No One’s Coming to Save Us | Kyle Ellison on How Kula Became Its Own Response

In this episode of Pilali, Ashley and Wren sit down with Todd Apo to explore what he’s learned from a career spanning government, business, tourism, philanthropy, and nonprofits. From serving on the Honolulu City Council to working with Disney and Howard Hughes and later joining the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority board, Todd has spent his career navigating the complicated space between economic opportunity, community interests, and Hawaiʻi’s culture and people.Todd reflects on political power, the evolution of Hawaiian representation, and what it looks like to move from having local people advise decision-makers to having Hawaiʻi people at the table making the decisions themselves. Together, Ashley, Wren, and Todd wrestle with development, the future of tourism, where tourism dollars actually go, and the question Hawaiʻi has to answer if it wants to become less dependent on the visitor economy: What replaces it?Socials: LinkedIn: Todd ApoShow Notes: Learn more about and support ʻIole Hawaiʻi: https://www.iolehawaii.org/Bishop Museum: https://www.bishopmuseum.org/ Hawai'i PBS: https://www.pbshawaii.org/Hawai'i Public Radio: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/

In this episode of Pilali, Ashley and Wren sit down with Kanaka Maoli scholar, educator, and activist Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua to explore what Hawaiʻi’s histories of resistance can teach us about building its future. From returning home during the 100th anniversary of the overthrow to helping start Hālau Kū Māna and becoming a Kamehameha Schools trustee, Noelani reflects on how education, organizing, and aloha ʻāina have shaped her life and work.Noelani shares what she has learned from movements to protect Kahoʻolawe and Mauna Kea, the kūpuna and kumu who shaped generations of organizers, and why protest and resistance are also stories of friendship, mutual care, and love for place. Together, Ashley, Wren, and Noelani explore what it means to prepare young people for the challenges ahead, from climate change and AI to food and water security, and why Hawaiian knowledge is not simply something from the past, but a living way of understanding and shaping Hawaiʻi’s future.Socials: LinkedInShow Notes: Without Apologies: The HKT Biography PodcastHālau Kū MānaKamehameha Schools

In this episode of Pilali, Ashley and Wren sit down with Kailua-born musician, vocalist, wellness coach, and Mana Wahine Movement founder Irie Love to explore music, identity, and the responsibility that comes with showing up authentically. From being booked by Madonna to finding an audience in Kenya through a single music video, Irie reflects on a career that has taken her around the world and why Hawaiʻi’s mana continues to keep her grounded.Irie gets candid about the unpredictable income and mental health toll of the music industry, why she sees her energy rather than her voice as her greatest gift, and why mentoring the young women coming up behind her has become some of her most meaningful work. Together, Ashley, Wren, and Irie explore music as a form of healing and connection, singing in harmony as a practice of unity, what we can learn across generations, and the responsibility we have to share what we’ve learned with those coming after us.Socials: @thisisirielove@manawahinemov⁠Show Notes: Mana Wahine Movement: @manawahinemovPBS documentary on reggae in Hawaiʻi (mentioned by Irie)Mana Maoli Collective

In this episode of Pilali, Ashley and Wren sit down with Mālama Kula founder Kyle Ellison to explore what happens when disaster forces a community to become its own first responder. Kyle shares his experience of the 2023 Kula fires, from fighting flames behind his home to helping neighbors access water and supplies, and how that response ultimately grew into Mālama Kula.The conversation explores the power and limits of community-led disaster recovery, from wildfire prevention and philanthropy to the long-term work of rebuilding. Together, they reflect on what Maui’s recovery reveals about tourism, housing, local infrastructure, and what it takes to build communities that are prepared not just to respond to disaster, but for what comes next.Socials: @malamakulaLinkedInShow Notes: Malama KulaCommon Ground CollectiveMaui Huliau Foundation

