Intersectionality: The Now of Marketing
2023-10-26 18:00 - 20:00 (Pacific/Honolulu) | The Box Jelly, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. 2nd Floor Honolulu, HI 96814, Honolulu, HI, 96814, United States
Intersectionality is a term that’s being used more and more, but what does it mean, and why should you care? Intersectionality describes a system where inequality based on race, gender, gender identity, disability and other forms of discrimination “intersect” to create unique dynamics and compounded experiences.
The concept of intersectionality has become a common conversation starter in the zeitgeist of today. And as such, businesses too are recognizing the importance of intersectionality and its relevance in the business model to reach a more diverse and appropriate audience. We’ve already begun to see companies embrace this concept successfully such as Dove and Patagonia, while others have struggled to properly and genuinely grasp this concept.
In this panel discussion, AMA Hawaiʻi and the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation have gathered individuals from different industries to share their professional views on the importance of the concept of intersectionality, its importance in their field, and how it’s being incorporated in their marketing efforts.
Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Alaska Fly With Pride Brunch
2023-10-22 10:00 - 12:30 | Deck., Queen Kapiolani Hotel, Honolulu, HI, 96815, United States
Join us for a mile high experience with Alaska Airlines & Honolulu Pride at the Fly with Pride Brunch featuring Rupaul Drag Race Queens!
The Official Honolulu Pride Drag Brunch at DECK. at Queen Kapiʻolani Hotel, headlined by Kerri Colby with an exclusive SASHA COLBY meet & greet and performances by RuPaul’s Drag Race Stars Kylie Sonique Love and Laganja Estranja
Get your tickets here.
VIP ALL Access Wristband holders will receive a $25 discount with promo code: VIPALLACCESS. Purchases with promo code will be verified.

Official Honolulu Pride Festival After Party
2023-10-21 19:00 - 23:30 | Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand, 134 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96815, United States
Save the date: Saturday, October 21 for the Official Honolulu Pride After Party at Hulaʻs Bar & Lei Stand beginning at 7pm. Stay tuned for more details.

Honolulu Pride PARADISE Opening Night Party
2023-10-20 | Hawaiian Brians, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, HI, 96814, United States
The Official Honolulu Pride Opening Party at Hawaiian Brianʻs Social Club headlined by the mind blowing Laganja Estranja and hosted by Kimora Blac with DJ sets by DJ Nick Stracener and Papi Juice and a very special performance by the Party Monsters. This is how we party in Hawaiʻi nei. Weʻll see you there.
Get your tickets now.

Honolulu Pride VIP Experience
2023-10-10 | Honolulu Pride
Choose between two Honolulu Pride Passes, and enjoy the ultimate Honolulu Pride weekend October 20-22 with VIP experiences!
VIP Festival Pass October 21

VIP Entrance for festival
Access to three festival VIP Lounges with hosted bars
VIP seating in front of Waikīkī Shell stage

VIP All-Access Pass October 20-22

Limited quantities
Includes all VIP Festival Pass benefits
$25 discount for the Alaska Airlines Fly with Pride Brunch, includes vip Meet & Greet
Limited edition Honolulu Pride cross shoulder bag
Voucher for free Uniqlo UTme! tote bag

Free VIP Admission to the following events:

Hosted Opening Reception at Sam Tsui concert at Hawaiʻi Theatre
Paradise – Opening Party, includes access to VIP bar
Honolulu Pride Festival VIP access
Alan Cumming concert at Hawaiʻi Theatre
Hula’s Official After Party
Late Night Party by CENTERED
Lei Pool Party at Swell, includes access to vip experience and meet & greet

Purchase your VIP Passes here.

Volunteer for Honolulu Pride
2023-10-09
The Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation invites you, your friends, family, and colleagues to give back to our community through volunteering your time during the Parade and at the Festival on October 21, 2023. Just use the links below to sign up and youʻll be helping to make 2023 Honolulu Pride the biggest and brightest ever. Mahalo!
Sign up to volunteer for the Parade here.
Sign up to volunteer for the Festival here.

