Is there anything else about your background or how you identify that you would like to share?

"I’m a Native Hawaiian gay man from a working-class, poor family. As a child, our family lived in the Hanama`ulu low-come housing and then Old Puhi Plantation Camp in a humble tin roof home. We were four kids, two boys and two girls in one room. A year or so before I headed off to boarding school at Kamehameha in 1974, we moved into a new Puhi subdivision three-bedroom, two-bath home; also through my father’s employer, Grove Farm Plantation. Dad worked for sugar plantations for 35 years. Thanks to his union, we always had good health and dental care! Mom worked different jobs mostly in food service. She served many years as the Cafeteria Manager at our Catholic school, Immaculate Conception. My parents taught all of us to work hard, take care of each other and take care of our island.  

I earned my Business Administration degree at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. After college, I returned home for a few years and worked in sales, non-profit management and hotel auditing. I then travelled the world for a year in 1988 as a youth ambassador with Up With People. I spent nearly all of the 90’s working in Finance at the City of West Hollywood, CA. In that time, I was very active volunteering in different leadership roles in our union. I then went on to become the first Executive Director of Pride At Work in Washington, DC at the AFL-CIO’s Civil Rights department. I returned home to stay in 2001 to be closer to my aging parents and to work with my siblings to go after Hawaiian homeland lot awards.

My lifelong experiences as a community organizer for economic and social justice so far has taught me how to work collaboratively and effectively with many different organizations and people from many different backgrounds."

What is your vision for Kauaʻi?

That Kaua`i is a place where everyone can have and share the highest quality of life with others; including our visitors.

A place where our people are able to access safe, affordable, quality…

1) care (healthcare, childcare, eldercare, etc.)

2) housing (30% or less of income)

3) transportation (convenient, inexpensive, environmentally-friendly)

4) food security (including healthy food options)

5) education, recreation, fitness & socialization

A place where our County prioritizes and delivers all our core services in the most efficient way making a real, meaningful and measurable difference in our residents’ lives; 1) Public Safety (Police, Fire & Rescue) and 2) Public Works (Roads, Parks & Facilities, Sewage Treatment, Solid Waste & Water).

A place where protecting and advancing our natural resources, agriculture (farming & ranching) & local sustenance lifestyles (gardening, gathering, hunting & fishing) is a top priority for supporting our local families of fishermen, gardeners, gatherers, & hunters.

A place where numerous public & private partners are developing and implementing forward-thinking solutions to longstanding challenges like Climate Change, Drug Abuse, Food Insecurity, Homelessness, Teen Suicide, Traffic Congestion and more.

A place where our leaders and all our people are working together collectively to achieve great goals that lifts us all while also protecting and preserving our island, our quality of life and our cultures; especially our Native Hawaiian host culture. Goals like… 1) 100% clean, renewable energy; 2) 75% solid waste diversion; and, 3) local production of 40% of our food.

A place where everyone is valued and treated with dignity, respect and kindness.

Who is the most influential female figure in your life who is not in your family, and why?

If I’m not able to name my mother (Patricia Ann Carvalho Kuali`i) or my grandmother (Clarissa Ferreira Carvalho), I don’t think I’m able to pinpoint a single most influential female figure. In fact, throughout my life, I have mainly been influenced by strong, intelligent, creative, kind, thoughtful, compassionate women. I guess I would say it started with a few of my teachers in elementary school which were all women. And, continues to this day with many of my coworkers and friends; including at my two places of employment, the YWCA of Kaua`i and the Council Services Division at the County of Kaua`i.

Still, just to mention a few of the many women who have influenced and continue to influence me by name…

Nancy Wohlforth, who co-chaired National Pride At Work with me and was the leading force in hiring me as the organization’s first Executive Director. I could not have excelled in that position without her at my side guiding and influencing me every step of the way.

Elise Bryant, an incredible, gifted educator, artist and spiritual/cultural practitioner formerly at the George Meany Labor Institute, the choral director of our D.C. Labor Chorus and the Executive Director of Labor Notes at AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Linda Chavez-Thompson (Lydia), was the first female to serve as Secretary-Treasurer for the AFL-CIO in Washington, DC. In her time in that role, she was the lead champion for our constituency group, Pride At Work. She absolutely was my personal shero at the AFL-CIO!

Robin Puanani Danner, is the President of the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) and the Executive Director of the Homestead Community Development Corporation (HCDC) She continues to share her incredible knowledge on housing, financing and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (HHCA) with homestead leaders like myself across the State.

