Elijah Moniz
Name Elijah Moniz
Social Media -
Age 16
Town/Moku Kuliouou
Island Oʻahu
Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability
Nominated by Max Mukai
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do. Aloha pumehana kakou, I am Elijah Yoshio Keliʻimaikaʻio Moniz I live in Kuliʻouʻou valley and I am currently a Sophmore attending Kamehameha Schools Kapalama. As a young and emerging leader, I have taken advantage of my youth by spending my time nourishing several community projects I have been blessed to be a part of. Currently, I am working on three projects that I hope will allow me to leave a positive impact on our Lahui. First would be my position on the inaugural Honolulu Youth Commission. As one of its founding members, I have a responsibility to set the bar high for the years of Commissions to come. We have already have passed several motions to lend our support and input as the youths of Hawaiʻi. With much more planned for how we will properly use our voices to represent the future of Hawaiʻi. The second project I am working on would be my push to cultivate and regrow native flora on the Kamehameha Schools Kapalama campus. For the past few years, I have been participating in the construction of the new Huliamahi hale as well as the cultivation of Native Hawaiian plants, specifically Lama trees, in an effort to restore the forest of Lama the region was known for. My hope is to one day return to campus years after I graduate and see not just large and healthy Lama trees and flourishing native flora, but a flourishing community of knowledgeable Hawaiian surrounding it. Lastly, would be my community surrounding Kanewai Fishpond and The Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center. Because Maunalua Bay is a short walk away from my home in Kuliʻouʻou I have been a part of this community project since I was a little kid. It is what inspired me to start on this path of becoming a leader for my community. I often volunteer my and strength in the clearing and restoration of the Fishpond, but with this grant, I plan to add another layer of significance to this site by integrating technology into the way we care for the Fishpond.
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community? I love the work that I do. Even through hardships, rejection, and frustration, I love every moment I am working for my Lahui. By giving a little of my time and energy I receive back an unquantifiable excess of joy that nourishes my soul. The thank-yous, the stories I can listen to, the experience I gain, and the connections I make are priceless to me. I know how much of Hawai'i has already been lost and how much more every day is quietly quashed little by little. If I and my generation doesn't choose to step up for our communities the things we hold dear will be lost before we ever notice. I wish to preserve what is left of my community and culture so that future generations can receive the priceless gifts that they have to offer.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life. Service to the community you serve is the quality I admire most. Humility and honesty are next. From a very young age, I was taught that as a leader you are there to serve your people, work with them to achieve what needs to be done together through good and bad times. Having humility will keep you grounded in knowing who you are and where you come from. Being honest to yourself, to those you work with and for is very important. This is how you build trust. Being a leader in the community requires us all to make some very tough decisions that are not popular at times, but being honest and having humility within that process will guide one to make the best decision for everyone. Every day I believe I have my Kupuna guiding me on the right path to continue serving my Lahui. For myself, I prefer to ensure that those around me and the projects I am involved in succeeding. In all my relationships, I understand that Trust is extremely important, so being honest to them, holding myself accountable, and always having humility is very important.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing? There have been many people in my life how have inspired me to make a change in the world but there is no one even close to my Mom. She raised me with the same values she gained when she was raised by her grandparents. I learned how to be passionate, humble, and kind all from her. She lives every day giving everything she has to others and supporting me as I grow into a good leader. Even when my Mom is tired and frustrated she keeps on moving because of the love she has for our family and community. She was also the one who found and brought me to the space where I would build my first connections to my community and cultivate my love for volunteer work. While I have worked hard to be the best leader I can be, I would not be standing where I am today without what I have learned and still learn from her today. I hope to inspire someone as much as she has done for me one day.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui? proliferation
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui? abatement