Kalena Parish

Kalena Parish earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 2011. Parish's career experience includes working as a musician.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Kalena Parish, and I'm running for OHA At-Large Trustee because I believe leadership is about service.

For more than two decades, I've dedicated my career to creating opportunities for our communities through music, education, nonprofit leadership, and cultural preservation. As the founder and executive director of the Kapena School of Music & Creative Expression, I've worked to expand access to arts education, mentor young people, and build programs that strengthen confidence, leadership, and connection to culture. As President of the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts, I've had the privilege of working alongside artists, cultural practitioners, educators, business leaders, and communities across our islands to celebrate and preserve Hawaiian music and culture.

Those experiences have taught me that lasting change doesn't happen because of one person. It happens when we bring people together, ask hard questions, listen with humility, and work tirelessly toward shared solutions. I've learned how to build partnerships, manage organizations, create resources, and turn ideas into meaningful results that benefit our lāhui.

I'm running because I want to see more kānaka thriving in Hawaiʻi. I want future generations to have the opportunity to live here, raise their families here, speak our language, practice our culture, and build meaningful lives rooted in our home.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

My first priority is keeping Hawaiians home.

I believe one of OHA's greatest responsibilities—and the responsibility of every leader serving our lāhui—is to help create the conditions that allow Kanaka Maoli to build successful, fulfilling lives here in Hawaiʻi. Too many Native Hawaiians feel they have no choice but to leave. I want to help change that.

We create that foundation by investing in education, expanding access to meaningful resources, strengthening economic opportunity, and building resilient communities where people feel supported and connected. Those are the pillars that have guided my work throughout my nonprofit career, and they are the same principles I would bring to OHA.My second priority is protecting and strengthening the resources that allow our communities to thrive.

Keeping Kanaka Maoli home isn't possible without investing in the systems that support their livelihoods. That means building strong infrastructure around the resources our people rely on—from access to land and responsible land use, to water stewardship, housing, cultural preservation, and opportunities that allow families to build lasting futures here in Hawaiʻi.My third priority is education.

Education has been at the heart of my life's work. Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand how access to quality educational opportunities can transform lives, strengthen families, and create lasting opportunities for our communities.

I believe education extends far beyond the classroom. It includes workforce development, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, cultural knowledge, leadership development, and lifelong learning. When we invest in education, we invest in the ability of our people to build careers, create businesses, support their families, and lead the next generation.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy I'm most passionate about are housing, education, and the responsible stewardship of our natural and cultural resources.