Through October 1: Registration for Honolulu Pride Parade & Festival
2023-09-29
2023 Honolulu Pride Parade and Festival registration is now open and will accept submissions until October 1. The Parade will kick off from Magic Island at 9am on Saturday, October 21 and follow a route along Ala Moana Blvd. and Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park. The Festival, at the Diamond Head Shell will begin at 1pm and continue until 6pm. Hawai’i’s own Sasha Colby, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race is this year’s Grand Marshal and Festival Headliner.
Learn more about Honolulu Pride Month and subscribe to our email Newsletter for the latest updates.
Register for the Parade here. For more information, contact Andrew Ogata.
Register for the Festival here. For more information, contact Zabrina Zablan-Duvauchelle.

Vision Without Limits Gala: Tickets Now On Sale
2023-07-01
Join the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation on July 20, 2023 for a reimagined event that will honor visionary members in the LGBTQIA+ and MVPFAFF community and usher in a new chapter for the organization.
Purchase your tickets and tables by clicking here.
Over the years, the Foundation has had the honor of recognizing key individuals in our LGBTQIA+ community through the Vision Without Limits Awards. Previous awardees include Abigail Kawānanakoa, David McEwan, Jack Law, Kelly Sanders, and Kim Coco Iwamoto.
The 2023 Visionary Legacy Award will be presented to Judge Daniel R. Foley, Magistrate Judge Kevin S.C. Chang and Supreme Court Justice Steven H. Levinson. Celebrate the 30th anniversary of marriage equality in Hawai’i and the important role these two individuals played in a monumental moment in history.
Our Visionary Award will be presented to Hinaleimoana Wong Kalu, honoring this well-respected māhū Native Hawai’ian cultural leader and kumu who is igniting a shift in education, understanding, and appreciation of the role of māhū in history and, now, popular culture.
Featuring live performances by Deborah Cox and Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu. Please join Hawaiʻi’s LGBTQIA+ community as we create a vision for the future at the 2023 Gala, sure to be a memorable evening of celebration and iconic experiences.
Purchase your tickets and tables by clicking here.
Mahalo to our Sponsors:
Title Sponsors
• First Hawaiian Bank
• Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach
• Alaska Airlines
Platinum Sponsors
• Twilight Audio
• Kaimana Beach Hotel
• In Memory of Abigail Kawānanakoa
Silver Sponsors
• Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa
• Hawaiʻi Theatre
• ACLU
Proceeds support the programs of Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation, Honolulu Pride, and Hawai’i LGBTQ Center.

Rainbow Town Hall: Inclusivity & Allyship in the Events Industry
2023-06-28
Join us on June 28 for a special Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation Rainbow Town Hall exploring diversity, inclusivity and allyship in the weddings and events industry. In partnership with the Oʻahu Wedding Association and The Gay Agenda Collective, this RTH is part of a series of community gatherings, resource fairs and trainings focusing on issues facing the MVPFAFF/LGBTQIA+ community.
For more information, and to register, click here.
Questions? Contact Zabrina@HawaiiLGBTlegacy.com

LGBTQIA+ Kūpuna Project: Rainbow Town Hall
2023-06-11 11:00 - 15:00 | Honolulu Community Action Program / Leeward District Service Center, 85-555 Farrington Highway, Waiʻanae, HI, 96792, United States
Get together with LGBTQIA+ kūpuna for a FREE Rainbow Town Hall with lunch, talk story, informational presentations and an open forum on kūpuna needs on June 11 from 11am – 3pm at HCAP Waiʻanae. Learn about resources in caregiving, socialization and community, health services, health care for transgender people, and social services that help LGBTQIA+ elders meet the special challenges they face. Share your views on what LGBTQIA+ kūpuna need in order to thrive in their communities in Hawaiʻi.
Scheduled speakers include:
• Auntie Kim Haupu | Waiʻanae Moku Kūpuna Council
• Jacob Schafer | Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
• Shanda Lewis, APRN | WCCHC Kapolei
• Val Tavai | Honolulu Community Action Program

