Natalia Hussey-Burdick has announced her candidacy for the State House of Representatives and we all, regardless of where we live, should send her our aloha, our mahalo, and our kōkua.

Natalia is one of those verifiably awesome community leaders who work hard every single day to make our collective home a better place.

She is what I call a “blue chip”.

She helps people.

And this is why she is running. Not for the title and fancy office, and certainly not as a stepping stone for her ego. She is running simply because she knows it is her kuleana to help her community – the place where she was born and raised.

That place is Kailua – Kāne’ohe on the windward side of Oʻahu, House District #50 in political speak, but to Natalia, it’s simply home.

The residents of Kailua – Kāne’ohe face the same daily challenges every community in Hawai’i is facing: The pressures of unrestrained tourism, the non-existence of affordable housing for local residents, the continued degradation of our natural environment, and a government that is too often unresponsive to community needs.

Natalia feels the same urgency of the moment shared by each of us, and she is determined to do something about it.

She has hands-on experience working within the legislative environment, she is respected by policy-makers and community leaders across the state, and she is relentless in her pursuit of making our planet a better place.

So please take a few moments today, regardless of where you live, to reach out to Natalia and let her know that you have her back.

She can be reached at nataliaforhawaii@gmail.com

Offer to help if you can.

Perhaps make an online donation to her campaign.

Please. Any tangible gesture will add fuel to her fire, of that I am sure.

gary