Residents urge preservation of archives and homestead protections; raise shoreline microplastic and blood-quantum concerns

Several residents used the public-comment portion of the OHA meeting to press for cultural-heritage protections, environmental cleanup and continued advocacy on homestead policies.

Louella Leonardi recounted family history tied to Waimanalo and raised two central concerns: she said the marketing and digitization of archival material could allow wealthy outside actors to "rip the archives apart" and rewrite Hawaiian history, and she warned that changes to homestead policy or fee-simple conversions could erode blood-quantum protections for successors. "Those billionaires out there are gonna get their hands on the information that's in the archive," Leonardi said, and argued the community must protect those resources for future generations.

Leonardi also described collecting microplastic along shorelines, saying she filled a bag within 15 minutes on a short walk and urged attention to pollution that affects the shoreline and cultural practices.

Chair Kalea Kana Akaka responded by acknowledging the importance of archive preservation and digitization work at the State Archives and Aliʻiolani Hale site visits, and reiterated that OHA remains steadfast in advocacy on homestead and quantum issues for Native Hawaiians "a 50% or more and those that are not." The trustee noted OHA's role in preserving materials and connecting Oiwi Kanaka overseas to their history through digitization.

What happens next: Trustees thanked Leonardi for raising these concerns and indicated OHA will continue preservation efforts and advocacy; no formal action was taken during the meeting.