Liza Gill

Liza Gill

Ashley and Wren sit down with Liza Gill of the Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights to discuss immigration, belonging, and the realities facing immigrant communities across the islands. Liza explains how HICIR works to build power for the nearly 20 percent of Hawaiʻi residents who are foreign born through coalition building, policy advocacy, and efforts to expand access to legal counsel. The conversation explores the recent rise in immigration detention in Hawaiʻi, the fear and uncertainty many families are experiencing, and the civil nature of immigration law that often leaves people navigating the system without representation. Ashley and Wren also speak with Liza about what solidarity and belonging mean in a place shaped by generations of migration. Drawing from her own experiences and the communities she works alongside, Liza reflects on the dignity of immigrant workers, the importance of joy and community organizing, and the role Hawaiʻi can play in imagining a more inclusive future. The discussion closes with a vision for a society where immigrants are fully supported to live, work, and contribute as whole people within the communities they help sustain. Socials:  @lizajeanryan | @hi_cir | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/liza-ryan-gill-129989106/] Show Notes:  * Hawai'i Coalition for Immigrant Rights [https://www.hicir.org/] * Kōlea Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@HICIR808] * The Compacts of Free Association [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12194] Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Noe Kalipi

Ashley and Wren sit down with Noe Kalipi to explore leadership, community engagement, and the complex intersections of land, policy, and military presence in Hawaiʻi. Noe shares her journey from growing up in Hilo to working in Washington, D.C. as a congressional intern for Senator Daniel Akaka during the era of the Apology Resolution. She reflects on how those early experiences shaped her understanding of reconciliation, public service, and the importance of approaching governance with aloha and humility. Ashley and Wren discuss Noe’s work building relationships between institutions and communities, including her time with the Kohala Institute and current role navigating issues related to U.S. military land leases in Hawaiʻi. The conversation highlights the importance of community participation, ancestral knowledge, and dialogue across differences. Noe emphasizes the need to hold space for disagreement while building shared understanding, and reflects on how meaningful change often happens through small cracks in large systems when people commit to showing up with integrity and care for place. @noelanik LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-noelani-kalipi-9251353/] Show Notes: [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-107/pdf/STATUTE-107-Pg1510.pdfAkaka ] Apology Resolution  [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-107/pdf/STATUTE-107-Pg1510.pdfAkaka ] Akaka Bill [ https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/1011 ] Kohala Institute [https://www.iolehawaii.org/Island ]  Island Leadership Lab [https://law.hawaii.edu/academics/bright-international/island-leadership-lab-seminar/] Hawaii Coordination Cell [ https://www.acq.osd.mil/eie/hcc/index.html] Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Davis Price

In this episode of Pilali, cohosts Ashley and Wren sit down with Davis Price to explore the relationship between culture, law, and resistance in Hawaiʻi. Davis reflects on growing up in the Bay Area within a close-knit Hawaiian diaspora community rooted in hula, music, and cultural practice. He shares how these early influences shaped his understanding of Hawaiian identity and history, eventually leading him to pursue law school and engage more deeply in the ongoing work of protecting Hawaiian rights and lands. Ashley and Wren discuss the legacy of resistance movements in Hawaiʻi, including the Kūʻē Petitions, the Mauna Kea movement, and broader efforts to challenge unjust land use and governance structures. Davis explains how organizing, cultural grounding, and legal strategy all play roles in these struggles, highlighting the importance of community mobilization and narrative building. The conversation also looks toward current issues such as U.S. military land leases and the work of ʻĀina Aloha Economic Futures, which seeks to envision a more just and resilient future for Hawaiʻi. Socials: @davis_price_8080  |  @ndncollective |  LinkedIn⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davis-price-b00a82314/] Show Notes: * ⁠ [https://www.islanderinstitute.com/]NDN Collective [https://ndncollective.org/] * Āina Aloha Economic Futures [https://www.ainaalohafutures.com/] Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Meli James

In this episode of Pilali, cohosts Ashley and Wren sit down with entrepreneur and investor Meli James, cofounder of Mana Up, to explore how local businesses can drive economic diversification in Hawaiʻi. Meli explains how Mana Up supports Hawaiʻi based companies through mentorship, weekly coaching, retail partnerships, and a statewide accelerator program designed to help founders grow their brands. The conversation highlights how locally rooted products such as Kōhana Rum, Mānoa Chocolate, and other Mana Up companies are expanding beyond the islands while staying connected to the stories and culture of Hawaiʻi. Ashley, Wren, and Meli also discuss the broader economic opportunity behind supporting local entrepreneurs. Meli shares how small businesses create jobs, keep more money circulating in the islands, and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s global brand through authentic products and storytelling. The episode explores how policies, local procurement, and collaborative networks can help Hawaiʻi companies scale while maintaining their connection to place, culture, and community. Socials:  @melijames | @manaup | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melialani/] Show Notes: ⁠ [https://www.islanderinstitute.com/] * Mana Up [https://manauphawaii.com/⁠] * Hawaii Venture Capital Association [https://hvca.org/⁠] * Article: Beyond the Price of Paradise: Is Hawai’i Being Left Behind? [https://uhero.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/BeyondThePriceOfParadise.pdf] Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe

Autumn Ness

In this episode of Pilali, cohosts Ashley and Wren sit down with community organizer Autumn Ness to talk about activism, crisis response, and the power of grassroots organizing in Hawaiʻi. Autumn shares how her experiences living through the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan shaped her understanding of community resilience and corporate power. After moving to Maui, she began recognizing similar patterns in the fight over GMO crops and pesticide use, which led her into organizing and policy advocacy alongside local communities. The conversation follows Autumn’s work from grassroots campaigns to building solutions such as the Maui Food Hub and the Lahaina Community Land Trust. Ashley and Wren explore how crises can expose systemic vulnerabilities but also create opportunities to strengthen community ownership and trust. Autumn reflects on the importance of long term relationship building, protecting land from speculation, and supporting community driven leadership so that local people can shape the future of the places they call home. Socials:  @lilikoidriftwood | @lahainacommunitylandtrust | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/autumn-ness-ba4489296/] Show Notes: * Lahaina Community Land Trust [https://lahainacommunitylandtrust.org/⁠ ] * Maui Food Hub [https://www.mauihub.org/⁠] * Article: Harness the Shock of Disaster to Propel Change [https://shelterforce.org/2025/10/08/harnessing-the-shock-of-disaster-to-propel-change/] Subscribe to hear more stories from change-makers in Hawai‘i: https://www.pilalipodcast.org/subscribe