Welcome to the RiseHI Blog
Stories from Hawai‘i that spark growth.
Why So Many People Quit Right Before It Works | with Kahi Pacarro
What happens when the work feels invisible, but you keep showing up anyway? In this Manaʻo Bomb, Kahi Pacarro’s journey reveals how progress often happens long before results appear. A story for anyone who’s felt stuck in the quiet middle, questioned whether the effort is worth it, and is learning that the moment things finally work is often just the moment hidden preparation is revealed.
How to Keep Going When the Work Feels Too Hard | with Duane DeSoto
What do you do when the world assumes your path is easy — but your lived reality proves otherwise? In this Manaʻo Bomb, Duane DeSoto’s journey from keiki surfer to community leader reveals the real work behind meaningful impact, and why the hardest moments are often the ones that refine us most. A story for anyone building something bigger than themselves.
Riding the Ripple | with Duane DeSoto
From a toddler tied to a boogie board in Makaha to founding Nā Kama Kai, Duane DeSoto, the 2010 Oxbow ASP World Longboard Champion, has lived his life by the pull of the ocean. Surfing took him around the world, but it was coming home that sparked his greatest purpose: opening the waves to Hawaiʻi’s keiki. Read to find out how one person’s passion rippled outward, transforming joy into service, struggle into growth, and ultimately, leaving a legacy in motion.

