5 Questions: Will White, Appleseed Hawaiʻi executive director
Hawaiʻi Appleseed is known for its work on affordability and social equity. How have those key issues evolved in 2025?
Affordability has long been a key issue for families in Hawaiʻi. In 2025, the cost of food and housing remained high, while wages struggled to keep pace. These challenges were further heightened by the current administration and congress, who have slashed our healthcare and food assistance safety nets, in order to pass tax cuts for the wealthiest households.
This year marks an inflection point for Hawaiʻi. We can either accept the federal government’s retreat from our public benefits system, or reinvent and reinvest in new systems that work to support Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable families. Doing so will mean making bold decisions about our state budget and tax code, but the time for local leaders to act is now. We have the ability to protect Hawaii’s families, we just need the political will here at home to do so.