John Michael Van Hohenstein, better known as Johnny The Ripper, is a professional longboard surfer born in the Philipines, but raised in Hawaiʻi. After picking up a surfboard at an early age he quickly honed his skills and is becoming one of the best longboarders in the world with his timeless style, nimble cross stepping his toes to the nose, riding backwards, and all while having the time of his life. This Waikiki grom has accumulated many sponsors already such as Moku Surf Shop, Banán, Paia F...
Aug 04, 2022•1 hr 34 min
Patti Ponimoi is a Filipino, Irish sales and communication veteran born in Okinawa, Japan and raised on the island of Oʻahu. She is the Market President and GM for Summit Media Honolulu, an American broadcasting company which features local radio stations such as KRATER 96.3 (KRTR), HAWAIIAN 105 (KINE), KCCN FM 100, POWER 104.3, etc. This boss lady has a career spanning more than 20 years, previously holding positions at Hawaiʻi News Now, iHeartMedia and Hawaiian Airlines. She is a wife and moth...
Jul 28, 2022•1 hr 29 min
Keith Amemiya is a community and business leader from the island of Oʻahu. He is the executive director of the Central Pacific Bank Foundation, former vice president of Island Holdings Inc. and previously was the head of the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association for 12 years. He helped transform youth sports in Hawaiʻi, and when state budget cuts threatened to end junior varsity athletics, he led the “save our sports” campaign raising over $1.5 million in three months and keeping youth sports...
Jul 21, 2022•2 hr 4 min
Tammy Moniz is a well-known surf instructor and mother of five prolific surfers from the island of O’ahu. She is also a photographer, business owner, lover of music, and wife to former professional surfer Tony Moniz. She runs two surf schools in Honolulu called Faith Surf School and Moniz Family Surf. This mother has been an inspiration and role model to so many people for years and she is everyoneʻs favorite aunty and mom. In this episode we talk about her family, her faith, the tragic house fi...
Jul 14, 2022•1 hr 41 min
Lanai Tabura is a Native-Hawaiian Filipino, Italian, Chinese Emmy award-winning Jack of all trades from the island of Lanaʻi. He has done it all. Heʻs a DJ, comedian, cook, TV and podcast host, actor, entrepreneur and father of two girls. He is the winner of Food networkʻs Great Food Truck race season 4, was a co-host with Anthony Bourdainʻs NO Reservations and currently hosts Cooking Hawaiian Style which is in itʻs 16th season, a TV show that airs in 7 countries on the lifestyle network, Direct...
Jul 07, 2022•1 hr 44 min
Justyn Ah Chong is an award-winning Native-Hawaiian filmmaker from the island of O’ahu. He has worked as a director, cinematographer and editor at ʻŌiwi TV, and was a 2020 NIA Tero 4th World Media Lab fellow. His film “Down on the Sidewalk in Waikiki” premiered at the Maoriland film festival in New Zealand winning the Peopleʻs Choice Award for best short drama and has been screened at festivals all around the world from Toronto to Los Angeles. Most recently he helped produce the film “Hawaiian S...
Jun 30, 2022•1 hr 43 min
Kiana Cayabyab is a Native-Hawaiian reporter from the island of Kaua’i. She is a model, actress, professional hula dancer, digital news reporter and host for the Star Advertiser. She is also an honor graduate of Loyola Marymount University and was a former Miss Honolulu. She has a passion for storytelling, public speaking and interviewing. Kiana is a go-getter, and with her charismatic personality, she plans to go very far in life. In this episode we talk about boarding school, living away from ...
Jun 23, 2022•1 hr 24 min
Ezekiel Lau is a Native-Hawaiian professional surfer from the island of O’ahu. Zeke started surfing when he was just a kid and has become a household name in the surfing world. He is a MEO Vissla Pro Ericeira champion and the winner of two Vans World Cups of surfing at Sunset beach. He is also the the winner of ABC’s Ultimate Surfer and is a brand ambassador for companies like Quiksilver, Rockstar, Electric, Dakine and many more. If you can’t find him in the water you can find him vlogging about...
Jun 16, 2022•1 hr 33 min
Chad Owens is a Native-Hawaiian former professional football player from the island of O'ahu. This local legend was a college football standout when he played for the University of Hawai'i Warriors and ended his career in the top 10 for receiving yards and touchdowns and till this day is Hawai'i's all-time career yardage leader. In 2012, he was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Canadian Football League and is a 2x Grey Cup champion and also holds the record for most all-purpose yards in a...
