Congratulations to Kuleana grads winning in the 2020 primary!

Ho'omaika'i 'ana to all the Kuleana Academy grads who made it through the 2020 primary! 

Great news! Kuleana Academy graduate Sonny Ganaden will be joining fellow alumni, Amy Perruso and Tina Wildberger, as legislators in the State House. Congratulations to Sonny on a landslide win and to Amy and Tina for winning their re-election campaigns. 

Sonny Ganaden, left, garnered enough votes to take him directly to a seat in the State House representing District 30. He will be joining fellow Kuleana Academy alumni Representative Tina Wildberger, center, and Representative Amy Perruso, right.

Several Kuleana Academy graduates running for county council seats will advance to the general election. Congrats to Gabe Johnson, Heather Kimball, Tamara Paltin, Wally Nishimura, Keani-Rawlins Fernandez and Shane Sinenci for all your hard work and success thus far. 

Our heartfelt appreciation for all our Kuleana alumni who ran strong campaigns but didn’t make it this time around. Their hard work and commitment to their respective communities continues to inspire. Political change is a long game. They all are dedicated leaders who will certainly continue to serve their communities in many capacities. 

Gabe Johnson, left, will be squaring off in the general election against his opponent for the Lanai District seat of the Maui County Council. Heather Kimball, right, will also go onto the general election for the District 1 seat of the Hawaii County Council.

Tamara Paltin, left, will enter the general election with a leading edge to maintain her seat on the Maui County Council. Wally Nishimura, right, will also move onto the general, for a seat on the Kauai County Council.

Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, left, and Shane Sinenci, right, went directly on to the general election for seats on the Maui County Council.

When these individuals came to Kuleana Academy, they were already accomplished leaders and advocates in their communities. Kuleana Academy gave them the tools and skills they needed to run a campaign. 

Kuleana Academy encourages our graduates to rise to the scale of our crises, and fight for real change. The training is part of HAPA’s long-term strategy to tackle our systemic issues with systemic solutions. There is currently no other program in Hawai'i that provides in-depth advocacy and campaign skills training that Kuleana Academy offers. 

Community rooted leaders like these are the lifeblood of a functional, thriving Hawaii. Yet entering the political arena without training can be daunting for political newcomers. Kuleana Academy levels the playing field by providing in-depth nuts and bolts training, and creating a network of solidarity amongst participants.

How does Kuleana Academy flourish in an increasingly corporate-driven world? Through contributions from everyday people -- not corporations. Your donation counts directly toward supporting the training of our Kuleana Academy participants, so they can rise up and authentically represent their communities.

At HAPA we will continue to work to level the playing field for grassroots community leaders seeking to engage in the political arena. Yesterday’s election outcome proves that participation in our political process yields results on the long road to justice. This is how democracy thrives.

HAPA strictly adheres to the requirements of our 501(c)3 status, and as such, is non-partisan and does not support campaigns or endorse candidates.