The Hawaiʻi Broadband Hōʻike, aligning with National Digital Inclusion Week, is calling experts and enthusiasts from across diverse sectors to Honolulu on October 6-7. The purpose is straightforward: Two days dedicated to advancing internet connectivity and promoting digital inclusivity. This event lands on the heels of the inaugural gathering in Kauaʻi just two years prior, setting the stage for what is now an annual intersection of ideas and initiatives aimed at shrinking the digital divide in the Aloha State, according to the City and County of Honolulu.
At the heart of the Hōʻike is the ʻōlelo noʻeau, "Pūpūkahi I Holomua," meaning "unite to move forward," and it's this spirit of collaborative progress that sets the agenda, first revealed by the City and County of Honolulu. While Day 1 spoon-feeds attendees a choice of track—Koʻolau, showcasing projects like a Koʻolau Broadband Coalition initiative, or Waiʻanae Coast, highlighting leaps in local community broadband and tech programs—Day 2 pivots to the Entrepreneurs Sandbox, rolling out a platter of panels and accolades for digital pioneers.
The likes of Microsoft, Hawaiian Telcom, and Ocean Networks are penciled in to share their two cents, alongside Maui, Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi County, and State government reps. "Gatherings like this Hōʻike are valuable for the community as a way to come together, share experiences, and collaborate to come up with solutions for shared challenges," said Garrett Yoshimi of the University of Hawaiʻi in a statement that underscores the event's ethos of solidarity. In an expression of communal ambition, the Digital Economy Innovation Awards will cap off the conference, bestowing a nod to those who bend technology to serve the collective good, as stated by the City and County of Honolulu.
Underpinning the event's operations are organizations like Connect Kākou and, notably, the Hawaiʻi Broadband Office. Chung I. Chang from the latter told the City and County of Honolulu's press folks, "Together, we are not just building networks of fiber and wireless, we are building networks of trust, opportunity, and resilience that will allow every resident of Hawaiʻi to thrive in the digital economy.” This statement reveals a shared vision where infrastructure and social fabric are woven as one. As an extra layer of community engagement, revitalizehawaii.org extends an invite to anyone interested in the finer details or potential participation in this pivotal summit.
Shoulders to the wheel doesn't just sum up the Hōʻike, it's practically a prerequisite for admission. The 2025 edition is bankrolled by Hawaiian Electric and World Wide Technology among others, with the University of Hawaiʻi and the Oʻahu Economic Development Board playing logistical lynchpins, as per the City and County of Honolulu.
