While it may sound silly, I debated at length about what shirt to wear on October 18th. Should it be a in-your-face “Enough Already” anti-Trump theme, or a more light-hearted “Making Good Trouble” message? Or maybe just toss the t-shirt message idea and go with the standard aloha shirt?

Then, two days prior to the October 18th gathering I listened to Trever Noah’s conversation/podcast with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and the answer to that seemingly silly dilemma became crystal-clear:my message would be “CARPE DIEM.”

SEIZE THE DAY.

With strength, determination, and immediacy, NOW is the time to make positive change happen.

A friend had sent me the podcast link and encouraged me to listen to what Senator Sanders had to say. So I did, and it blew me away. The conversation was measured, the facts presented were eye-opening, and the conclusion was clear, strong, and unavoidable.

We must, at this moment in time, take back our government — from the authoritarian now in control, from the big money oligarchs who empower and enable him, AND ultimately from the broader base of corporatists providing a floor for it all.

We can and we must identify and support new leadership at all levels — new leaders that believe as we do, that people and the planet must come first.

I’d previously watched President Trump’s entire speech to the United Nations Assembly. The contrast between Senator Sanders and President Trump is eye-opening…stay awake at night kine eye-opening.

Please. Take the time to listen to both, then make up your own mind.

While my heart remained at home with friends and neighbors on Kaua`i, I spent the actual weekend of October 18th in Honolulu, joining in solidarity with friends, former colleagues, and statewide political leaders at the Capitol.

The turnout and the energy was extraordinary.

While most of the street energy focused on the insanity unfolding in Washington D.C., I could not stop thinking about the potential for change here at home.

If the thousands of people who showed up on every island this past Saturday continue showing up at the State Capitol and County Councils during this coming year – the sky’s the limit as to what can be accomplished.

If, at the ballot box in 2026 those same thousands of deeply committed citizens coalesced around forward-thinking, progressive, aina-based candidates at all levels – BOOM Kanani!

Imagine for a moment just for starters – we have the best youth programs and public schools on the planet, every worker in Hawai`i earns a living wage, truly affordable health care is available for all, permanent affordable housing for local families is a reality, our streams and coastlines are clean and healthy, AND the costs of our government is borne by those who can most afford it – the very wealthy, the corporate, the foreign, and the transient.

While it may sound like a fantasy or a pipe dream to some, these things are already happening in various places around the world.

It’s our time now to “Carpe Diem”, take ownership of our government at all levels and build a future the next 7 generations deserve.

Note: Listen to Trevor Noah and Senator Bernie Sanders: https://tinyurl.com/5n7br2nt