Kumu Leina`ala Pavao Jardin, is the kumu (teacher) of our award-winning halau (hula school), Halau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leina`ala. She continues to share so much of her knowledge on hula and the many cultural practices that surround it and support it.

Kauaʻi and other rural areas have elevated rates of youth suicide. 11% of our high school students report having attempted suicide. The risk is significantly higher for LGBT teens on Kauaʻi, with 41% reporting suicidal thoughts (YRBS, 2019).

A key factor in youth suicide prevention is making sure that every kid has a positive relationship with a caring adult in their life.
Afterschool programs and activities are key strategies to tackling this youth mental health crisis; however, we don’t have nearly enough afterschool programs on Kauaʻi to meet the need and few safe spaces where our kids can go.

What can the County do to support the increase of afterschool programs, community activities, and safe spaces for our youth?

• Provide more funding through grants to non-profit organizations.

• Keep our parks and facilities well maintained and make more available.

• Construct more parks and facilities working with private and public partners.

• Re-imagine and re-design existing public places to support greater usage.

• Continue to support community events like the annual Pride Parade & Festival.

Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that occurs in every state, including Hawaiʻi. In Hawaiʻi, labor trafficking most frequently occurs in domestic work and elder care venues (ACF/HHS, 2017).

Between 2019-2022, Child Welfare received 205 reports of child sex trafficking (AG, 2019). On Kauaʻi, there are at least 6 known child sex trafficking victims with this estimate likely being a gross underestimation (ASU/ HSCSW, 2020).

How would you address the issue of human trafficking and commercial sex exploitation on Kauaʻi?

I honestly don’t know how I would address this issue directly as a sitting Council member other than making sure our Kaua`i Police Department and our Office of the Prosecuting Attorney has all the resources they need. Indirectly, I would be willing to introduce any appropriate bill or resolution, as well as provide any appropriate letters on my Council letterhead that both/either provide and/or solicit support. I would also be open to finding ways to support any non-profit organization or community group that is working to address the issue.

The recent Dobbs decision which overturned 50 years of legal precedent has raised concerns about the possible erosion of abortion rights in Hawaiʻi. Although abortion is currently legal in Hawaiʻi and recent polls show 66% of Hawaiʻi residents support legal abortion, access to abortion services on Kauaʻi are limited, often requiring women to fly off-island for care.

If elected, would you vote for a resolution in support of strengthening abortion rights, and are there other actions you would take as a councilmember or individual to increase local access to abortion care?

I would absolutely vote for a resolution in support of strengthening abortion rights and increasing local access to abortion care. If it made sense, I would also be willing to sponsor any appropriate bill. I would also be willing to provide any appropriate letters on my Council letterhead that both/either provide and/or solicit support. And, lastly, I would also be open to finding ways to support any non-profit organization or community group that is working to address these issues.

As an individual, I will absolutely continue to be an advocate and an activist. I will also continue to be a donor to organizations like Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List. In my long history of advocacy and activism in social justice movements (i.e. Labor, LGBTQ, Native Hawaiians, etc.), I learned the importance and value of showing up to rallies, protests and demonstrations and be willing to stand up with others in order to be seen and heard. I also know that we have to persist and never give up.

In 2020, there were over 400 unhoused people on Kauaʻi, many of whom (37%) are unsheltered families (PIT, 2020).

What action will you take to address Kauaʻi’s housing crisis for families? Should property tax revenue should be adjusted to invest more in affordable housing? Why or why not?

Addressing our Affordable Housing Shortage Disaster and Homelessness is a top priority for me as the Council’s Housing Chair. Most agree we do this by incentivizing, funding and leveraging the faster building of a lot more housing units.

We’ve made major updates to our Housing Policy Incentivizing Private Developers & Infill Development in our Town Cores including Special Management Areas for higher density housing projects like four-plexes, townhomes and apartments. And, we’re about to do more.

We’ve also passed laws supporting Homeowner ADUs/ARUs, Tiny Homes & Guest Houses. Vice Chair Chock, CM Evslin & I pushed for votes to increase funding to our Housing Development Fund that failed this time around. And, we’re focused on taking advantage of our available infrastructure such as our wastewater plant in Lihu`e.

As for addressing Homelessness, the Mayor, Housing Director & I all agree we must replicate our successful Kealaula transitional housing project currently providing shelter for several of our homeless families.

Councilmember Cowden & I are also hopeful that we replicate some of the O`ahu kauhale village projects we visited like Pu`uhonua O Waianae.

