Mahina Paishon-Duarte was a sophomore at UH Mānoa pursuing a degree in Hawaiian Studies. As much as she enjoyed her classes, she felt something was missing from her life—a place where she could apply what she was learning in her classes. With a yearning to do something meaningful, Mahina found herself volunteering at Heʻeia fishpond.

One day as she walked along the rock walls, turning back to see the fishpond resting under the Koʻolau Mountains, a picture popped into her head. Mahina had envisioned a fully restored loko iʻa, free from invasive mangroves and supplying fish for the lāhui.

With help from others, Mahina founded Paepae O Heʻeia, a non-profit dedicated to caring for the historic loko iʻa.

Today, Mahina continues to uplift the lāhui through Waiwai Collective, a contemporary Hawaiian hub for kama‘āina to collaborate and create transformative work to create change in the islands.

Q + A with Mahina Paishon-Duarte

+ What do you do when you come across a challenge?

When we came across difficult challenges, we always rooted back to our values and vision and that’s what got us through.

+ What advice do you have on taking action?

One of the things we learned early on is to take action. You put together a plan and launch it and you ask people to give you feedback. You can get really lost in perfectionism. Do something. Try it out. Learn quickly. Adapt. And build momentum that way. Do it well. Learn quickly. And ask others to share in the learning.

If you feel compelled to do something extraordinary, I would go on a reflection journey. Go to your place that brings you back to your center, feels you up with inspiration. Write down what you want to accomplish and your why. If you get clear on your ‘why,’ that will be your North Star. As you take action, that’s only going to open up more opportunities for you.

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