Many people think of Hawaii as a vacation destination. But what about the people who call it home? In this episode of Zip Code Economies, we travel to Honolulu to uncover “hidden” Hawaii. Through the stories of a blind shopkeeper, Filipino immigrants transitioning jobs, and a native Hawaiian working to build financial resilience, we encounter a community striving to adapt to tough economic realities in a landscape dominated by tourism.
Interviewees:
- Ryan Kusumoto
- Zachery Grace
- Shantel Jones
- Kim Gillis-Robello
- James Hardway
- Janny Mendoza
- John Dumayag
- Lahela Williams
Organizations:
- Parents and Children Together (PACT)
- Hotel And Restaurant Industry Employment & Training Trust (HARIETT) Hawaii
- Hawaiian Community Assets
![Woman smiling in a room holding an oversized card reading: lahui](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Lahela1.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![Man with a colorful shirt with Waikiki Beach behind him, holding an oversized card reading: ohana](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Ohana-One-Word.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![View of the ocean and beach resort from above](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Honolulu-Beach.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![Tall palms silhouetted against the sky at dusk](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Palm-Trees.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![President Mary Daly with a community leader](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Lahela2.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![President Mary Daly with a community leader holding a sign reading: unique](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Unique-One-Word.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![Woman outdoors smiling and holding an oversized card reading: hope](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/Hope-One-Word.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)
![University of Hawaii](https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/U-of-Hawaii.jpg?quality=100?w=350&h=350&crop=1)