Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 1, 1 January 2021 — “I lele no ka lupe i ke pole” - It's about the people! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“I lele no ka lupe i ke pole” - It's about the people!

LEO ELELE v TRUSTEE MESSSAGES f

2020 was a year of unprecedented change for all of us in Hawai'i and across the world. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs also saw changes. I want to wish a fond aloha and mueh mahalo to Colette Machado and "Unele Bob" Lindsey for their years of service to the Hawaiian people. My warmest weleome goes to newly elected trustees Luana Alapa and Keola T inHe™

and congratulations on the re-election of Trustee Dan Ahuna. Congratulations also to our new board and committee leadership, especially our new chairperson, Trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey. In the recent election, it was encouraging to see hundreds of thousands of Island residents participate in selecting OHA trustees.

People are looking to OHA to demonstrate compassion and greatness at this time. Compassion - because the needs of Hawaiians are greater than ever before and are compounded by the eeonomie impact of COVID-19. Greatness - because OHA is positioned to do great things with its resources to meet the UO VI1U1 1VJUU1VVL) IV! lllWl 1.1 lv 1 /

needs of the Hawaiian people. I look forward to working with my fellow trustees toward these ends. As I enter my second term, I recommit myself to a three-fold vision that guided my hrst term: 1 ) Help OHA protect the Native Hawaiian trust through audits and sound policies; 2) Work with OHA to grow the Native Hawaiian trust by developing assets such as Kaka'ako Makai and securing nt-t a f5,ir share of the Public Lands

Trust revenues; and 3) Guide OHA in its use of the trust to meet the real needs of Hawaiians forhousing, jobs, education, and healthcare. Upon my re-election as an OHA Trustee, my 92-year-old mother, Marian Lupenui Akina, reminded me of an 'ōlelo no'eau she gave me: "I lele no ka lupe i ke pole; It is the tail that makes the kite fly." In other words, be humble and honor the people, for

they are the tail that enables a leader to fly. I am humbled by our great beneflciaries and commit myself to serve them with integrity in 2021 and beyond. ■ Trustee Akina welcomes your comments and feedback at TrusteeAkina@oha.org

Keli'i Akina, Ph.D. TrustBE, At-large

Trustee Akina wilh his mother, Marian Lupenui Akina. - Photo: Courtesy