LGBTQIA+ Kūpuna Survey
2023-05-24 | Online
Help the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundationʻs new Kūpuna Project understand how we can better serve LGBTQIA+ elders in Hawaiʻi. If youʻre an older LGBTQIA+ adult living in Hawaiʻi, please take our short survey. And/or share it with your kūpuna colleagues, friends and family.
The Kūpuna Project is a new committee formed to help address the challenges LGBTQIA+ kūpuna face in Hawai’i. In 2023, the Kūpuna Committee will be focusing on participating in and learning from groups like the Kūpuna Collective and the Kūpuna Caucus, and on bringing greater awareness to, and gathering feedback from, our LGBTQIA+ kūpuna.
To take the survey, click here.

Pride Pāʻina Lā ʻOhana
2023-02-11 18:00 - 21:00 | Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, HI, 96817, United States
Join us on Saturday, February 11 from 6pm-9pm for the first annual Pride Pā’ina Lā ‘Ohana, a Pride Family Event at the Bishop Museum.
An all-ages gathering, the Pā’ina will include food, activities, Hawaiian / Pacific crafts, vendors, a resource fair, music and entertainment by DJ A.i.T. and Cocoa Chandelier, and will feature a high school drag competition. Itʻs a celebration of queer youth and ‘ohana and will be lots of fun for the entire family!
This community celebration is organized by the Māhūi and Youth Hui of the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation. If youʻre interested in tabling at this event to share how your organization is supporting youth leadership development, advocacy and community encouragement, please contact Tati Kalaniʻōpua Young at Tatiana@HawaiiLGBTlegacy.com.
The Pride Pā’ina Lā ‘Ohanais free, and all are welcome. (Donations will be gladly accepted). We look forward to seeing you!
RSVP here.
PLEASE NOTE: The Hawai‘i LGBT Legacy Foundation (“Foundation”), at their sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse admission to or eject any person behaving dangerously or inappropriately. Admission and security representatives of the Foundation reserve the right to refuse entry and to eject anyone from the Event, without limitation, for safety and health reasons. The Foundation reserves the right to conduct security searches and to refuse admission to You, or eject You from the Venue, should You refuse to comply with such security measures. The Foundation reserves the right to confiscate any item which, in their reasonable opinion, may cause danger or disruption at the Event.

Registration Open: 2022 Honolulu Pride Parade & Festival
2022-09-15 | Online
Registration for the 2022 Honolulu Pride Parade & Festival is now open!
Join us on Saturday, October 15 for a grand (and fabulous) parade down Kalākaua Avenue in the heart of Waikīkī and the Honolulu Pride Festival at the Waikīkī Shell / Diamond Head Greens.
We welcome non-profits, friends and family groups, businesses, government agencies, faith organizations, professional associations, community groups, student groups and, well, everyone! Join the community and make a statement, send out some LGBTQIA+ aloha, and share your pride!
To register for the PARADE, click here.
To register for the FESTIVAL, click here.
E komo mai!

The Queer Perspective and the Future of Weddings and Events
2022-08-06 14:00 - 16:00 | Ka Waiwai ma Mō’ili’ili, 1110 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI, 96826, United States
Join us for our next Rainbow Town Hall on August 6 at Ka Waiwai. Hear from some of Hawai’i’s premier businesses about how queer perspectives are reimagining how we celebrate our personal, professional and community bonds.
This two-part event, hosted by the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation in collaboration with the Gay Agenda Collective, will include a ticketed diversity and inclusion training workshop, and then a free panel discussion with queer business owners.
Part 1: 10:00 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
The Gay Agenda Collective will conduct a training that will be split into three different sessions. The first will be an introduction to inclusion and allyship. The second will be focused on identity training. Then following lunch will be the final session on how to implement allyship and inclusion in your business. The cost for this training session is $20, and you must buy a ticket in order to participate. Limited seating. Bento lunch will be provided.
Part 2: 1pm p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Rainbow Town Hall entitled “The Queer Perspective and the Future of Weddings and Events.” The panelists will be queer business owners on island. This portion of the training will be free and open to the public. Light pupus will be provided.
With Ipo and Zabrina from the Gay Agenda Collective, Mahina of Mahina Choy Photography, Braxton and Maurice from Ho’okipa Events and Felica of Spirits of Aloha Bartending.
For more information, and to purchase your ticket for the WORKSHOP, click here.
For more information, and to register for the free PANEL DISCUSSION, click here.

