The Next Generation of Policymakers

My passion for food policy stems from growing up in a low-income household where access to food was inconsistent. When I was six years old, my family immigrated from the Philippines to Hawaiʻi. For 13 years, we rented a bedroom in a single-story home that housed five other families. It was normal to sleep on the floor with my brothers, wait in line to use the bathroom, and worry about our next meal — this was my life, my norm.

What wasn't normal was imagining I could make life better for people like me through policy. Driven by my passion to ensure equitable access to food, I aim to be a leader in food policy, advocating for an innovative, collaborative, and data-driven approach to policymaking.

When I started my journey as an anti-hunger advocate, I noticed that civic engagement in policymaking was often low — not because people didn't care, but because there were few accessible spaces to participate. Many residents, especially youth and those working on the ground, have valuable insight into local issues but lack clear pathways to turn that knowledge into action.

48 Hours

Curious to understand what it means to create policy made by the people, for the people, I developed Hawaiʻi's first-ever food policy hackathon. Through the support of my mentors at Stupski Foundation and Hawai'i Food+ Policy, I brought together 13 community members — farmers, students, and food system leaders — over two days to develop policy solutions reflecting their concerns and perspectives.

Guided by themes from the 2024 Hawai'i Food System Summit, participants worked on issues including climate-smart agriculture, farm-to-school programs, land access, and emergency preparedness. What stood out most was the shared emotion in the room: frustration at bureaucratic systems that slow collaboration, sadness at the health impacts on our community, and curiosity to see change. That shared feeling cultivated a collective mission.

The ideas that emerged were remarkable. One participant proposed placing retrofitted, refrigerated shipping containers at public schools as emergency hubs — preparing communities for disasters while creating workforce development opportunities. Another proposed the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program, designed to connect high school students to agricultural careers through training in GIS, drone operations, hydroponics, and entrepreneurship.

In just 48 hours, participants created community-rooted solutions to issues they face firsthand. This event showcased what people-powered policymaking looks like — and the power it holds.

What's Next: Incubator

Inspired to continue that momentum, we created a Food Policy Incubator. This pilot program brought together hackathon alumni and new community members to develop bold ideas into actionable legislative proposals. Over 13 weeks, our cohort of 9 participants engaged in weekly sessions covering research, community outreach, and legislative strategy.

The results speak for themselves: two bills were introduced into the 2026 legislative session — SB2320, relating to the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program, and SB2718, relating to a Food Hub Pilot Program. These bills exist because of the dedication of everyday people willing to engage in a complex process.

A New Normal

For a long time, I assumed that because these systems didn't benefit me, I had no power to challenge them. Then I voiced my desire for change — and everything shifted.

Organizing the Hackathon and Incubator showed me just how powerful a voice can be. To watch regular people come together to craft policies reflecting their lived experiences was deeply empowering. We are redefining what "normal" looks like — making it the new normal for communities to shape the policies that shape their lives.