3. Indigenous food sovereignty to break down barriers to system transition

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The ecological state of agroecosystems is determined by the hands that form them. My work examines whose hands (farmer socio-cultural background) are doing the work, what values motivate their work, and how they are inspired by important movements shaping our food system in Hawaiʻi and globally: food security and food sovereignty. An important aspect of this work has been highlighting the role mahiʻai play in providing access to cultural foods and lands for the Native Hawaiian community, as well as the puʻuhōnua (refugia) they cultivate for queer kanaka (people). My current work examines the benefits and pitfalls of food labeling for poi, a culturally important staple in Hawaiʻi made by mashing taro with water.