiʻi to create journalism rooted in pilina, place, and action.
Our values
Before starting any storytelling projects, we spent more than two years listening to trusted community members about issues they see in Hawaiʻi’s media ecosystem and how those impact their communities, as well as solutions.
Those conversations led to our community journalism guide, where contributors surfaced 14 values that they believe media practitioners should embody to better serve their communities.
We adopted those same values to guide our own work.
ʻāina
inhabited place, land
We view ʻāina as our most vital relationship, source of knowledge and stakeholder
maoli
native, genuine, real
We center the voices of those most connected to the places whose stories we tell
ea
sovereignty, life, breath
We honor our community’s autonomy over when and how to share their stories
pilina
relationship, connection
We cultivate deep, authentic and reciprocal relationships with community partners
mālama
care for, protect
We care about our relationships as much as we care about sharing stories
kākoʻo
support, uphold, assist
We serve our community as storytellers by uplifting and supporting their efforts
maopopo pono
correct understanding
We take the time and care to deeply understand our community’s manaʻo
pono
right, just, accurate, well-being
We practice and uplift collective liberation and kūʻe systemic injustice
haku
weave, compose
We weave moʻolelo to create compassion, connection, capacity and change
kuleana
responsibility, privilege
We are accountable to all our relations for the impacts of the stories we share
hana
work, act, create, practice
We inspire, equip and act alongside our community to advance collective liberation
laha
extended, circulated
We prioritize sharing stories with those most impacted by and proximate to them
hoʻolako
supply, equip, enrich
We share learnings to help elevate other storytellers in our community
hoʻiwai
redistribute water*
We sustain our work by regeneratively contributing to the waiwai of Hawaiʻi
*Hoʻiwai refers to a Hawaiian agricultural practice where water, after nourishing — and being nourished by — a loʻi kalo (taro patch) is returned back to the stream so it can be used to nourish other crops and ecosystems downstream (learn more).