Fathers & ...
2022-06-30 | @honolulupride
Community members from the full spectrum of sexuality and family composition share their experiences with their own fathers, and how they understand their role as paternal nurturers today in this portrait project by Kimo Lauer for Fatherʻs Day 2022. “FATHERS & …” is a project of the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation. Presented by Central Pacific Bank. Visit https://bit.ly/FathersAnd
#HawaiiFathersAnd #LGBTQIA @honolulupride @cpb_hawaii @photosbykimo

Fathers & ... A Queer Portrait Project for Fatherʻs Day
2022-06-15
A Queer Portrait Project for Fatherʻs Day, June 19, 2022. Weʻre looking for queer folx who want to share their story and have a portrait taken with their father, or queer fathers with their child, or mothers who are also fathers, or even three generations of family, with at least one queer member. Chosen families are especially welcome! The portraits will premiere on our social media channels on June 19, 2022. Please contact Nathan Leo or Sandy Livingston for more information.
A project of the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation, with Kimo Lauer Photography, presented by Central Pacific Bank.

Rainbow Town Hall: What it means to be LGBTQ+ and in the Law
2022-04-26 18:30 - 19:30 | Online
Join us for our next Rainbow Town Hall: What it means to be LGBTQ+ and in the Law on Tuesday, April 26 at 6:30pm. Featuring U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit law clerk D. Dangaran, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Williams S. Richardson School of Law Nicholas A. Mirkay and Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Hawaiʻi Kalikoʻonalani Fernandes. The panelists will share the sometimes complex intersections between their lived experiences as LGBTQ+ people and their work in the legal system in Hawaiʻi.
To register for this webinar presented by the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation and Lambda Law at the University of Hawaiʻi, click here.

Share Your Theme Ideas for 2022 Honolulu Pride
2022-02-14
The Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation is asking the community to share their ideas for the theme of 2022 Honolulu Pride. If your theme is selected by the Honolulu Pride team, youʻll receive VIP access to our events during Honolulu Pride in October 2022! Over the past few years themes have included “I Am Pride”, “Shaka And Shine” and “Celebrate The Rainbow.” Each captured something important about the moment, our aspirations, and the way we are building LGBTQIA+ community here in Hawai’i nei. What should this yearʻs theme be?
CLICK HERE.

#LOVEMAKESLIFE @HonoluluPride
2022-02-14 | @honolulupride
Send a message to your Valentine @HonoluluPride. Share some love with the one that means the world to you.
Love makes life truly awesome, and although there are many that we hold in our hearts, thereʻs always that unique someone whoʻs really special. Is it your lover, your best friend, your companion animal, your spouse, a member of your family? Whoʻs that special someone who takes your life to another level of compassion, healing, learning, joy?
Weʻve been celebrating on our social media channels the amazing and diverse ways that the LGBTQIA+ community creates and nurtures family. Join in the next phase of our project. Who do you love? Visit @HonoluluPride and @HonoluluPrideFamilies.
For more information, contact Joshua@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com or Charyl@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com

#LGBTQfamily @HonoluluPride
2022-01-03 | @honolulupride
#LGBTQfamily @HonoluluPride. Celebrate the many forms our families take by sharing your photos of family gatherings during this holiday season.
As the ballroom legend and advocate Hector Xtravaganza of the House of Xtravaganza famously said, “Blood does not family make. Those are relatives. Family are those with whom you share your good, bad and ugly, and still love one another in the end. Those are the ones you select.”
Watch the short reel by HonoluluPride on Instagram and share the beauty of the diversity of LBTQIA+ families: given, chosen, extended. Post your pics on our Instagram channels @honolulupride and @hononlulupridefamilies. Tell us what makes your ‘ohana special to you!
For more information, contact Joshua@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com or Charyl@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com

https://hawaiilgbtlegacyfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Final-LGBTQ-Family-short.mp4

