COLLEGE GUIDE 2027
PLUS HONOLULU Book Awards P. 54
3 Alfresco Dining Spots P. 81
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C E L E B R AT I N G H AWA I‘I’S S O U L
Contents O CTO B E R 2 0 2 6 | L X I N O. 3
A ARON K. YOSHINO
See what’s happening at the old Waialua Sugar Mill on page 14.
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
22 Celebrating Wāhine Awards 2026 Meet 37 women who make impactful contributions to the community. We asked about the purpose they find in their work and what advice they offer others pursuing similar careers.
6 Editor’s Page
54 HONOLULU Book Awards This year’s five honorees bumped an already high bar set by our 2023 and 2024 winners. BY DON WALLACE
61 College Guide Our annual guide helps parents and students navigate the road to and through college while diving into the importance of on-the-job training before graduation.
THE POWER OF PEOPLE
This issue reminds me of the endless stories of our city.
88 Afterthoughts LICENSE TO BRAG
It’s not about what the card looks like, but what it represents. BY K ATRINA VALCOURT
BY DIANE SEO
9 Currents Mānoa Chocolate branches into coffee, Lahaina residents continue their recovery, and a new app connects customers with discount mystery boxes of food. 81 ‘Ono
UNDER THE CITY LIGHTS
At the end of a long day, sometimes all we want is casual alfresco dining with free parking. We rounded up three spots.
PAID PARTNERSHIP 73 Building for a Better Hawai‘i Highlighting the impactful work of Hawai‘i contractors and the construction projects that benefit our community.
BY LESA GRIFFITH
ON THE COVER: Illustration: Shutterstock; design: Christine Labrador O CTO B E R 2 0 2 6
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EDITOR’S PAGE
The Power of People
This issue reminds me of the endless stories of our city.
M
Y FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB
AARON K. YOSHINO
has always been interviews. It honestly does not feel like work when I’m conversing with people about what they’re passionate about and why. I was drawn to reporting because of this direct access, and even after a few decades in the business, my love for these connections has only grown. I was reminded of this as we assembled the current issue, which features so many special people. While all 37 of the women we’re honoring with Celebrating Wāhine Awards may be most recognized for their career accomplishments, there’s a lot more to them than standout résumés. Each one put so much thought into their responses to our questions, reflecting on their careers and lives, how they got to where they are, what they value and what they’ve learned. Joey Cadiz says the Kona low storms changed his life direction. Among the featured wāhine is Patricia Tam, Halekūlani Corp.’s CEO and the recipient of the Doris Duke Visionary Voice Award. During our conversation, she told me about growing up in a working-class family, receiving a scholarship of dementia. Kim is truly a force who makes things happen, but in to Sacred Hearts Academy, volunteering with Easterseals accessible ways. While she’s a globally accomplished architect, her Hawai‘i as a teenager, then charting a groundbreaking career dedication to neuroscience is palpable, and I have no doubt the world in the hospitality industry. I was especially moved by how will be hearing more about her findings on this front. she spoke about her mother—her guiding force who was And these are just the folks I interviewed. The rest of our editorial kind, hardworking and treated everyone with respect. Tam team had their own memorable interviews. Katrina Valcourt spoke says during challenges, she thinks about what her mother to Raia Olsen about how she wound up with a herd of about 1,500 would say and do. Our conversation flowed effortlessly sheep and goats that help clear unwanted vegetation. Mari Taketa during that Zoom conversation, and we made plans to have connected with Dylan Butterbaugh, a tree lover who wanted to grow lunch together. them for his work, which led to the creation of Mānoa Chocolate. Don I also interviewed North Shore lifeguard Joey Cadiz, to Wallace, one of Hawai‘i’s most devoted book aficionados, caught up whom I was introduced by a former colleague, Mea Aloha with the five winners of our HONOLULU Book Awards, and shared Spady, after March’s Kona low storms. “He’s a freakin’ hero,” the inspiration for their amazing stories. And our intern Kayla Luke she told me. I was intrigued. I met Cadiz at a community Colon touched base with Willy Pao, whose family has been selling distribution hub in Waialua, and at first appearance, he clothing, vintage goods and housewares at the Aloha Stadium swap seemed tough and stoic. But tears flowed as he relayed what meet since the 1980s. happened the night Waialua flooded and he and others made So many intriguing people. So many stories. Thank you for reading. harrowing rescues. He also told me how life is pulling him in a new direction—to bring kids to his lo‘i so he can teach them about the ‘āina. He exudes purpose and passion, and that conversation stayed with me long after. Another person I met: Ma Ry Kim, who leads innovative DIANE SEO brain classes for kūpuna and business executives to lessen EDITORIAL DIRECTOR their chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease and other forms DIANES@HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM
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H O N O LU LU M AG A Z I N E
Congratulations, Professor Miyoko Pettit-Toledo! Honored as a 2026 HONOLULU Magazine Celebrating Wāhine Award Recipient We're proud to celebrate Professor Miyoko Pettit-Toledo, a 2015 graduate of the William S. Richardson School of Law, recognized among the community's most impactful educators, leaders, and changemakers. Her dedication to inspiring the next generation of lawyers reflects the very best of Richardson Law.
A LEGACY OF DEVELOPING ETHICAL LEADERS The William S. Richardson School of Law is a collaborative, multicultural community preparing students for excellence in the practice of law and related careers that advance justice and the rule of law. We develop highly qualified, ethical professionals through excellence in teaching, scholarship, and public service. We embrace Hawai‘iʼs diversity and values and recognize a special responsibility to our state and the Pacific region.
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Currents LI FE
MILESTONES
A New Era
I N
H O N O LU LU
➸ SINCE OPENING IN 1979, THE SWAP MEET has grown into Hawaiʻi’s largest open-air
marketplace, with hundreds of local vendors attracting crowds of both regulars and visitors. Even after relocating to a new area after Aloha Stadium was demolished to make way for a new stadium and entertainment district, the swap meet remains a steadfast presence in Hālawa. As the sun rises over hundreds of vendor booths every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, a new day begins at a place that’s been part of the island’s landscape for decades. While the surroundings may change, the swap meet carries on. See page 13 to read more about the swap meet. —Kayla Luke Colon, photo by Aaron K. Yoshino O CTO B E R 2 0 2 6
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