There’s so much to celebrate and so much still yet to be done…

I’m often asked, “How did HAPA first start? What was the nexus or the tipping point that first launched HAPA?”

The short answer is that like most new initiatives, it started with a conversation, that led to a question, that then led to the answer – which was HAPA.

These type of discussions often start with someone bemoaning the status quo and then others jumping expressing frustration with those in power.

These conversations are pervasive in the world of policy and politics. They happen mostly around kitchen tables, in coffee shops, in bars over a cold beer, or on the rail in that big square building on Beretania Street in Honolulu.

“So what are we going to do about it?” – is the question I’ve learned to eventually always get around to asking.

HAPA began as an answer to that question.

It came after many conversations with friends and allies on every island. Gradually, a group of “regulars” began to coalesce around the discussion and the answer.

The consensus of the group was that Hawai’i needed a serious, well-funded, professional organization to aggressively promote positive, progressive change across the spectrum of issues, and fight back against corporate greed.

This organization needed to be properly funded and staffed. Volunteers and community-based engagement would continue to play a central role, but to be truly strong and effective this new organization must have full-time professional core staffing.

The “subject matter focus” would fall within 4 areas: agriculture and food systems, social and economic justice, community based resource stewardship, and reclaiming democracy.

This new organization would:

* Support alliances between the many existing advocacy organizations.

* Lead in some issue areas and play a supporting role in others.

* Educate, communicate, advocate, and organize. Our fundraising capacity would grow to meet the needs of our advocacy.

* Fight for justice in the streets, in the courts, in the halls of government, and at the ballot box (within the confines of a 501c3).

Realizing that talk is cheap…we consciously put the word “Action” in our name…The Hawai’i Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA). https://www.hapahi.org/

The ultimate impetus for HAPA’s creation was because kids were getting sick at the Waimea Canyon middle school on Kauaʻi. At least 3 times the school was struck by incidents of children and teachers growing nauseous after restricted use pesticides were applied to the fields directly adjacent to the school grounds.

4 of the largest chemical companies in the world had established operations and were doing gmo and pesticide research in the area, primarily on Kauaʻi’s west-side. They were doing experimental work in the development of genetically modified foods, and were applying tons of Restricted Use Pesticides annually throughout the area.

Syngenta, an international chemical company based in Switzerland regularly applied atrazine, a highly dangerous pesticide banned in their own country, on fields adjacent to the school.

So the Kauaʻi community took them on. Local residents, Councilmembers, Earthjustice, the Center for Food Safety and many others joined in as we went to battle against Syngenta, Dow Chemical, Dupont, and the Monsantos’ of the world.

We fought them on the streets, in the council chambers, at the state legislature, and in the courts. While Kauaʻi fought them on their island, the people of Maui took on Monsanto on theirs. Hawai’i County also passed an ordinance to protect their residents, and Oahu joined in solidarity.

And we won. 

The voters on Maui said Monsanto must prove their operations safe, and the Council on Kauaʻi said Syngenta and the others must disclose their pesticide use, the health impacts of their operations must also be reviewed, and they could no longer spray their poisons next to schools.

The big money multi-national chemical companies of course sued Kauaʻi and Maui County’s.

And they won.

This is the period in which HAPA was born, and the battle raged on.

At the state legislature bills were introduced and bills were killed, and still the people supported by HAPA and others stayed the course.

And we won.

Today, these companies can no longer use restricted pesticides directly next to schools anywhere in Hawai’i. They also must report and disclose their use statewide and some of their products have now been banned. 

HAPA continues pressing for greater protections, more support for local farmers who grow real food, and other positive, fair, and sustainable food policies. And we continue pressing against the bad actors in court with an important hearing scheduled later this month. 

That’s a HAPA hallmark. We never ever quit. 

In short, HAPA was formed to help fight back against these corporations and ultimately to catalyze positive change across a spectrum of issues – on behalf of people and the planet. 

HAPA started as a conversation among friends mutually concerned about the urgency of the moment. 

And that urgency of the moment drives forward the action of HAPA today as we work with many different organizations on issues pertaining to environmental protection, economic justice, and food sovereignty. 

There’s no shortage of needs, but also there’s much to celebrate and be thankful for.  https://www.hapahi.org/accomplishments

Today, 10 years later because of the work of many, many people – our community is a healthier safer place.

We formed the Kuleana Academy in 2017 and today we have 120 graduates. https://www.hapahi.org/kuleana-academy-program

* 12 graduates hold elected office at the county and state levels.
* 8 sit on Oahu Neighborhood Boards.
* 70 are currently leading community or civic projects or regularly engage in activism or advocacy.
* 5 sit on nonprofit Boards.
* 3 sit on a state or county State Boards or Commissions.
* 55 have worked on election campaigns.
* 39 have led policy initiatives at the county and state levels. 

And it all started in a friends living room with the question, “So what are we going to do about it?”

Our environment is under attack. Our planet is on fire. We have people living under bridges and in doorways.

So…what are we going to keep doing about it?

Hawai’i can be a model to the rest of the planet.

We can and we must put the interests of working men, women, and families first. Today we are calling out our community on every island to stand up for Hawai’i Nurses against the despicable lock-out underway by Hawai’i Pacific Health and Kapiolani Hospital.

We can and must change the way our state legislature conducts its business, and stop the “pay-to-play” toxic culture that permeates every floor in that big square building on Beretania Street in Honolulu. https://garyhooser.blog/2024/08/28/hawaii-policy-and-politics-the-time-for-meaningful-reform-is-now/

Instead of importing 90% of our food we can and must grow it locally, and we must require every public school, state hospital, and prisons/jails to buy and serve locally grown foods only.

Instead of building more prisons, we can and we must fund more mental health, and addiction treatment

Instead of giving away hundreds of millions of dollars to the very rich in tax breaks, we can and we must build truly affordable homes for local residents.

And yes…instead of supporting the killing of innocents on multiple continents, bombing and polluting our own conservation lands, and poisoning our drinking water, we must set an example for the world and take back Pohakuloa, Makua, Kahuku, and Kawailoa-Poamoho from the U.S. Military.

Instead of funding guns, bombs, and missiles – we must properly fund the University of Hawai’i Sparky Matsunaga Institute for Peace and make our islands a true peace-making “Geneva of the Pacific”.

We can do this.

To win we need to keep showing up. And we need to keep electing new leaders who support our values and feel deeply as we do – the urgency of the moment.

We need to make the calls, flood their email, and fill the room. Those holding public office must know that we are not going away, that our cause is just, and and that we will keep pushing until we win.

Together, we can do this.