Honolulu Pride: Shaka And Shine
2021-11-09 | Online
Shaka And Shine — this year’s Honolulu Pride special program hosted by Cocoa Chandelier and Ākea Kahikina—premiered on KHON2 and is now available at HonoluluPride.com. Learn about Hawaii’s LGBTQIA+ trailblazers like the drag artist family Party Monsters Haus, HHHRC outreach workers Maddalynn Sesepasara and Shalani Dante, and long-time couple and design partners Jim Corry and Evans Siskel.
Special thanks to Rainbows Over Waikiki Presenting Sponsor Hawaiian Airlines and our Visionary Sponsors Bank of Hawaii, Alaska Airlines, First Hawaiian Bank, KHON2 and American Savings Bank.

Honolulu Pride Guide Online
2021-10-29 | Online
The 2021 Honolulu Pride Guide is now online. Vote for your favorite Tiny Floats, join us for the Rainbow Town Hall series, and the Faces of Pride: Coming Out Stories project. And don’t miss the Shaka And Shine and Virtual After Party videos. Head over to the Pride Guide by clicking here.

Through October 17: Rainbows Over Waikīkī
2021-10-17 | Waikiki
Thanks to Rainbows Over Waikīkī Presenting Sponsor Hawaiian Airlines, there are dozens of Rainbow Banners along Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalākaua Avenue during Honolulu Pride Month, sharing LGBTQ+ Pride and Aloha. Post your pictures to social media using #RainbowsOverWaikiki. Send them to us and your photos might appear right here on the Honolulu Pride 2022 Rainbows Over Waikīkī website. Questions or comments? Please contact Nathan Leo Happy Pride!

Shaka And Shine: Honolulu Pride on KHON2 & KHII
2021-10-14 20:00 - 20:30 | KHON2
Don’t miss Shaka And Shine–this year’s Honolulu Pride special program on KHON2 hosted by Candi Shell and Matt Guevara and featuring entertainers, influencers and trailblazers from Hawaii’s LGBTQIA+ community. The show will premiere on Thursday, October 14 at 8:00pm on KHON, and will be rebroadcast on Friday, October 15 at 7:30pm on KHII, Saturday, October 16 at 8:00pm on KHON, and Sunday, October 17 at 8:00pm on KHII.
Special thanks to Rainbows Over Waikiki Presenting Sponsor Hawaiian Airlines and our Visionary Sponsors Bank of Hawaii, Alaska Airlines, First Hawaiian Bank, KHON2 and American Savings Bank.
Stay tuned for more details, and Shaka And Shine!

Through October 31: Faces of Pride
2021-09-29 | @honolulupride
Faces Of Pride is a new Instagram project for 2021 Honolulu Pride curated by designer, photographer and creative Joshua Kamei. It explores the awesome diversity within Hawaii’s LGBTQI+ community, sharing individual’s past journeys, current passions, and hopes for the future. Joshua recently moved back to Hawaii after living and working in New York, where he made his name in the fashion industry. We’re excited to showcase this new project, and to see ourselves through Joshua’s uniquely warm and open perspective.
To view Faces of Pride, click here.

Now online: Engagement Party Rainbow Town Hall
2021-07-09 | Online
A recording of the May 25 Engagement Party Rainbow Town Hall, presented by the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation, is now streaming on our website. Watch this fascinating discussion about Hawaii’s early, pivotal role in achieving marriage equality, featuring Sasha Issenberg, author of the new book “The Engagement: American’s Quarter-Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage”. Joining Sasha were the Hon. Dan Foley, Sen. Chris Lee, Genora Dancel, Rep. Scott Saiki and Dean Hamer. You can purchase your own hard copy of the book by visiting local bookstore da Shop, our community partner for the Rainbow Town Hall event.

