Inspired by Aloha

Inspired by Aloha

Inspired by Aloha is all about fostering a global community rooted in the timeless value of Aloha. Each episode, we'll share heartwarming stories, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and invite special guests to inspire and motivate our listeners to perpetuate acts of Aloha in their own lives and communities.

  1. 5d ago

    S3 | EP 3: Just Breathe ~ A Life Changing Practice

    🌤️"...we all have that brightness. I mean, I can see it in each of you right now. It's just the stress in our lives sometimes covers it up. So that's how I think about SKY breath work...it's like a shower for my brain...like it washes away the dust and dirt and all the little stressors that we carry in our nervous systems, and then that allows the light to shine through. So what you're seeing in me is in you. Like that's why you can see it, and as we do these practices, as we let go of stress, that light just shines brighter and brighter." ~ Kelly Kennedy, SKY Happiness Teacher In this episode of Inspired by Aloha, the IBA crew welcomes Kelly Kennedy, an ESL educator and certified SKY Campus Happiness teacher, for a conversation about the power of breath, mindfulness, and connection. Kelly shares her journey from supporting students in finding their voices to discovering practices that helped her navigate stress, burnout, and life’s challenges. Together, they discuss and explore how breathwork and meditation can create space for greater calm, resilience, presence, and joy and how these practices connect to the deeper meaning of aloha. From the classroom to our everyday lives, Kelly reminds us that wellness begins with something we carry with us everywhere and every day: our breath.  Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

  2. 12/17/2025

    S2 | EP 6: Kilo, Culture, and the Wisdom of Kaulana Mahina

    "...it wasn't till I actually started taking Hawaiian language classes that I learned a lot. And you know with language comes culture right. They're intertwined. You can't separate one from the other. So that's when I really learned my culture too."  ~ Haunani Miyasato, Educator and Founder of Kaulana Mahina The Inspired by Aloha crew welcomes Hawaiʻi island educator, entrepreneur, and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi advocate Haunani Miyasato, the visionary behind Kaulana Mahina, a cultural learning platform rooted in ʻike kūpuna, lived practices, and a deep commitment to giving our keiki the tools to kilo (observe) and connect with the ʻāina. What begins as a talk story about learning ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi to support her immersion-school children unfolds into a moving journey of persistence, identity, and purpose. Haunani shares how a rigorous college course on the mahina (moon) cracked her world open, revealing how lunar cycles shape fishing, planting, harvesting, and even our own energy. Using what she learned, she transformed her knowledge into a Hawaiian moon calendar, created entirely in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi to preserve the cultural meaning and mana embedded in the language. The crew explore how aloha is perpetuated through intentional, high-quality work, such as research grounded in Hawaiian scholarship to collaboration with cultural practitioners and correcting inaccuracies in resources such as ahupuaʻa maps. Haunani also shares the practice of kilo, explaining how careful observation can support sustainability, mindfulness, and deeper connection to place.  This episode is for anyone who has ever felt called back to language, culture, or ʻike and wondered if it’s “too late” to begin. Haunani reminds us that you don’t have to be an expert to start. You just have to take the time to learn and find a way to pass it on. Mahalo nui to Haunani Miyasato for bringing the moon, the maps, the moʻolelo, and the mana to Inspired by Aloha. Your efforts keep Hawaiian culture alive for the lāhui and our future generations! Follow Kaulana Mahina: @kaulana.mahina on Instagram and visit kaulanamahina.com. Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

  3. 12/08/2025

    S2 | EP 5: Talk Story Time ~ Art in Motion: Living Hawaiian Culture Through Mele and Mural

    The Inspired by Aloha crew gather to reflect on their heartfelt conversations with three remarkable cultural practitioners: Aunty Kuʻuipo Kumukahi, Jeninne Heleloa, and muralist John “Prime” Hina. What starts as a casual catch-up evolves into a rich exploration of art as kuleana, connection to culture, and the transformative power of being given the space to grow. Fresh from time spent with the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society at their headquarters in Maunalua and a morning immersed in John Prime’s artistic world, the hosts unpack the magic of meeting people who live their craft with intention. They celebrate the aunties’ dedication to authentic mele, Prime’s journey from tagger to cultural community educator, and the many ways each uses their gifts to uplift the lāhui and inspire the next generation. From moonlit mural sessions to memories of learning mele as keiki, this episode honors those who “plant seeds for trees whose shade they’ll never enjoy,” choosing to perpetuate Hawaiian culture with love, integrity, and aloha. Whether you’re an artist, teacher, cultural practitioner, or someone still discovering your gift, this Talk Story gently reminds us that there is always time, always space, and always purpose in the journey of becoming. Mahalo nui to Auntie Kuʻuipo, Jeninne, and Prime for inspiring us all to find and share our gifts with the world. Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

  4. 11/26/2025

    S2 | EP 4: Painting the Past, Healing the Future ~ Inside the Heart of Prime Hina

