Ho'omau Foundation in the Headlines

With Gratitude: Media Aloha & Our Journey Toward Generational Change

By JoNelle Sood, Founder & President, Ho‘omau Foundation

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support and aloha from local media in Hawaiʻi. As the Ho‘omau Foundation hosted its very first Oʻahu Fundraising Gala, we were honored and humbled to be seen, heard, and celebrated by multiple news outlets across the state. Each story helped amplify our mission; not just to provide scholarships, but to plant the seeds of long-term, generational change.

📰 Our Story Reaches the Community

From heartfelt TV interviews to thoughtful written features, here’s a look at the incredible coverage we’ve received:

• Aug 19 – Living808 with Mikey Monis (KHON2): We shared our Kamery Lee Jr. Scholarship and honored our 2025–2026 recipients in a virtual spotlight.
  🔗 Watch here
  
  

• Sept 8 – Hi Now Daily: Two of our amazing recipients, Kawika and Ilihia, shared their stories and the impact Ho‘omau has had on their educational paths.
  🔗 Watch here
  
  

• Sept 15 – Living808 with Kelly Simek: We previewed our gala and talked about the importance of cultural education and opportunity.
  🔗 Watch here
  
  

• MidWeek Feature by Akira Fitzgerald: A beautiful print piece that gave insight into our vision and showcased the people behind the work.

🔗 Read here

• Ka Wai Ola – Office of Hawaiian Affairs: Journalist Christine Hitt wrote a powerful article, “Changing the Future, One Scholar at a Time,” spotlighting our scholars and giving Ho‘omau Foundation a platform to share our long-term vision. The piece also features Kauahoa Hermosura, a past recipient who has returned this year as an Ambassador (Mentor) — a beautiful example of full-circle impact.
  🔗 Read here 

• Aloha State Daily: What began as a casual conversation turned into a heartfelt article, thanks to journalist Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros, who highlighted Christina Young’s journey and the deep passion behind our mission.
  🔗 Read here
  
  

Why This Coverage Matters

Every article and interview is more than just publicity, it's a platform for our scholars’ voices, a space to highlight cultural identity, and an invitation for others to join us in this journey.

The stories of Christina, Kawika, Ilihia, and Kauahoa show how our youth are not just dreaming; they are doing, and they’re grounded in culture while aiming high.

How We Continue to Ho‘omau

I founded the Ho‘omau Foundation to honor my dad and give back to my community, but it’s grown into something far greater.

Ho‘omau means to persevere, to perpetuate and that’s exactly what we’re doing: empowering Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students in a way that uplifts their identity, culture, and future.

We recognized the urgent need for cultural belonging, access, and opportunity, and we’re building a future where our youth don’t just succeed, they thrive, lead, and give back.

Our vision goes beyond today. We’re working toward a future where their children and moʻopuna will experience:

• Continued perpetuation of culture and practices

• Improved health outcomes

• Higher education levels

• A meaningful decrease in dropout rates

That’s the kind of generational impact we're striving for.

Looking Ahead

We are already planning for our next gala because the momentum is real, and the mission is growing. We’re building bridges, not just between islands and the continent, but across generations and communities.

To all of the media outlets who chose to share our story, mahalo nui loa. You’ve helped carry our mission further than we could have on our own. 

We ho‘omau - we persevere, we perpetuate. 

2025 Ho'omau Foundation Fundraising Gala Video