Registration now open: Honolulu Pride Ride
2021-05-28
During the month of June fly your rainbow colors in the Honolulu Pride Ride across the streets, bike lanes and pathways of Oahu or anywhere in Hawaii (or around the world). Choose your own routes and distances; ride solo or in single household or small groups. There will also be a series of hosted group rides.
Be creative and fabulous, and show what #HNLPrideRide means to you! We’re celebrating freedom, love and the fact that we’re still here. We’ll be partnering with Biki, offering a chance to try Honolulu’s bikeshare (or enjoy it more). For more information and to share your idea for a hosted group ride please e-mail: info@hawaiilgbtlegacy.com
Together, we’ll showcase Hawaii as a fun and welcoming place for LGBTQ+, our friends, families and allies, and promote cycling as a safe and healthy activity for our community.
The proceeds will help to underwrite Honolulu Pride in October.
For more information and to register, click here.

Engagement Party Rainbow Town Hall
2021-05-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
The journey to marriage equality began right here in Hawaii in 1991 when three same-sex couples sued for the right to marry, and the Hawaii State Supreme Court eventually found the state’s refusal to do so discriminatory. Hawaii was poised to become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Yet, marriage equality wasn’t achieved in Hawaii until 2013 when then Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act. So what happened?
Join us online Tuesday May 25 from 6-8pm HST for a premiere special event with author Sasha Issenberg, speaking about how this remarkable episode sparked a national movement, as he discusses his latest book The Engagement: America’s Quarter-Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage.
The Engagement will conclude with a Rainbow Town Hall featuring Hawaii panelists with unique perspectives from the courtroom and the Capitol. Moderated by award-winning filmmaker Dean Hamer, guests will include the Honorable Dan Foley, original plaintiff Genora Duncel, Hawaii Speaker of the House Scott Saiki and Hawaii Senator Chris Lee.
Purchase your tickets here.
Tickets include a hard cover edition of the book or Kindle version, plus a signed bookplate from Sasha.
O: The Oprah Magazine included The Engagement on its list of “32 LGBTQ Books That Will Change the Literary Landscape in 2021,” calling it “part Grisham-esque legal thriller, part Sorkin-esque political drama, and part Maddow-esque historical yarn.”
Rainbow Town Hall
Dean Hamer — (Moderator) is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker, New York Times Book of the Year author, and National Institutes of Health scientist with a long history in communicating complex and controversial ideas to diverse audiences. His research helped change public understanding of human sexuality, and his innovative storytelling has led to popular books and documentaries on a variety of subjects, including the recent Oscar-shortlisted Kapaemahu. He lives on the North Shore of Oahu with his husband and partner Joe Wilson.Honorable Dan Foley – Distinguished jurist and champion of civil rights. He represented the plaintiffs in the original marriage equality suit against the Department of Health. His career has been rooted in civil rights equality in Hawaii. Today he serves as a nonresident Justice of the Supreme Court of Palau.
Genora Dancel – She boldly took on the cause of equality and public spokesperson as one of the original plaintiffs in a case that would be decided in her favor by the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Speaker of the House Scott Saiki – As a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives since 1994, Sen. Sakai was one of just a few members who voted against a proposed constitutional amendment in 1997 to authorize the Legislature to ban same-sex marriages. The tide against marriage equality was sweeping out then and few politicians were willing to risk doing the right thing.
Representative Chris Lee – As a freshman legislator in 2008 he boldly advocated for civil unions at a time when many saw even this small step, as too much, too soon. In 2013, he served as spokesperson for the Hawaii United for Marriage campaign. “It’s never the wrong time to do the right thing.”
We’ll be ordering all the hardcover books through Kaimuki’s own da Shop: books + curiosities, a local store that embraces the people and stories of Hawaii. You will receive an e-mail when the book is available for you to pick up (best option for people on Oahu). A kindle version of the book is also available. Shipping of hard cover books is not offered at this time. All prices include HI GET.A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation and our mission to support, empower, educate, unify, and facilitate LGBT organizations and individuals in Hawaii.
Purchase your tickets here.
Sasha Issenberg is the author of three previous books, on topics ranging from the global sushi business to medical tourism and the science of political campaigns. He covered the 2008 election as a national political reporter in the Washington bureau of The Boston Globe, the 2012 election for Slate, the 2016 election for Bloomberg Politics and Businessweek, and 2020 for The Recount. He is the Washington correspondent for Monocle, and has also written for New York magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and George, where he served as a contributing editor. He teaches in the political science department at UCLA. Read his magazine, newspaper, and other published work here.

