Grassroot at 25: Celebrating our past, shaping our future

by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D., President / CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

My late friend and mentor Dick Rowland saw that Hawaii needed a champion for the free market and individual rights. That, in itself, is not remarkable. I know plenty of Hawaii residents who notice the state’s high taxes, poor business climate or incursions on civil liberties and wish things could be different.

What made Dick stand out from the rest is that he didn’t just hope for change. He made it happen. 

Dick founded the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii 25 years ago, and even the name he chose reflected his belief that one person could make a difference: That is why we are “grassroot” instead of “grassroots.”

A lot has changed since then. I became president of Grassroot in 2013 and have seen the organization grow in influence. Over the past few years in particular, our team has helped advance a wave of housing reforms and successfully advocated — and defended — the largest income tax cut in state history. 

The public is increasingly taking note of our work, with Honolulu Civil Beat publishing an article last month about Grassroot’s mission and expanding political impact.

Yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Grassroot has voiced concern about the Honolulu rail since its early days, even going so far as to submit testimony criticizing the project to the U.S. Congress in 2017. Just two weeks ago, I wrote yet again about the astronomically expensive boondoggle that is still nowhere near complete.

We are also one of the few local organizations with an unwavering commitment to Jones Act reform, and our 2020 study estimating that the federal protectionist maritime law costs Hawaii about $1.2 billion annually continues to be cited in local and national media. 

The ongoing, first-of-its-kind Jones Act waiver for fuel and fertilizer shipments suggests our steadfast calls for Jones Act reform might finally be gaining traction.

Another thing that won’t change about us: our principles. Grassroot will always be protective of individual liberty and deeply concerned with the state’s burdensome regulations and high taxes that make it difficult for residents and businesses to thrive.

All of this is to say, I am thrilled to mark Grassroot’s 25th anniversary this year. It is a significant milestone that offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our achievements, thank the supporters who made them possible and look forward to further expanding our influence throughout Hawaii and beyond.

We’ll be celebrating the occasion next Friday, Sept. 4, with a dazzling gala at the Sheraton Waikiki, featuring keynote speaker Adam Carolla. As a well-known comedian, podcaster and writer whose unique voice and insights strongly resonate with our mission, he is a fitting guest for this special occasion, and I’m proud that we are able to bring him here for the night.

If you don’t already have your seat reserved, we would still love for you to join us. You can click here to buy one of the last few tickets.

Whether you can make it or not, thank you for being a part of this journey. Now it’s time for us to get excited about where Grassroot goes from here.

E hana kākou! (Let’s work together!)