Section I: Reflection

Kuana’ike, the Native Hawaiian term for perspective, or point-of-view, became a term integral to the vocabulary of the fellowship; and from the beginning was a focal point of teaching and observation for the Sustainability Fellowship Program. On the very first day of the fellowship atop Pu’u O Mānoa all the way back in June of 2024, the Kumu stressed to us the importance of perspective: from the ever-changing nature of it; to how it guides our lives through connection, conversation, and action; to perhaps the most important suggestion to “Be where your feet are”. As youth with progressive visions for the state of the climate and ultimately the state of the world, we are so often focused on creating change in the future due to all the wrongs of the past, that we forget where our feet are in the present and all the people standing here with us. Through every experience in the fellowship, my outlook on specific areas of climate change mitigation have changed. Throughout the various huaka’i (field trips), so many concepts were touched upon by so many experts—sustainable energy, waste management, importation and transportation, food systems, and more—and each fellow was able to form their own perspectives on sustainability, and truly determine what our Kuana’ike were. My perspective today is one not prioritized and built on implementing system changes, engineering new technology, or passing new legislation—but one that focuses on preserving the world for society for the people of the world. Being where my feet are and striving to remember the people around me, the time I live in, and all the people that I strive to mitigate the effects of climate change for has become a driving force in my climate journey—my why—and has had me internalize the concept of sustainability through an active analysis and acknowledgement of my own perspective.