KĀKOU – Hawai‘i’s Town Hall

“KĀKOU” means “all of us.” But it doesn’t mean we all agree.

When we can speak to each other honestly and listen earnestly… When we recognize that we are all in this together… When we are engaged in working toward a common goal, that is “kākou.”

PBS Hawai‘i hosted a periodic series of live town hall events called KĀKOU – Hawai‘i’s Town Hall.

What does KĀKOU mean to you? We asked a few people in our community.

“The Global Squeeze: How Do We Keep Hawaiʻi Hawaiʻi?”

Premiered LIVE on Thursday, April 19, 2018, 8:00 pm

In our second live town hall, we paused to consider where we are, and where we want to be. Change is inevitable. Some changes come quietly, incrementally, over years; others seem to emerge all of a sudden and nearly full-blown. How is Hawai‘i changing – for better, for worse, or both?

This was not a conversation about major controversial events that have been dividing our community. This was not a conversation about pro-this, or anti-that. This was a discussion about the finer details of life in Hawai‘i that affect our sense of place. What details compromise the core essence of Hawai‘i – and where are we willing to draw the line?

We invited 40 individuals from across the state to participate in this frank, respectful and community-based discussion in our studio.

“Have You Fact-Checked Your Truth?”

Premiered: Thursday, October 5, 2017

In this first live discussion, we asked: “Have You Fact-Checked Your Truth?” We took on the meaning of “truth” and how we viewed truth in an era of “fake news,” “trolling” and filter bubbles on social media. Is there one truth – or is truth in the eye of the beholder?