Aloha, I’m Aunty Kim, raised in Waiʻanae. Through Mālama Kūpuna Māhū, we care for those too often overlooked—our Kanaka Kūpuna and Mahū/LGBTQIA ʻohana, especially those without homes.
We show up. We stand with kūpuna, 60 and older, who carry our stories, our history, and the struggles that shaped us. We stand with Mahū, whose lives are often misunderstood, and whose spirits shine brightly despite the world not always seeing them. For me, this work is deeply personal. I am Mahū. I am Kūpuna. I know what it’s like to be misunderstood, to be overlooked, to crave safety, care, and connection. That’s why I do this work: to say, I see you. You belong. You are loved.
The Mahū community is close-knit and full of aloha. We hold each other up, share our stories, and create spaces where everyone can feel safe and celebrated. It’s a family that looks after one another, and being part of it has taught me the power of love, presence, and acceptance.
For those without homes, we help find safer places—or at least make sure they are seen, counted, and not forgotten. For kūpuna, we guide them with planning and support, helping them move through life with dignity. Always, we share what we can: food, clothes, conversation, and connection. Every small gesture is a way of saying, you matter, you are not alone.
What makes our work unique is that it comes from the heart of the community itself. Mahū helping Mahū. Kūpuna helping Kūpuna. We know the people we serve because we are them. We know their struggles, their joys, and their strength. And we show up because we love them, and because we know that everyone deserves to be seen, safe, and surrounded by aloha.
We show up. We stand with kūpuna, 60 and older, who carry our stories, our history, and the struggles that shaped us. We stand with Mahū, whose lives are often misunderstood, and whose spirits shine brightly despite the world not always seeing them. For me, this work is deeply personal. I am Mahū. I am Kūpuna. I know what it’s like to be misunderstood, to be overlooked, to crave safety, care, and connection. That’s why I do this work: to say, I see you. You belong. You are loved.
The Mahū community is close-knit and full of aloha. We hold each other up, share our stories, and create spaces where everyone can feel safe and celebrated. It’s a family that looks after one another, and being part of it has taught me the power of love, presence, and acceptance.
For those without homes, we help find safer places—or at least make sure they are seen, counted, and not forgotten. For kūpuna, we guide them with planning and support, helping them move through life with dignity. Always, we share what we can: food, clothes, conversation, and connection. Every small gesture is a way of saying, you matter, you are not alone.
What makes our work unique is that it comes from the heart of the community itself. Mahū helping Mahū. Kūpuna helping Kūpuna. We know the people we serve because we are them. We know their struggles, their joys, and their strength. And we show up because we love them, and because we know that everyone deserves to be seen, safe, and surrounded by aloha.