Ashley and Wren sit down with environmental advocate and entrepreneur Kahi Pacarro to discuss ocean conservation, community leadership, and the evolving role of civic engagement in Hawaiʻi. Kahi reflects on his upbringing in Kailua, his early career in finance and real estate, and the moment when witnessing environmental degradation during his travels pushed him to rethink his path. That shift ultimately led him to found Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, where he has spent more than a decade mobilizing communities to address marine debris and protect Hawaiʻi’s shorelines.Ashley and Wren explore the scale of plastic pollution in the Pacific and the deeper systems driving it, from industrial fishing practices to global consumer culture. Kahi shares how his work expanded through global partnerships like Parley for the Oceans and youth initiatives such as Ocean Uprise, which empower young leaders to take action on climate and environmental issues. The conversation also touches on civic participation and Kahi’s decision to run for public office, reflecting his belief that protecting Hawaiʻi’s environment requires both grassroots action and stronger democratic engagement.Socials: @instakahi | @parley.tv | @sustainablecoastlineshawaii | @peopleforpacarro | Linkedin Show Notes:People for PacarroParley HawaiiOcean Uprise Sustainable Coastlines HawaiiThe City and County of Honolulu Clean Water & Natural Lands Program Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Ashley and Wren sit down with birth worker and advocate Sonya Niess to explore maternal care and birth options in Hawaiʻi. Sonya explains the roles of doulas and midwives and how the midwifery model of care centers emotional, physical, and community support throughout pregnancy and postpartum. The conversation highlights how Hawaiʻi’s maternal health system faces shortages of providers and structural barriers that make it difficult for many families to access the care they need.Ashley and Wren also discuss the policy and cultural shifts shaping birth in Hawaiʻi today. Sonya shares her work with the Pacific Birth Collective and the challenges midwives face navigating licensing, insurance, and regulation. The episode explores how collaboration among birth workers, healthcare providers, and families could improve outcomes while restoring agency and dignity to the birth experience. Together they reflect on how strengthening maternal care systems can better support mothers, families, and communities across the islands.Socials: @pacificbirthcollective | LinkedInShow Notes:Pacific Birth Collective Committee on the Status of Women, County of MauiMaui 2023 midwifery law (Act 32)Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Ashley and Wren sit down with community organizer and former state legislator Kaniela Ing to talk about political power, grassroots organizing, and the future of democracy in Hawaiʻi. Kaniela reflects on his path from working in the pineapple fields and student activism at the University of Hawaiʻi to becoming one of the youngest legislators in state history. He shares how experiences inside government shaped his understanding of power and led him to focus on building movements outside traditional political institutions.The conversation explores Kaniela’s work with Our Hawaiʻi and the importance of base building, community trust, and participation in shaping public decisions. Ashley and Wren discuss lessons from movements such as Mauna Kea and disaster response efforts in Lahaina, and how communities can organize to both stop harmful projects and build alternatives. Kaniela reflects on the need for multiracial working class movements, deeper civic participation, and new forms of leadership that empower communities to reclaim influence over the systems that affect their lives.Socials: @kanielaing | @ourhawaii808 | LinkedIn | ⁠Kaniela Ing Website ⁠Show Notes:Our Hawaii Lahaina Strong Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Ashley and Wren sit down with historian and educator Robert Perkinson to explore the intersections of incarceration, higher education, and public dialogue. Robert shares how his path from student activism to academia eventually brought him to Hawaiʻi and to the University of Hawaiʻi’s Better Tomorrow Speaker Series, a program designed to bring complex social issues into open, community-centered conversations.Together they examine how systems such as mass incarceration and immigration detention shape society, and why prison should be a last resort rather than a default response. The conversation also looks at the role universities can play in social change by producing knowledge, connecting diverse voices, and creating space for big ideas to meet real-world implementation. At its core, the episode reflects a shared belief that progress happens when people come together to question assumptions and imagine better futures.Socials: @robert_perkinson | @uh_btss | @uhmanoanews | LinkedInShow Notes:Better Tomorrow Speaker SeriesTexas Tough: The Rise of America’s Prison Empire Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Ashley and Wren sit down with Dawn Lippert, founder and CEO of Elemental Impact, to discuss climate innovation, investment, and the role Hawaiʻi can play in developing solutions for a rapidly changing planet. Dawn shares how Elemental works with entrepreneurs building climate and energy technologies, combining investment with hands on support to help companies navigate capital, workforce development, policy, and community relationships. The conversation highlights how the organization has helped generate billions in follow on funding and thousands of jobs while recycling investment returns back into nonprofit climate work.Ashley, Wren, and Dawn also explore the tension between development and environmental protection, and the importance of earning community trust when building new energy and infrastructure projects. Dawn reflects on Hawaiʻi as a place where global climate solutions can be incubated through strong relationships with local communities. The discussion closes with a sense of urgency and optimism, emphasizing that technological innovation, community partnership, and entrepreneurial energy can all play a role in addressing climate change.Socials: @dawnhawaii | Elemental Impact | LinkedinShow Notes:Elemental ImpactEarthshot Ventures Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Ashley and Wren sit down with investor and entrepreneur Chenoa Farnsworth to explore innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of Hawaiʻi’s economy. Chenoa shares how her work with Blue Startups helps mentor and invest in Hawaiʻi-based entrepreneurs, particularly in ocean and climate technology. The conversation looks at how incubators support founders through mentorship, training, and investor networks while helping local companies scale beyond the islands.Ashley, Wren, and Chenoa also discuss the broader vision behind this work, including the need to diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy beyond tourism and the military. Chenoa reflects on the importance of building companies that create meaningful local jobs, encouraging kamaʻāina talent to return home, and supporting women entrepreneurs who remain underrepresented in venture capital. The episode highlights a growing movement toward businesses that balance financial return with community impact while strengthening Hawaiʻi’s long term economic resilience.Socials: @cfarnswo | @bluestartups | LinkedinShow Notes: Blue StartupsHawaii Angels Investment NetworkEast Meets West Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe