Aloha everyone, I apologize for not being able to join the Zoom meeting. I am submitting my written testimony, as I am unable to attend in person due to work commitments and cannot hike the trail quickly enough to participate onsite.
My name is Jessica. I was born and raised on Molokaʻi, and I am a lineal descendant hawaiian of Molokaʻi and of Hansen’s disease patients who were sent to Kalaupapa to live out the rest of their lives. They were sent here at a time when many did not know what their futures would hold. Some probably never imagined that one day they would have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who would continue their connection to this place.
I am her. I am one of those descendants.I am speaking today because I have serious concerns regarding Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez’s involvement in protests and actions concerning Kalaupapa.As an elected official representing Molokaʻi, your constituents are not limited to the people who agree with you. Your constituents include people topside Molokaʻi, as well as the people who live and work in Kalaupapa. Some of those people voted for you and trusted you to represent them.So I ask: How can an elected official publicly place herself on one side of an issue when members of the very community she represents are directly affected by that position?I also question whose voices are actually being heard.
Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez, I believe the people of Molokaʻi deserve to know how your position was developed and what and why now for the strong feeling of Kalaupapa. Who did you consult? Did you speak with the residents, descendants, families, and employees who are directly connected to Kalaupapa?Because from where I stand, we were not asked.Since the age of four, I have been visiting, returning to, and working at Kalaupapa, spending meaningful time with my grandma and other patients. Over the past 28 years—and throughout my ten years of employment here, which continues to this day—I have never witnessed an elected official engage directly with the employees who care for this place every day. Rather than speaking with those of us working on the ground, officials typically communicate with agencies, organizations, and employers.
Nancy McPherson is one of the few people I have personally seen make it a point to ensure that we, as Native Hawaiians and people of Molokaʻi, feel heard—especially when it comes to Kalaupapa.
So I want to know: What is the actual plan?If people are calling for the federal government or the National Park Service to leave Kalaupapa, tell us what comes next.Who is going to provide employment for every worker whose livelihood depends on the operations here—including your own Molokaʻi people?Who will provide and fund law enforcement?Who will provide fire protection and emergency response?Who will maintain the infrastructure, historic buildings, roads, utilities, grounds, and other resources?Who will administer the laws, regulations, emergency protocols, preservation requirements, and responsibilities necessary to operate and protect this place?And where will the money come from?These are not small questions.
It is easy to protest an existing system. It is much harder to explain what will replace that system, how it will be funded, and how the people who live and work here will be protected during that transition.
There is another issue that I believe needs to be addressed.
When the National Park Service rolled out its guided tour program, one concern raised publicly through social media was that increased activity in Kalaupapa could place additional pressure on the Molokaʻi Fire Department and Maui Police Department (being that it is still its own county).
If that is the concern, then we need to have an honest conversation about what happens if NPS is removed.
NPS already has systems, personnel, equipment, procedures, and infrastructure in place. Are they perfect? No. Are they complete? No. There is always room for improvement. But those systems exist, and systems like these take years to build, maintain, and improve.
So how can we argue that NPS operations or visitors will place too much pressure on MFD and MPD, while at the same time suggesting that, when the last patient passes and governmental responsibilities change, those same county resources will somehow be able to absorb significantly greater responsibilities without the same—or even greater—strain?
Isn’t that a contradiction?
DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN/UPKEEP THIS PLACE?!
And I ask everyone who now expresses such a strong attachment to Kalaupapa:
Where were you when this place needed people to care for it?
For generations, the patients themselves cared for this community. They lived here. They built lives here. They maintained their community. They fought to protect what mattered to them.
Eventually, the federal government and the National Park Service were given responsibilities for preserving and protecting Kalaupapa alongside the patient community and other partners.
That history should not be erased simply because the political conversation today is different.
I also struggle with hearing Kalaupapa repeatedly described as “sacred” while seeing behavior that, in my opinion, does not always reflect that same standard.
When an elected official participates in recreational or social activities in Kalaupapa with a canoe club or fellow paddlers, but later participates in protests concerning access, control, or the federal presence in Kalaupapa, I believe the public deserves an explanation of how those positions are consistent.
If Kalaupapa is sacred, then that standard should be applied consistently—not only when it supports a particular political message.
There is another contradiction that deserves an open and transparent discussion.
If organizations or individuals advocating against federal involvement are simultaneously receiving federal funding, the public has every right to ask how those positions fit together. That does not automatically make their concerns invalid. But if you oppose the federal government’s involvement while also benefiting from federal resources, then that relationship should be acknowledged and explained transparently.
And let me be clear: I am not standing here saying that the federal government has always been right.
History tells us otherwise.
The history of Hawaiʻi, the treatment of Native Hawaiians, and the treatment of Hansen’s disease patients cannot and should not ever be forgotten. Our history matters.
But acknowledging that history does not eliminate the realities and responsibilities we face today.
Today, Hawaiʻi operates within the governmental systems of the United States. We participate in elections. We elect county, state, and federal representatives. Federal, state, and county governments all have responsibilities that directly affect our communities.
So if we are seriously discussing removing or dramatically changing the federal government’s role in Kalaupapa, then the conversation has to go beyond protests and slogans.
Show us the plan.
Show us who will protect Kalaupapa.Show us who will employ the people doing this work.Show us who will maintain the infrastructure.Show us who will provide emergency services.Show us who will enforce the laws.Show us where the funding will come from.
And most importantly, show us how the people of Kalaupapa—the residents, descendants, families, and employees whose lives are directly connected to this place—will finally have a meaningful voice in determining its future.
But then I think about all of those questions I just asked, and I realize something:
Many of those questions are already being answered every single day.
By whom?By your own people.By Molokaʻi-born and raised people.By Native Hawaiians.By descendants.By families with generations of connection to this place.By people who get up every day and go to work in Kalaupapa.
These are the very people working for an entity that some are so strongly protesting against.Please do not forget the human beings behind the letters “NPS.”
We are your constituents.We are your neighbors.We are your ʻohana.And we are the people taking care of Kalaupapa every single day.
And I also want to say this clearly: those of us who work down here have not forgotten the pre-settlement times. We do not erase that history. We acknowledge it, we honor it, and we carry it with us in the way we care for this place and the people connected to it.
We also carry sacrifice.We miss family time. We miss moments with our children. We miss birthdays, gatherings, and everyday life on the outside. We sacrifice parts of our livelihood and personal time because we love this place and believe in protecting it for the next generations. That is not something people see when they talk about Kalaupapa from the outside - but it is real, and it is constant.
Kalaupapa should never become a political tool for anyone—federal, state, county, an organization, an activist, or an elected official.
Our kūpuna endured enough decisions being made for them and about them.Those of us who descend from them deserve transparency, consistency, respect, and a seat at the table when decisions are being made about the future of the place they called home.
And please remember this:We breathe and live Kalaupapa every single day.Kanaka and non-Kanaka alike, the people who work here know this place beyond a headline, a protest, a social media post, or an occasional visit. We see what it takes to care for Kalaupapa because we are here doing it.
There is an ʻōlelo noʻeau that always comes to mind when I think about Kalaupapa:
“He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka.”The land is chief; man is its servant.That is what we do.We mālama.We take care.We serve.And we aloha this place.Before decisions are made about Kalaupapa, talk to the people who are actually here caring for it.
Hear us.Because Kalaupapa is not simply something we speak about.It is something we live.
Mahalo.
Aloha everyone, I apologize for not being able to join the Zoom meeting. I am submitting my written testimony, as I am unable to attend in person due to work commitments and cannot hike the trail quickly enough to participate onsite.
My name is Jessica. I was born and raised on Molokaʻi, and I am a lineal descendant hawaiian of Molokaʻi and of Hansen’s disease patients who were sent to Kalaupapa to live out the rest of their lives. They were sent here at a time when many did not know what their futures would hold. Some probably never imagined that one day they would have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who would continue their connection to this place.
I am her. I am one of those descendants.I am speaking today because I have serious concerns regarding Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez’s involvement in protests and actions concerning Kalaupapa.As an elected official representing Molokaʻi, your constituents are not limited to the people who agree with you. Your constituents include people topside Molokaʻi, as well as the people who live and work in Kalaupapa. Some of those people voted for you and trusted you to represent them.So I ask: How can an elected official publicly place herself on one side of an issue when members of the very community she represents are directly affected by that position?I also question whose voices are actually being heard.
Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez, I believe the people of Molokaʻi deserve to know how your position was developed and what and why now for the strong feeling of Kalaupapa. Who did you consult? Did you speak with the residents, descendants, families, and employees who are directly connected to Kalaupapa?Because from where I stand, we were not asked.Since the age of four, I have been visiting, returning to, and working at Kalaupapa, spending meaningful time with my grandma and other patients. Over the past 28 years—and throughout my ten years of employment here, which continues to this day—I have never witnessed an elected official engage directly with the employees who care for this place every day. Rather than speaking with those of us working on the ground, officials typically communicate with agencies, organizations, and employers.
Nancy McPherson is one of the few people I have personally seen make it a point to ensure that we, as Native Hawaiians and people of Molokaʻi, feel heard—especially when it comes to Kalaupapa.
So I want to know: What is the actual plan?If people are calling for the federal government or the National Park Service to leave Kalaupapa, tell us what comes next.Who is going to provide employment for every worker whose livelihood depends on the operations here—including your own Molokaʻi people?Who will provide and fund law enforcement?Who will provide fire protection and emergency response?Who will maintain the infrastructure, historic buildings, roads, utilities, grounds, and other resources?Who will administer the laws, regulations, emergency protocols, preservation requirements, and responsibilities necessary to operate and protect this place?And where will the money come from?These are not small questions.
It is easy to protest an existing system. It is much harder to explain what will replace that system, how it will be funded, and how the people who live and work here will be protected during that transition.
There is another issue that I believe needs to be addressed.
When the National Park Service rolled out its guided tour program, one concern raised publicly through social media was that increased activity in Kalaupapa could place additional pressure on the Molokaʻi Fire Department and Maui Police Department (being that it is still its own county).
If that is the concern, then we need to have an honest conversation about what happens if NPS is removed.
NPS already has systems, personnel, equipment, procedures, and infrastructure in place. Are they perfect? No. Are they complete? No. There is always room for improvement. But those systems exist, and systems like these take years to build, maintain, and improve.
So how can we argue that NPS operations or visitors will place too much pressure on MFD and MPD, while at the same time suggesting that, when the last patient passes and governmental responsibilities change, those same county resources will somehow be able to absorb significantly greater responsibilities without the same—or even greater—strain?
Isn’t that a contradiction?
DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN/UPKEEP THIS PLACE?!
And I ask everyone who now expresses such a strong attachment to Kalaupapa:
Where were you when this place needed people to care for it?
For generations, the patients themselves cared for this community. They lived here. They built lives here. They maintained their community. They fought to protect what mattered to them.
Eventually, the federal government and the National Park Service were given responsibilities for preserving and protecting Kalaupapa alongside the patient community and other partners.
That history should not be erased simply because the political conversation today is different.
I also struggle with hearing Kalaupapa repeatedly described as “sacred” while seeing behavior that, in my opinion, does not always reflect that same standard.
When an elected official participates in recreational or social activities in Kalaupapa with a canoe club or fellow paddlers, but later participates in protests concerning access, control, or the federal presence in Kalaupapa, I believe the public deserves an explanation of how those positions are consistent.
If Kalaupapa is sacred, then that standard should be applied consistently—not only when it supports a particular political message.
There is another contradiction that deserves an open and transparent discussion.
If organizations or individuals advocating against federal involvement are simultaneously receiving federal funding, the public has every right to ask how those positions fit together. That does not automatically make their concerns invalid. But if you oppose the federal government’s involvement while also benefiting from federal resources, then that relationship should be acknowledged and explained transparently.
And let me be clear: I am not standing here saying that the federal government has always been right.
History tells us otherwise.
The history of Hawaiʻi, the treatment of Native Hawaiians, and the treatment of Hansen’s disease patients cannot and should not ever be forgotten. Our history matters.
But acknowledging that history does not eliminate the realities and responsibilities we face today.
Today, Hawaiʻi operates within the governmental systems of the United States. We participate in elections. We elect county, state, and federal representatives. Federal, state, and county governments all have responsibilities that directly affect our communities.
So if we are seriously discussing removing or dramatically changing the federal government’s role in Kalaupapa, then the conversation has to go beyond protests and slogans.
Show us the plan.
Show us who will protect Kalaupapa.Show us who will employ the people doing this work.Show us who will maintain the infrastructure.Show us who will provide emergency services.Show us who will enforce the laws.Show us where the funding will come from.
And most importantly, show us how the people of Kalaupapa—the residents, descendants, families, and employees whose lives are directly connected to this place—will finally have a meaningful voice in determining its future.
But then I think about all of those questions I just asked, and I realize something:
Many of those questions are already being answered every single day.
By whom?By your own people.By Molokaʻi-born and raised people.By Native Hawaiians.By descendants.By families with generations of connection to this place.By people who get up every day and go to work in Kalaupapa.
These are the very people working for an entity that some are so strongly protesting against.Please do not forget the human beings behind the letters “NPS.”
We are your constituents.We are your neighbors.We are your ʻohana.And we are the people taking care of Kalaupapa every single day.
And I also want to say this clearly: those of us who work down here have not forgotten the pre-settlement times. We do not erase that history. We acknowledge it, we honor it, and we carry it with us in the way we care for this place and the people connected to it.
We also carry sacrifice.We miss family time. We miss moments with our children. We miss birthdays, gatherings, and everyday life on the outside. We sacrifice parts of our livelihood and personal time because we love this place and believe in protecting it for the next generations. That is not something people see when they talk about Kalaupapa from the outside - but it is real, and it is constant.
Kalaupapa should never become a political tool for anyone—federal, state, county, an organization, an activist, or an elected official.
Our kūpuna endured enough decisions being made for them and about them.Those of us who descend from them deserve transparency, consistency, respect, and a seat at the table when decisions are being made about the future of the place they called home.
And please remember this:We breathe and live Kalaupapa every single day.Kanaka and non-Kanaka alike, the people who work here know this place beyond a headline, a protest, a social media post, or an occasional visit. We see what it takes to care for Kalaupapa because we are here doing it.
There is an ʻōlelo noʻeau that always comes to mind when I think about Kalaupapa:
“He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka.”The land is chief; man is its servant.That is what we do.We mālama.We take care.We serve.And we aloha this place.Before decisions are made about Kalaupapa, talk to the people who are actually here caring for it.
Hear us.Because Kalaupapa is not simply something we speak about.It is something we live.
Mahalo.