Community Conversations - Rainbow Uliʻi-Akina: Resilience in Koʻolau

Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:54 Rainbow’s Story & Koʻolau Roots 4:00 SCFS, ʻĀina & Community Work 7:45 About KEY Project 11:55 Koʻolau Resilience Hub Network 14:46 Kona Low Storm Response 19:04 Lessons in Community Resilience 21:36 Gaps, Government & Funders 26:48 Closing Aloha mai kākou, and welcome to this special conversation presented by Huakaʻi ʻIke ʻĀina (HIʻA) at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu. In this episode, we sit down with Rainbow Uliʻi-Akina, Executive Director of KEY Project, in conversation with Brian “Ioane” Jahn, Program Coordinator, Huakaʻi ʻIke ʻĀina (HIʻA). A kupa of Hauʻula and Koʻolau, Rainbow brings a deeply place-rooted perspective to community leadership, resilience, and care. A graduate of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s Sustainable Community Food Systems and Political Science programs and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program, her work bridges community knowledge, food systems, emergency response, planning, and the relationships that allow communities to care for one another during times of crisis. Together, Rainbow and Ioane explore community resilience in Koʻolau through the experience of recent Kona Low flooding and the work of KEY Project and the Koʻolau Resilience Hub Network. They discuss what happens before, during, and after an emergency; how community organizations respond to immediate needs; and why relationships, local knowledge, food access, and coordination are essential parts of long-term resilience. This conversation explores: • Rainbow’s pathway into community work and her connection to Hauʻula and Koʻolau • The role of KEY Project and the Koʻolau Resilience Hub Network • Community response to recent flooding and other emergency conditions • Mutual aid, community distributions, and caring for families during times of need • Strengths and gaps in disaster response and relationships with government and institutional partners • Food security and the importance of farms, families, and local food networks during disruptions • How communities can prepare before emergencies occur rather than only responding afterward • The importance of knowledge, relationships, coordination, and community care in building long-term resilience • What funders, agencies, and decision-makers can do to better support community-led resilience At the heart of the conversation is a broader understanding of resilience—not simply as the ability to recover from a disaster, but as the relationships, kuleana, knowledge, and systems of care that communities strengthen every day. This dialogue is part of Nā Leo Kaiāulu, a conversation series created through the Huakaʻi ʻIke ʻĀina (HIʻA) grant, which uplifts the voices of practitioners, educators, and community leaders whose ʻike and practice guide us in building a sustainable future for Hawaiʻi. Grant Acknowledgment: This work is supported by the Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (ANNH) – Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education, NIFA/USDA Competitive Grants Program, ALN 10.228, project award no. 2024-38426-41614, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this conversation are those of the speakers and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy. Subscribe to follow more conversations with leaders shaping Hawaiʻi’s food systems, communities, and cultural landscapes. #HuakaiIkeAina #NāLeoKaiāulu #UHWestOahu #RainbowUliiAkina #KEYProject #Koolau #Hauula #CommunityResilience #KoolauResilienceHub #ResilienceHawaii #FoodSecurity #FoodSystemsHawaii #CommunityCare #MutualAid #DisasterPreparedness #EmergencyResponse #LocalFoodHawaii #SustainableFoodSystems #UHSystem #USDAANNH