Maui Neutral Zone – Lahaina Disaster & Recovery – Jon Kinimaka

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Lahaina wildfire & disaster recovery

TNZ 2025 3 24 Jason Schwartz & Jon Kinimaka talk about Honokowai EARLY
From The Neutral Zone interview JON KINIMAKA – “Who’s In Charge Here?” 8-8-23

Jason Schwartz speaks with West Maui community leader Jon Kinimaka in a powerful, fast-moving conversation reflecting on the aftermath of the August 8, 2023, Lahaina fire and the long road to recovery. Kinimaka recounts organizing the Honokōwai Park relief hub, where grassroots volunteers delivered food, medical care, security, and cultural healing amid limited government response. He highlights unity across communities, transparency in aid through trusted groups like the Lahaina Community Land Trust, and the emotional toll on survivors. The discussion expands to housing shortages, bureaucratic barriers, Hawaiian land rights, and sovereignty, underscoring resilience, kuleana, and the urgent need for community-driven, culturally grounded solutions to rebuild Maui’s social fabric.

MauiNeutralZone is not about politics. It’s not about blame, and it’s not about telling people what you think.

It’s about holding a vision of the world – and the Maui – we want to live in… and having the courage to act from that vision, even when it’s difficult. Because when communities speak honestly, listen deeply, and work together – real solutions become possible.

Across these subjects and more, MNZ typically contributes to positive community outcomes by

1- Highlighting community voices and lived experience, particularly from local activists and residents.

2- Stimulating public dialogues about pressing issues that may otherwise be under-discussed in mainstream media.

3-Encouraging community resilience and self-advocacy: encouraging mutual aid, and resilience hubs and goodwill.

4- Critiquing systems in ways that inform and reform, even if not providing formal policy prescriptions!

It’s important to note that many episodes focus more on discussion and awareness than on detailed implementation plans. Some solutions are intent-oriented, encouraging stronger community engagement rather than fully developed policy blueprints.

What makes Maui Neutral Zone distinct is that, unlike issue-driven programs or partisan media, MNZ functions as a neutral civic forum with 3 defining strengths: Truth Telling, Bridge-Building, and offering Solution Pathways – surfacing community–led ideas, models, and shared values that point towards practical action. MNZ doesn’t prescribe policy- it creates the Conditions for solutions to emerge by building public understanding, amplifying local knowledge and leadership, encouraging civil engagement, resilience, and cooperation. It serves as a local and trusted archive of Maui’s collective voice during important moments.

We are evolving into a Solutions Incubator, intentionally linking dialogues between Nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and individuals, community-led housing initiatives and a future Solution style that is remarkably Co-operative, proposing a Future – Together! A Team Aloha.

Explore: JON KINIMAKA – “Who’s In Charge Here?” 8-8-23