05/28/2026
This AANHPI Heritage Month, we're sharing the story of Jesse — a food systems leader in the Waianae region of Oahu, Hawaii, who is reconnecting his community to the land, the legacy, and the food that has always belonged to them.
Jesse grew up in Waianae. As a child, his fishing family had access to fresh, high-quality seafood. But as he got older, he saw clearly what his neighbors experienced: very little fresh food available, even in a community with deep farming roots.
It wasn't always this way.
"In ancient times, Waianae used to be a stronghold for food," Jesse says. "We had fishponds where you could get fish. And Waianae Valley was loaded with kalo. We had an abundance of food."
Today, Jesse manages food systems work at Elepaio Social Services, an organization supporting the Waianae community in partnership with Hawai‘i Foodbank, part of the Feeding America network. Together, they served nearly 4,500 households in 2022 — and Jesse's approach goes deeper than distribution.
"Connection to food is everything. When you're talking about a community that has a majority of indigenous people, you have to approach it through a cultural lens."
For Jesse, that means centering the history and kuleana — the responsibility — that Native Hawaiians have always brought to growing and sharing food. It means making sure the produce neighbors receive reflects who they are and what they've always known.
"When you talk about connection to food, you're talking about the participation of our people in the food system process. And you're talking about them eating healthier food. That's the important thing."
Feeding America partner food banks across the country are working alongside AANHPI communities to expand access, prioritize dignity, and ensure everyone has the nutritious food they need to thrive.
