Page 5 - MidWeek Kauai - Oct 6 2021

ple,” says Akina, who oversees a team of 18 staffers that pro- duces policy research, videos, editorials and cartoons as “an independent voice” represent- ing the people of Hawai‘i.
proud of collaborating with colleagues and instituting nec- essary reforms, all of which he says has not only led to protect- ing the trust, but growing it so that it can be used “for proper purposes.”
“My heart breaks when I see the division that has risen between our citizens,” he con- tinues. “Many of us support the important role of govern- ment in managing the crisis situation; many others of us
Ultimately, operating from two perspectives at OHA and GIH has helped Akina under- stand “the different ways we can help people of all back- grounds, perspectives and be- liefs work together.”
(Left) Akina and three of his children (from left) Ho‘onani, KeAupuni and Kamana, attend the lei-draping ceremony for the King Kamehameha statue
in the nation’s capital. Not pictured are wife Liz and son Mauloa. (Above) The OHA trustee-at-large makes good on a promise for greater accountability in trustee spending by returning his discretionary allowance to OHA beneficiaries. PHOTOS COURTESY KELI‘I AKINA
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support the protection of indi-
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vidual rights and the rights of
“Naturally, we are going to have differences and that makes us who we are,” he adds. “However, if we start with our differences and use them to create distance be- tween each other, we’re never going to come together at the rate we need to. That’s why I continue to emphasize the e hana kākou spirit.”
faculty at Beijing University, which offered him lecture op- portunities throughout China to discuss human rights issues, and later as adjunct faculty member at both University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Hawai‘i Pacific University.
sage of unity, and why he still believes in better days ahead for the people of Hawai‘i.
OCTOBER 6, 2021
KAUA‘I MIDWEEK 5
Community Leader Lives By ‘E Hana Kākou Spirit’
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businesses to operate as freely
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as they see fit. Unfortunately,
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when these two perspectives
“The past eight years with Grassroot Institute have been thrilling for me and a won- derful opportunity to prac- tice bringing people together around problem areas while we find solutions,” he final- izes. “It’s gratifying to work with talented individuals who all have a passion to make Hawai‘i the best place in the world where our freedoms and opportunities can flourish.”
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are seen as antithetical to each
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other, misunderstandings arise
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and tempers flare, and we find
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ourselves with growing ten-
s sion.”
Despite the different paths his career has taken, Akina’s original commitment to serv- ing others remains the driving principle in his life. It’s why he continues to have faith in humanity, why he continues to use his voice to preach a mes-
But while he acknowledg- es the vital role government
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orator’s voice and Hawaiian culture leader Winona Beam- er with turning him into a court chanter for her hālau while at Kamehameha (“I still practice the art of chanting till this day,” he notes), Akina points to a famous reverend for inspiring him to live a life in service of others.
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plays in any crisis and firmly
hile he credits his mother with help- ing him find his
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believes that state and city
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officials are doing “what they
Christ and served as its presi- dent, and eventually founded thenonprofitCenterforTomor-
row’s Leaders — to tossing his hat into the world of academia. He did this first as exchange
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believe best” given the circum-
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stances, he advises caution in
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moving forward.
“Government must not overstep its constitutional boundaries and end up vio- lating the freedoms they are actually charged with protect- ing,” opines Akina, adding that only by proceeding in “a rational, fact-based and re- spectful manner” can the state avoid “trampling on the rights of individuals” and “solve our problems.”
“When I was a senior in col- lege at Northwestern Universi- ty, I participated in a national conference at which Billy Graham spoke,” recalls Akina. “I was so impressed with his message of taking God’s love to the entire world that I made a commitment to devote myself to the service of humanity.”
As an OHA trustee-at-large, Akina sees things more at “ground level,” in which he and other board members are charged with maintaining a trust fund while ensuring that the housing, employment, ed- ucation and health care needs of Native Hawaiians are being met. In his five years at the state agency, he’s particularly
His career would then transi- tion from serving in the Chris- tian ministry on the Wai‘anae Coast — where for three de- cades he operated crisis-inter- vention programs for Youth for

Educating the mind, inspiring the heart. Preparing