Jun 09, 2022•1 hr 50 min
McKenna Maduli is a Native-Hawaiian Emmy award-winning wahine from the island of O'ahu. This local girl has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry working for MTV, NBC's Access Hollywood, Billboard Live, and interviewing some of the biggest celebrities in the business such as George Clooney, Oprah, and Snoop Dogg. She is also the host of her very own talk show called "Talk Story with McKenna Maduli" which debuted in 2019 to rave reviews as the only one-hour Hawaiian variety sh...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 27 min
Micah Banks is a local on-air radio personality and music producer from the island of O'ahu. He is a hustler who worked his way from the bottom to the top and has over 15 years of experience working on the radio. As a music producer, his singles "Screenshots" and "Want To" has over 1.5 million streams worldwide. In this episode we talk about how we first met, his journey into music, being pro-Hawai'i, if people still listen to the radio, his favorite part of his job, and so much more. Enjoy! Buy...
May 12, 2022•1 hr 16 min
BJ Penn is a Native-Hawaiian MMA legend from the Big Island of Hawai'i. He is a father, businessman, author, and former UFC champion. He is one of only 7 UFC fighters to ever win titles in multiple weight classes and is the first non-Brazilian to win the jiu-jitsu world championship. Now, he is stepping into a new arena and running for governor or Hawai'i as a republican candidate. In this episode we talk about how he got into mixed martial arts, his motivation for running for governor, some of ...
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Drew Honda is a Kamehameha graduate from the island of O'ahu. He is the CEO and founder of Sweet Enemy Clothing. This entrepreneur is a hustler that is making a name for himself in the streetwear scene. Drew has collaborated with multiple brands, local athletes, and musicians and hopes to be the biggest brand in the world one day. He started his business as a tribute to his grandma, Rose, and is always reminding others to 'never forget the reason.' In this episode we talk about the start of Swee...
Apr 21, 2022•1 hr 32 min
Mark "Gooch" Noguchi is a nationally recognized chef from the island of O'ahu. He has been featured on many news stations, TV shows, and even starred in his very own YouTube series presented by Toyota Hawai'i. Gooch is also an entrepreneur, teacher, hula dancer, husband and father to two daughters. This culturally aware kanaka ties in culture with everything he does and is an inspiration to me and many others. In this episode we talk about growing up in Mānoa and dropping out to of high school t...
Apr 14, 2022•1 hr 40 min
Brenton Awa is a Native-Hawaiian journalist from the island of O'ahu. He's a father of three, a high school wrestling state champion, and a former news anchor for KITV4. Since leaving the news station he has been taking a grassroots approach in the community and reporting local news all on his own, all while substitute teaching to make ends meet. Brenton has decided to run for state senate to represent district 23 and hopes to bring some real change to Hawai'i. In this episode we talk about grow...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Allison Chu is a Hapa model, actress, singer, hula dancer and beauty queen. She was the valedictorian of her high school and became the only person to win both Miss Hawai'i and Miss Hawai'i USA. Hopena Pokipala is a Native-Hawaiian waterman who was born with paddling in his blood. He joined the canoe club at age seven and guided his team to 7 consecutive junior state championships. In 2018 he built his own outrigger canoe, which is takes out in front of his home in Kailua. Together Allie and Hop...
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 24 min
Rose Wong is a Filipino, Chinese award-winning entrepreneur from the island of O'ahu. She became the youngest store owner in Waikiki at the age of 21 opening up Kolohe, a handmade jewelry "experience-based" boutique. Among her many accomplishments such as being recognized as Student Entrepreneur of the year by the Pacific Asian Center of Entrepreneurship in 2018 and the Hawai'i Venture Capital Association in 2019, she is also a first generation college graduate. In this episode we talk about her...
Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 27 min
Keilana Mokulehua is an award winning Hawaiian, Filipino R&B/Soul musician from the Island of O'ahu. She is quickly gaining fame and worldwide recognition with her silky smooth vocals and was recently named “Most promising artist" and R&B Album of the year in 2021. Her debut album “I Am” charted at #2 on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts during its first week of release. Some of her works have been featured on platforms such as Netflix MTV/VH1, Disney, and much more. In this episode we talk...
Mar 17, 2022•1 hr 29 min
John Ursua is a Native-Hawaiian professional football player for the Seattle Seahawks. He was born and raised in Kailua, Kona on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, but moved to Utah during his sophomore year of high school. After graduating high school In Utah, and before joining the University of Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors football team, he went on a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paris, France. He returned home to Hawaiʻi in 2015 and started his successful colleg...
Mar 10, 2022•1 hr 30 min
Andria Tupola is a Native-Hawaiian, Samoan, politician from the island of O'ahu. She is a member of the Honolulu City Council, a music teacher, a wife, and a mother to two children. Prior to graduating from BYU-Provo, she attended Kamehameha High School and graduated with honors. She ran for Governor in 2018 and garnered close to 35% of the vote as a first-time candidate, only Native-Hawaiian woman to run for this office, and the youngest Republican for Governor in the United States. To add to h...
