Where We Work
We work throughout Ka Pae `Āina o Hawai`i, from Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, to the eastern-most parts of Moku o Keawe (Big Island). Located well over 2,000 miles from the nearest contient, the Hawaiian archipelago is the most isolated population center on the planet.
While promoted to tourists and investors as a "tropical paradise," the reality in Hawai`i is something much more complex.
There is a great deal of beauty and abundance in Hawai`i. There are also more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place in the world. Our rich, diverse and fragile ecosystems are seriously jeopardized by poorly planned development, invasive non-native species, industrial agriculture, GMO field testing, and a legacy of military land use.
At the same time, Native Hawaiians suffer from the predictable consequences of being the poorest people in our own homeland. With the worst health and the greatest unemployment, there are more Hawaiian youth in jail today than in college.
In the face of these challenges, there is a movement growing, as individuals from around the islands are calling for a different kind of future for natural and cultural resources of Hawaiʻi. They are saying "no" to the unjust exploitation and privitization of Hawaiian land and waters and demanding sustainable, just and compassionate policies that benefit all people in Hawaiʻi.
This movement to aloha ʻāina comes from cultural practitioners, conservation advocates, fishers, farmers, teachers, social workers, lawyers, local business owners, scientists, resource experts and thousands of diverse individuals from around Hawaiʻi and the world. Together, we are calling for a new paradigm of stewardship and justice throughtout Ka Pae ʻĀina.
Today, thousands of individuals are joining together, putting forward a different vision for Hawaiʻi--a greener and more just place, where lands,waters and cultural practice are protected for future generations, and where pono legal and political process assures just outcomes for all people in Hawaiʻi.
KAHEA is proud to be a part of this movement. Through education, citizen involvement, and collective action, we are moving together towards a vision of a truly just and sustainable Hawaiʻi, and a world where people, culture and native ecosystems survive and thrive.
