The strength of Maui has always lived in its people — neighbors who show up, listen, and lead with aloha. Across the islands, community groups, cultural practitioners, and everyday residents are shaping the future from the ground up.

The role of government is not to stand in front, but to stand beside — to provide resources, coordination, and support so that local voices can guide what happens in their own communities.

Under Mayor Bissen’s leadership, this approach has guided recovery, housing, and planning efforts across Maui County. It reflects a simple belief: when solutions are built by the people who live here, they last.

Together, we honor our shared kuleana — to care for each other, to mālama our ʻāina, and to build a Maui where every ʻohana can remain rooted in place.

“We all come from somewhere. 

For me, those roots stretch from Pāʻia to Pi‘ihana — from Ke’ane to Kahakuloa — where my childhood roots grew alongside the kalo my dad and I planted in our lo‘i. That’s where I learned village values — and what it means to work in the lepo. 

Our foundation grounds us. It shapes who we are, how we serve, and how deeply we care for this place we call home. Each of us share in our collective kuleana — to support one another, and to prepare for the future of our kamali‘i.”

My hope is anchored in the future of my grandsons— and…all our keiki. It drives me to serve — not just today, but for every tomorrow.

Together, we can build a stronger Maui Nui for generations to come.

Together, we’ve faced challenge with courage — from recovery to rebuilding, from housing to hope — we’ve built a foundation grounded in our collective values and the strength of our people. 

It has been an honor to serve as your Mayor. The work continues……I humbly ask for your support — to keep growing together in building a stronger Maui Nui for generations to come.