Healani Sonoda-Pale & Nate Yuen Honored
Koani Foundation Director Leon Siu Presents The Awards For Healani Sonoda-Pale & Nate Yuen. Accepting For Nate Yuenʻs Ohana is Mialisa Otis.
The Koani Foundation has given its eleventh annual Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Awards honoring two significant Hawaiian Kingdom patriots yesterday, Sunday, July 30th at Thomas Square Park in Honolulu.
The awards presentation took place at Thomas Square as part of a daylong observance of La Ho`iho`i Ea, Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day.
The 2023 honorees are Healani Sonoda-Pale and the late Nate Yuen.
Healani Sonoda-Pale is a long time Hawaiian rights activist and chair of the Ka Lāhui Hawai`i Political Action Committee. She is honored for her years of remarkable achievements in helping to protect Mauna Kea, her involvement as one of the O`ahu Water Protectors advocating for clean drinking water at Red Hill and her leadership in protecting O`ahuʻs environment. Healani is awarded the 2023 Hawaiian Kingdom Living Patriot Award.
Nate Yuen is honored in recognition of a lifetime for love of all things Hawaiian. As a naturalist, hiker, photographer and member of the Sierra Club, he had a passion for preserving and capturing images of Hawai`iʻs nature and natural resources. Nate was a former commissioner at Natural Area Reserves System Hawai`i. He is honored with the the 2023 posthumous Hawaiian Kingdom Patriot Award.
“Healani is an amazing and effective leader for Hawai`i, itʻs `aina and people. Her years of work advocating in the legislature as well as her leadership in protecting Hawai`iʻs natural resources is amazing. Anyone who knows Healani Sonoda-Pale and her many significant accomplishments cannot fail to be impressed with her deep dedication and love of Hawai`i and itʻs people,” states Koani Foundation director `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell.
“Nate Yuen was a member of the Nature Conservancy, a volunteer for the Conservation Council of Hawai`i, the Bishop Museum, Preserve and Protect Hawai`i and so many other organizations dedicated to protecting Hawai`ʻs environment. Nate was a true inspiration to us all,” remarked Koani Foundation director Leon Siu.
Hawaiian Sovereignty Restoration Day marks July 31,1843 when British Admiral Richard Thomas ordered the Union Jack lowered and the Hawaiian Kingdom flag hoisted above Honolulu, ending five months of British occupation and restoring the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom government to legitimate power.
