Closing the Year with Gratitude From Our KōCreate ʻOhana

Since September, Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s KōCreate cohort has been gathering each month to strengthen the relationships, skills, and shared practices that help communities move from concern to coordinated action. KōCreate’s goal is simple and ambitious: support local leaders to design projects that are rooted in place, shaped by community priorities, and capable of building lasting civic participation across Hawaiʻi Island.

To date, our 28 KōCreators, 3 VH Ambassadors, and facilitators have learned principles of community mobilization from experts in the field, including Yunji De Nies, Kamuela Enos, Chadd Paishon, Pomai Bertelmann, Lehua Wilson AhSam, Keala Kahuanui, Kauanoe Kamanā, and Amos Lonokailua-Hewitt. Together, we’ve explored public speaking, storytelling, and messaging for action—articulating clear, emotionally compelling visions that invite others in. We’ve also focused on project design, systems thinking, and adaptive strategy, with an emphasis on creating initiatives that are actionable, flexible, and rooted in community strengths. Most recently, KōCreators have been building skills in community organizing, volunteer management, and momentum-building to sustain engagement over time.

In 2026, through the continued support of Trust for Civic Life, KōCreators will accelerate their learning through demonstration projects—deepening their practice while increasing civic engagement in their communities.

We’re deeply interested in projects and partnerships that build on the strengths already present in our communities—and that shift the conditions that have prevented too many of our families from fully thriving. If you have an idea, a place-based effort already underway, or a partnership opportunity aligned with KōCreate’s focus on civic engagement and community-led action, we invite you to connect with us and help turn shared vision into coordinated, lasting impact.