Kaipoi Desoto

Name Kaipoi Desoto

Age 12

Town/Moku Waianae

Island Oʻahu

Social Media Handle @kaipoidesoto

Nominated by Kimie Miner

Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

I like to surf, skate, and i teach in a none profite organization called Na Kama Kai. I went to a Hawaiian immersion school called Anuenue. Now i am in Kamehameha, and i live in the dorms. I lived with my Uncle Duane and Aunty Malia for 3 years and it gave me many opportunities to really connect with my Hawaiian culture.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

I was taught that in the time our ʻōiwi was prime we strived by ourselves without any import foods and cars. We lived off the ʻāina and we did just fine. We did all our traditions in peace and there was no impact on the ʻāina. Now days most people in Hawaiʻi are living the modest days with electricity and all the other stuff. I think we should strive to get that indipendits we had ma ka wā kahiko.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

The qualities of leadership are you need to be able to have open options, good listening skills and know the time and place for certain things. Also a powerful voice so you will be heard.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

My aunty Malia and Uncle Duane inspired me by showing me from a young age all that they know and giving me a chance to interact in many of there Hawaiian activities and they even got me into a full Hawaiian speaking school so i could learn our language.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Growth

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

The dying of our culture and our lāhui ways