Meet Our Scholars

Over the last decade, Kahelelani has been an active and positive force within the communities they’ve been fortunate to be a part of. With a passion for uplifting others, especially those who are most marginalized within the LGBTQIA+ community, they put significant energy into creating intentional spaces of liberation, joy, and healing, while using those spaces as a means to employ others, fundraise, make art, and build community. From co-organizing large-scale youth-lead Pride events to co-creating multiple mutual aid projects, producing beloved parties across the continental U.S. to engaging in direct action within Indigenous land and water defense movements, Kahelelani strives to bridge gaps, and create access all while interrupting the violent and extractive systems that seek to oppress many of us. Acquiring a degree in Hawaiian Studies will allow them to deepen the work of uplifting their communities with a more culturally informed approach and mobilize QTBIPOC in their homeland and beyond.