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We are excited to invite you to Piʻo Summit 2024, an event that revolves around "Hulihia" - an overturning or complete change that aptly describes the transformative power of community leadership in times of crisis. Recent catastrophic events including the 2018 flooding of Hāʻena, Kauaʻi, and the 2023 wildfires in Lāhaina, Maui, have highlighted the need for community leadership that is courageous and creative in the face of disaster. Join us for panel discussions with aloha ʻāina, community organizers, and scholars who continue to achieve better futures for their places while emerging through crises.
Registration services provided by PAʻA LAB & NHSS
In April of 2018, the island of Kauaʻi experienced a catastrophic rainfall event that would later be dubbed a "rainbomb." The resulting flooding, landslides, and damage to roads and bridges left communities from Hanalei to Hāʻena inaccessible except by boat for weeks. Plenary Panel One brings together three respected community leaders of Hāʻena—Chipper Wichman, Lei Wann, and Billy Kinney. They will share personal stories about the storm’s immediate aftermath and longer-term impacts, the way ‘ohana and community showed up for each other in new and known ways, and six years on, the lessons that were learned from this natural disaster. Key topics of this panel include the unprecedented severity of the rainbomb and its impacts to ʻāina and people, the application of traditional Hawaiian knowledge and practices in response and recovery efforts, and the crucial leadership and organizing roles communities organizations play in disaster relief and long-term rebuilding. Additionally, this panel will highlight innovative, homegrown solutions that emerged out of crisis. This powerful discussion will showcase the resilience of rural communities in the face of extraordinary challenges, offering valuable insights and inspiration.
Moderator: Dr. Beamer
Panelists: Chipper Wichman, Lei Wann, Billy Kinney
Residents of Lāhaina have faced unparalleled challenges since fires decimated the historic town in August of last year, leaving widespread destruction and profound loss in their wake. Plenary Panel Two brings together three esteemed experts to discuss the impact, response, and path forward in the aftermath of this catastrophic event. Kekai Keahi, Kapua Sproat, and Clay Trauernicht will delve into crucial topics including the impacts of the fires on Lāhaina's community and cultural heritage, the role of ancestral knowledge in the ways we respond, recover, and heal from trauma, and the intersection of climate change, land management practices, and increased wildfire risk in Hawaiʻi. This panel will also address the challenges and opportunities as Lāhaina rebuilds, focusing on regenerative and culturally appropriate approaches that honor the area's rich history while enhancing its resilience against future disasters. This discussion aims to not only shed light on a community's journey of recovery and regrowth, but also to explore valuable lessons that can inform disaster preparedness, response, and community resilience across Ka Pae ʻĀina Hawaiʻi and beyond. Join us as we explore how tragedy can become a catalyst for positive change, stronger communities, and a more hopeful future for our keiki.
Moderator: Dr. Beamer
Panelists: Kekai Keahi, Kapua Sproat, Clay Trauernicht
This summit would not be possible without the kōkua of our valued partners.
They are stalwart supporters of environmental justice and ʻōiwi agency, and we would like to express our deep mahalo to these organizations for their contributions:
A centerpiece of the Pōʻai ke Aloha ʻĀina project is the Piʻo Summit, a gathering of individuals dedicated to sharing their work to cultivate circular economic thinking in their local communities, and around the world. Our goal is to bring leaders together from at home and abroad to celebrate and share innovative projects that support our communities.
The summit will be held anually, with each event embodying one of the following themes:
- Highlighting Aloha ʻĀina Innovation at Home, to advance local policy issues and uplift the work of a community collaborator, sharing our (kākou) efforts with an international audience.
- Learning from Sustainability Leaders Abroad, to increase international collaborations and networks as related to manifesting aloha ʻāina. Let's learn from each other.
Our esteemed guests are leaders in imagining a sustainable future. Whether from far across the globe or from within our own island communities, they bring with them insights that show us a vision of the world, where the operation of our societies, rooted in the concept of aloha ʻāina, draws on the resources of our one and only home in a restorative and rejuvenative fashion, and allows us all to thrive.