I’m very hopeful our next Governor will grant us an emergency declaration (fast-track permitting & a streamlined regulatory process) and emergency funding as was done with Ohana Zones for the COVID-19 pandemic (how we did Kealauala) – this time, for our housing shortage disaster. Lt. Gov. Green has already made statements that he would. With that, our County should be able to expedite projects like Kealaula in three or 4 other locations across the island. [Ele`ele, Waimea, Kapa`a (Mahelona) & Kilauea].

I’m hopeful too that a Governor Green could also help us; with the right landowner and community partners, establish a couple kauhale village or agricultural village community shelter projects in different parts of our island.

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Yes, property tax revenue should be adjusted to invest more in affordable housing. Transient Vacation Rental Rates should be raised to the level of Resort rates. Transient Vacation Rental and Longterm Investment rates should be tiered in order to charge higher rates on the luxury properties. The additional revenue is needed to address our affordable housing shortage crisis. If we had more money, we would be able to use leveraging to get even more money.

Nearing the end of budgeting, Councilmembers Chock, Evslin & I voted to increase the Transient Vacation Rental tax rate to the same level as Resort. However, we fell two votes short of the five votes needed.

As Housing & Intergovernmental Relations Committee Chair, I have absolutely been interested in creating additional funding for our Housing Development Fund. However, I have also been interested in bringing parity to the existing tax rate structure by increasing the rate of Transient Vacation Rentals to the same level as Resorts. Leveling out the rates and getting more funding for our housing fund would ultimately mean we could provide more workforce housing for our hospitality workers, teachers, nurses and all our working families.

If I’m not mistaken, I believe this position of parity on real property taxes has been one supported by the Hawai`i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) and I’m thinking of the Kaua`i Chamber also.

Over 4,000 people on Kauaʻi are on the waitlist of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL, 2021).

60% of the over 200,000+ acres of land governed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for Kānaka Maoli housing may never have homes due to the lack of infrastructure for residential housing (DHHL, 2019). Kānaka Maoli have the highest rate of homelessness in Hawaiʻi.

What initiatives will you undertake to help combat Kānaka Maoli displacement?

I have extensive experience volunteering as both a homesteader and waitlistee advocate leader over the past twenty years. With a new Governor and a new DHHL Chair as collaborative partners, I’m more hopeful than I've ever been that I'll be able to lead our Council working closely with our Housing Director, Managing Director and Mayor to find ways to partner with the State to drastically increase the numbers of Kanaka Maoli achieving housing on or near Hawaiian Home Lands, whether as homeowners or as renters of affordable housing; including supportive, transitional housing.

Last month, the Kauaʻi County Council unanimously voted to return the property and buildings designated for a drug treatment facility to Grove Farm.

According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, Hawaiʻi is designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area. Only 14.2% of the Mental Health Care need has been met as of September 2021 (HRSA, 2021).

What concrete steps will you take to ensure the mental health of our community is addressed? What can the County do to ensure individuals seeking substance abuse treatment are able to access the care they need?

I honestly don’t know what concrete steps I could take as a Councilmember to ensure the mental health of our community is addressed other than making sure our Life’s Choices Program and all our first responder personnel are supported and trained to best respond and assist. Of course, I am more than willing to introduce any appropriate bill or resolution, as well as provide any appropriate letters on my Council letterhead that both/either provide and/or solicit support. I would also be open to finding ways to support any State government entity (i.e. Dept. of Human Services or Dept. of Health), non-profit organization or community group that is working to address the issue.

As for ensuring individuals seeking substance abuse treatment are able to access the care they need, I’m hopeful that our County, working through our Life’s Choices Kaua`i Program, can, as they are charged to do, help “prevent drug and alcohol abuse and addiction on Kauaʻi; support the enforcement of Kauaʻi, state, and federal laws dealing with drug and alcohol abuse; provide drug and alcohol treatment resources for those in need; and help rehabilitated residents rejoin the Kauaʻi community as successful citizens.

Life’s Choices Kauaʻi offers effective substance abuse prevention strategies, education, and programs that are school and community based. These programs include…

• Coordinated Activities for National Awareness Months

• Town Hall Meetings and activities for National Alcohol Awareness Month (April)

• Annual Drug Summit (October)

• A Resource Center online

• Professional Development & Other Trainings

• Ongoing Community Needs Assessment

• “Shattered Dreams” (every 15 minutes) – High School Mock Alcohol Related Crash, Memorial & Retreat

• School & Community Presentations – for request, please call 241-4925 or email mmiranda@kauai.gov

• Grant Funding for Community Programs

• Technical Assistance to Subcontractors – Education provided to Sub-contractors or grant recipients to address an identified need.

• Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) Activities – CMCA is a nationally recognized model program that utilizes successful community-organizing and environmental prevention strategies to reduce youth access to alcohol. CMCA employs a range of strategies that lead to changes in policies and practices—including addressing legal, social, institutional, and health issues and altering norms and practices related to underage drinking. Our CMCA efforts on Kauaʻi are youth led and supported by adults. Each High School has youth leaders known as KaWise Leaders that participate in this Environmental Strategy.

We’ve talked about housing, childcare, the displacement of Kānaka Maoli, and healthcare as separate topics. If we take a wider view, we can see these issues as interrelated and part of systemic discrimination and devaluation of women and girls.

How would you use your role as a community leader to address the impact of systemic injustices so young women and keiki can have equal opportunities to live to their fullest potential?

I’m absolutely open to using my role as a community leader to do this. If re-elected, I will make it a point in this next term to reach out more to the different community groups and leaders to make sure we’re doing what we can on the Council and at the County level.

On a personal level, as a Native Hawaiian gay man from a working-class, poor family, I’m committed to living my life as an example of overcoming systemic injustices and always encouraging others; especially young women and keiki of color to put no limits on their dreams and aspirations, to follow their hearts and never give up.

Getting elected or re-elected to the Kaua`i County Council has not been easy. To this day, I’ve lost more elections than I’ve won (3-4). In 2008, 9th. In 2010, 8th. In 2011, appointed to fill vacant seat. In 2012, 8th. In 2013, not appointed to fill vacant seat. In 2014, 4th. In 2016, 8th. In 2018, 5th. And, in 2020, 7th. If I gave up, I would never have gotten to this point. More than anything, I persisted because I wanted to prove to others that it was possible even for someone like me without all the built-in advantages. I also knew that I would bring a valuable perspective, diversity, empathy and a wealth of experience.

I am dedicated, for the rest of my life, to helping others, like me, to find a path to public service and maybe even elected office.

Are there any other important issues for our community that you would like to address?

My commitment is to passionately advocating for our people and for our islands; using my experience and dedication to work on protecting and improving the quality of life for all our residents.

Here are the top priorities I plan to focus on:

Rebuilding, Diversifying & Strengthening Our Economy – Creating Jobs & Supporting Local Business. My commitment is to helping bring folks together to make our economic recovery our top priority! That includes providing direct assistance to businesses & community non-profits such as the the federal CARES Act and ARPA funding. It also includes working with our Office of Economic Development, as well as State, business and community partners including our eight economic recovery strategy teams to implement recovery strategy recommendations, our Kaua’i Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) 2021-2023 and our Kaua‘i Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic (CEDS) Plan for 2022-2026.

Budgeting Responsibly & Limiting Taxes - Budgeting Responsibly, Managing Costs and Limiting Taxes (“Being Accountable Always”). My strength as a detailed, numbers guy fighting for our citizens hard-earned tax dollars is needed now more than ever.

Building Affordable Homes & Rentals – Incentivizing, funding and leveraging the faster building of more Affordable Homes and Rentals for our Growing Families, our Overcrowded (“invisible homesless”) and our Homeless. My leadership as Housing Chair is bringing about vital improvements to our Housing Policy, legislation to support more Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) & Additional Rental Units (ARUs); and, legislative action to significantly increase the available funding in our Housing Development Fund.

Delivering Core Services Efficiently – Prioritizing the efficient delivery of Public Safety (Police, Fire & Rescue) and Public Works (Roads, Parks, Sewage Treatment, Solid Waste & Water) services. My careful scrutiny of our Budget helps ensure we adequately fund these core services and maintain our Public Works infrastructure.

Protecting Our `Aina & Sustenance Lifestyles - Protecting our Natural Resources, Agriculture (farming & ranching) & Local Sustenance Lifestyles (gardening, gathering, hunting & fishing). My upbringing in a local family of fishermen, gardeners, gatherers, & hunters taught me the value of our `aina for our survival; for food sustainability & security.

Collaborating for Community Solutions – Working with both Public & Private Partners to develop and implement forward-thinking solutions to longstanding challenges like Climate Change, Drug Abuse, Food Insecurity, Homelessness, Teen Suicide, Traffic Congestion and more. My lifelong experiences as a community organizer for economic and social justice has taught me how to work effectively with many different organizations and people.