Tickets now on sale: The Engagement Party Rainbow Town Hall with author Sasha Issenberg
2021-05-24 | Online
The journey to marriage equality began right here in Hawaii in 1991 when three same-sex couples sued for the right to marry, and the Hawaii State Supreme Court eventually found the state’s refusal to do so discriminatory. Hawaii was poised to become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. Yet, marriage equality wasn’t achieved in Hawaii until 2013 when then Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act. So what happened?
Join us online Tuesday May 25 from 6-8pm HST for a premiere special event with author Sasha Issenberg, speaking about how this remarkable episode sparked a national movement, as he discusses his latest book The Engagement: America’s Quarter-Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage.
The Engagement will conclude with a Rainbow Town Hall featuring Hawaii panelists with unique perspectives from the courtroom and the Capitol. Moderated by award-winning filmmaker Dean Hamer, guests will include the Honorable Dan Foley, original plaintiff Genora Duncel, Hawaii Speaker of the House Scott Saiki and Hawaii Senator Chris Lee.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Tickets include a hard cover edition of the book or Kindle version, plus a signed bookplate from Sasha.
O: The Oprah Magazine included The Engagement on its list of “32 LGBTQ Books That Will Change the Literary Landscape in 2021,” calling it “part Grisham-esque legal thriller, part Sorkin-esque political drama, and part Maddow-esque historical yarn.”
Rainbow Town Hall
Dean Hamer — (Moderator) is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker, New York Times Book of the Year author, and National Institutes of Health scientist with a long history in communicating complex and controversial ideas to diverse audiences. His research helped change public understanding of human sexuality, and his innovative storytelling has led to popular books and documentaries on a variety of subjects, including the recent Oscar-shortlisted Kapaemahu. He lives on the North Shore of Oahu with his husband and partner Joe Wilson.
Honorable Dan Foley – Distinguished jurist and champion of civil rights. He represented the plaintiffs in the original marriage equality suit against the Department of Health. His career has been rooted in civil rights equality in Hawaii. Today he serves as a nonresident Justice of the Supreme Court of Palau.
Genora Dancel – She boldly took on the cause of equality and public spokesperson as one of the original plaintiffs in a case that would be decided in her favor by the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Speaker of the House Scott Saiki – As a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives since 1994, Sen. Sakai was one of just a few members who voted against a proposed constitutional amendment in 1997 to authorize the Legislature to ban same-sex marriages. The tide against marriage equality was sweeping out then and few politicians were willing to risk doing the right thing.
Representative Chris Lee – As a freshman legislator in 2008 he boldly advocated for civil unions at a time when many saw even this small step, as too much, too soon. In 2013, he served as spokesperson for the Hawaii United for Marriage campaign. “It’s never the wrong time to do the right thing.”
We’ll be ordering all the hardcover books through Kaimuki’s own da Shop: books + curiosities, a local store that embraces the people and stories of Hawaii. You will receive an e-mail when the book is available for you to pick up (best option for people on Oahu). A kindle version of the book is also available. Shipping of hard cover books is not offered at this time. All prices include HI GET.A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation and our mission to support, empower, educate, unify, and facilitate LGBT organizations and individuals in Hawaii.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Sasha Issenberg is the author of three previous books, on topics ranging from the global sushi business to medical tourism and the science of political campaigns. He covered the 2008 election as a national political reporter in the Washington bureau of The Boston Globe, the 2012 election for Slate, the 2016 election for Bloomberg Politics and Businessweek, and 2020 for The Recount. He is the Washington correspondent for Monocle, and has also written for New York magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and George, where he served as a contributing editor. He teaches in the political science department at UCLA. Read his magazine, newspaper, and other published work here.
