Don’t ask me when I first heard this quote or who said it first – because I don’t know and google doesn’t seem to know either.

But it’s stuck in my brain and I’m hoping it will stick in yours as well.

Today, as we head into a new year, I encourage all to tell good stories.

Tell your children, your neighbors and friends – stories of joy and happiness, of achievement, of discovery, of gratifying work, of ohana who love and help each other.

And yes, tell stories about politics and policy – about how together as a community, united in purpose AND committed to showing up and engaging in the process, we can make a difference.

In both small ways that impact directly our friends and neighbors AND in large ways that move the needle for everyone – we can change the world.

I don’t make this statement lightly. I’ve seen it happen, up close and personal.

During my own nearly 30 year journey navigating the path of policy and politics I’ve seen previously homebound kūpuna smile and laugh in public without shame or hesitation, after affordable dental care was provided.

I spoke recently to a man working multiple jobs – who 6 months ago was living with his wife and 2 children in his car and today they occupy a 2 bedroom permanently affordable apartment.

10 years ago the minimum wage in Hawaiʻi was $7.75 per hour, today it’s $14 and will be $16 on January 1st. This huge achievement happened because regular people united in purpose AND engaged in the political/policy process – showed up to demand it.

We have pesticide-free buffer zones around schools and mandatory reporting of restricted use pesticides statewide.

There’s Bill 9 with the potential of converting thousands of Maui transient vacation rentals (TVR’s) into housing for local residents.

The list of positive changes that only happened because of a community BOTH unified in purpose and ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS, is way too long for this story.

And yes, of course we need dental/healthcare for all, more affordable housing, a living wage tied to inflation, stronger buffer zones, and the elimination of TVR’s outside of hotel/resort districts.

And we need to stop the bombing at Pōhakuloa, AND get 100% off fossil fuels (no liquid natural gas (LNG), be 100% food self sufficient, fully fund public education, reform our broken criminal justice system…and so much more.

And YES, we can achieve all this and more when we’re truly unified in purpose and actively engaged in the process.

Screaming into the wind, pounding out our anger on a keyboard – is not enough.

To win, we gotta show up, testify at the hearings, send those emails, make those phone calls AND get our friends to do the same.

We must engage in the process of policy-making, support advocacy groups engaged in this work, and contact directly the state legislators and council-members elected to represent us.

2026 is an election year, and there’s no better time than now to make meaningful positive change happen.

While pressing forward during the coming legislative session and at the year-round county council meetings – it’s critically important also to support candidates who share our values and feel the same urgency of the moment.

To win we must be unified in purpose AND actively engage the process.

Yes, it’s a lot of work – but the stakes are high and losing is not an option.

There. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Wishing everyone a happy, safe, and productive New Year.

Imua.

Gary Hooser