Mar 03, 2022•1 hr 13 min
Kenneth Appelbaum, better known as Keneke the Great, is an internet star from the island of O'ahu. He is a Filipino, Italian entertainer, dancer, comedian, actor, and as some of you might know, a great storyteller. With over 36,000 followers on Instagram, he is still finding ways to bring happiness and laughter 15 years after his first viral video. In this episode we talk about how he got his name "Keneke the Great", the story of his viral video that almost never happened, krumping, his goal in ...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 30 min
Maluhia States is a Hawaiian Language teacher from the island of O'ahu. This Native-Hawaiian was born in Nevada (the 9th island) and moved all over the place, back and forth between Hawai'i, until his family decided to stay here for good. He is a father, husband and strong perpetuator of the Hawaiian language. Using his platform (ka_alala) on Instagram, he teaches people Hawaiian through simple videos, some humor and an undying passion for our native tongue. In this episode we celebrate Hawaiian...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 33 min
Paula Fuga is an amazing Native-Hawaiian singer-songwriter from the island of Oʻahu. This generational talent is known for her originality in song composition and her soulful vocals. She is a Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner and has sung with legends such as Jack Johnson and Ziggy Marley. She has performed at venues such as Madison Square Garden, The Sydney Opera Forecourt, and is a three-time return artist to the White House. She is a wife, an activist, and a perpetuator of positivity and Hawaiian...
Feb 10, 2022•1 hr 32 min
Yancy Medeiros is a Native-Hawaiian, Filipino professional MMA fighter from the island of O'ahu. He has fought in the UFC and Strikeforce and has earned two fight of the night bonuses, three performance of the night bonuses, and his epic fight with Alex Oliveira was named fight of the year in 2017 by ESPN. He holds a professional record of 15 wins, 8 losses and one No Contest. Besides being one of the most entertaining fighters out there, he is also a father and a man who exudes endless positivi...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 39 min
Kekoa Cazimero is a Native-Hawaiian professional surfer and entrepreneur from Waimanalo on the island of Oʻahu. He is a 5-time state champion, valedictorian of his high school, and founder of his own brand called Ambassadors with Aloha. This is a special episode because we are also joined by his fiancé Andrea Stickel, who is a model and former NFL cheerleader for the Chargers. In this episode we talk about Kekoa's childhood, his journey as a surfer and business owner, his business AVVA, how he m...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 35 min
Carlos Tangaro, better known as Nito, is a fighter in more senses than one. Nito is from Waiʻanae on the island of Oʻahu and has a truly incredible story going from living in a shack to owning his very own business. He is a Filipino-Puerto Rican former professional boxer turned coach, founder and owner of Nito Boxing, and former sparring partner to Filipino boxing legend, Manny Pacquaio. In this episode we talk about Nitoʻs rough upbringing, his battle with sobriety, his journey to professional ...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min
Kailee Freitas is a successful entrepreneur from the island of O'ahu. She is a business owner, wife, mother of two, graduate of Kamehameha High School, and former teacher. This mompreneur is a dedicated Hawaiian that is looking to better our community from the ground up. Kailee is the owner and founder of Mahina Made, which she started by selling custom doormats on Etsy, and Ho'omau Hawai'i Market, a local market which features Native-Hawaiian businesses and products. She just left her job as a ...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 9 min
Ku'ulei Perreira-Keawekane is a kanaka maoli from Hawai'i Island. She's a Native-Hawaiian speaker, musician, activist, entrepreneur, Hawaiian culture perpetuator, and is an absolute well of knowledge. She goes by mauli.ola on Instagram and always shares her realest self with others and isn't afraid to be vulnerable and open up on social media. In this episode we talk about being Hawaiian, connecting to your roots, mental and physical health, kaona (hidden meaning), history and current state of H...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 34 min
Guy Hagi is a jovial weatherman from the island of O'ahu. He is a famous news personality, avid surfer, triathlete, and host of Pacific Pulse and Cheap Eats. This husband and father of two became the most memeable man in Hawai'i back in 2014 and his hurricane memes still bring laughs to everyone in the Hawaiian islands until today. You can find him doing what he does best every morning from Monday to Friday on Sunrise on Hawai'i News Now. In this episode we talk about how he got into weather for...
Dec 23, 2021•1 hr 6 min
Jeff Hubbard is a professional bodyboarder from the island of Kaua'i. He is a 3-time IBA world champion, 5-time IBA Pipeline champion, 11-time world United States National title-holder and is one of the few bodyboarders to ever land an aerial 720. This husband and father of one is also a college graduate and the owner of Hubboards, a bodyboarding company that he started with his brother Dave. His insane airs is what catapulted him to fame and the title of world champion, but his brains, work eth...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 12 min
