Jan. 29, 2014 Rally in Honolulu at the Capitol
January 27, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
People Not Profits! 2014: A Grassroots State of the State Address
Hawaiʻi State Capitol Building Rotunda
Honolulu, HI
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
10am-1pm
In 1971 the people of Hawaiʻi came together to fight corporate exploitation of land and the
dispossession of people from their lands and lifestyles at the People Not Profits rally organized
by Kōkua Hawaiʻi. This was a time of great unity and perseverence and marked a turning point
in Hawaiʻi’s history defined by four decades of keen and aggressive grassroots political activity.
43 years later, the struggle continues.
Waves of new voices, from young people to elders, are coming together to confront a renewed
corporate drive for deregulation and land grabs. We will continue the legacy of standing up for
ʻāina and people this Wednesday as we converge in the capitol rotunda to send a message to
legislators and other power-holders that Hawaiʻi is not for sale and that the health of our ʻāina
and people are interconnected and are our top priorities.
“They’re destroying our environment while they’re trying to build their economy. Instead of
following the will of the people about how we’re gonna build our economic base, they’re
following the guys on the top, the 1% guys who are telling legislators how they’re gonna build
our economy” said rally organizer Walter Ritte in an interview last week.
“Let’s make Hawai’i a people’s place, it’s not the place for the corporations to dictate where
we’re going in Hawai’i. That is a dead end street!” said Ritte.
A sampling of issues and speakers include:
• Hawaiian self-determination: challenging the state controlled Kanaʻiolowalu initiative and
calling for an independent, non-state-administered process toward self-determination and the
return of Hawaiian national lands. (MANA and Kaleikoa Kaʻeo)
• GMO: Evict Monsanto, regulation of agribusiness and protection of community driven laws
(Dustin Barca/Gary Hooser).
• Affordable housing: Kakaʻako development for the rich (Kakaʻako United)
• Iwi kūpuna: The repeal of Act 085 (SB1171) related to phased archaeological surveys
(Hinaleimoana Kalu-Wong).
• Demilitarization: Introducing legislation that challenges Hawaiʻi as a drone test site (UH Law
student, Khara Jabola-Carolus).
• Food security: Protecting agricultural lands for food and energy against mass suburban sprawl
(Keoni Dudley, Save our Farmlands).
• Livable Wage: increasing the minimum wage (Aikea/Local5).
Speeches will break with poetry from Jamaica Osorio and music from Palani Vaughn. Preceding
the rally, Kakaʻako United will lead a march at 8:30am from Mother Waldron Park in Kakaʻako
to the capitol rotunda.
We are pleased to have so many come together to support each others issues under the banner of
grassroots unity against corporate control of Hawaiʻi and for the health of our land and people
for generations to come.
Media Contacts:
Walter Ritte (808) 646-1691
Andre Perez (808) 864-2336
Ilima Long (808) 781-8423