    “We’re not just painting walls. We’re locking in the DNA, the mana, and the stories of the community.”  ~ John "Prime" Hina Get ready for "Prime Time!" In this powerful, laughter-filled, chicken-skin conversation, Amy, Erin, and Shareen sit with renowned graffiti artist, philosopher, farmer, and storyteller John “Prime” Hina, founder of 808 Urban and Dear Love Story. From tagging his first bedroom wall in the 1980s to building one of Hawaiʻi’s most influential community art movements, Prime shares the unexpected path that transformed an outlaw art form into a vessel for culture, healing, and connection. He takes us deep into 808 Urban’s signature mural process (manalima, pilialoha, moʻokāpala, and moʻolelo) and explains how every handprint, every drop of water, and every story woven into a wall carries the DNA of its people. Prime reflects on fatherhood, the moment his keiki “discovered” tagging, and the decision that reignited his artistic purpose. He opens his heart about legacy, lōkahi, microbes, Hawaiian knowledge, Korean Natural Farming, and his newest body of work with Dear Love Story, including his innovative, culturally grounded “lei” art series, community-driven coloring books, and a commitment to documenting stories for future generations. “People see a pretty mural. The community sees generations of moʻolelo in color.”  This episode reminds us that art is more than a picture, it’s a living process, a sacred space, and a bridge between ancestors and keiki. And as always, Prime brings the humor, the truth, and the deep wisdom only a master storyteller can deliver. Witness Prime's incredible impact in our world at https://www.808urban.org/ and https://dearlovestory.com Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

  5. 08/02/2025

    S2 | EP3: Ka Makana o Mele: The Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society Shares Sounds of Aloha

    🎶 Recorded live from the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society in Maunalua, Oʻahu. “My mother was putting the Hawaiian words into my mouth through mele, because my father wouldn’t speak Hawaiian to me…but at least I would have the words in my mouth through mele.”       ~ Aunty Kuʻuipo Kumukahi In this very special Inspired by Aloha episode, the crew takes their first road trip to Maunalua (aka Hawaiʻi Kai) to sit down with two remarkable women: Aunty Kuʻuipo Kumukahi and Jeninne Heleloa, co-founders of the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society (HMPS). Together, they share powerful stories of ʻohana, mele, and resilience. From kolohe childhood memories and musical roots to the founding of HMPS during COVID, their mission continues to be the preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian culture through song. Filled with laughter, emotion, and deep cultural insights, this episode reminds us that Aloha is more than a word. It is a soothing melody that washes over the soul and deeply connects us in ways we never thought possible. It is a way of life, passed down, protected, and meant to be shared with future generations. This episode is all heart, humor, and the living Aloha. Whether you're kanaka ʻōiwi, kamaʻāina, or just beginning your journey to understand Hawaiʻi, this conversation will both uplift and ground you.  As a special bonus, Aunty Kuʻuipo graces us with her beautiful, mesmerizing leo, a voice that invites you to close your eyes, listen deeply, and feel your heart overflow with gratitude.  We hope you enjoy this gift of mele from the Hawaiian Music Perpetuation Society! 🎶👉🏽Check them out today at https://www.hmpshawaii.com/ Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

  6. 05/23/2025

    S2 | EP 2: Talk Story Time ~ Bees and Breakthroughs: When Your Passion Drives Your Purpose

    "Your story will help lots of people too. YOUR Story will help people realize that they're not alone, that they have someone. There's so many people that hold safe spaces for you to come and talk to them and have help." ~ Shareen Poynter Get ready for an episode packed with inspirational stories and plenty of "aha!" moments where Amy, Erin, and Shareen reflect on their conversations with two incredible guests who are turning passion into purpose in wildly different, but equally amazing, ways! First, they reflect on the good work of visionary founders of Kilohana Farms and Big Island Meadery, Vanessa Houle and Devin Magallanes (Season 1, EP 13), who are not only crafting delicious honey products and mead, but also using their platform to educate communities about the vital role bees play in our agricultural ecosystems, and what we risk if we don’t protect them. Then, the conversation continues around the impactful contributions of Keala Thompson (Season 2, EP 1), creator of an international business dedicated to guiding individuals toward personal growth, mental well-being, and discovering their deeper purpose in life. His dedication to his own self-healing in order to help others do the same is truly a model of behavior to be celebrated. From sustainable farming to mental health empowerment, this episode is a heartfelt exploration about personal stories of passion and grace from everyday people who do extraordinary acts of aloha!  May you find the moments to celebrate and the courage to share YOUR STORY, because within you lies the power to inspire, uplift, and help others thrive! Connect with your Inspired by Aloha (IBA) crew! We look forward to hearing from you! Instagram:  @inspiredbyaloha808 Email:  inspiredbyaloha808@gmail.com

Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

Inspired by Aloha is all about fostering a global community rooted in the timeless value of Aloha. Each episode, we'll share heartwarming stories, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and invite special guests to inspire and motivate our listeners to perpetuate acts of Aloha in their own lives and communities.