What is to be loved about Kalihi?

First, I believe you have to consider Kalihi home to love it.  And by home, it does not mean just a place where you grew up in but a place that gave you a feeling of belonging.  That, no matter how far you have traveled and how much success you have achieved, you can still say that it is the place that gave you strength, self, and character.

Second, I believe that part of loving Kalihi is being grateful for what it has done for you.  Whether you were born and raised in Kalihi or you migrated from another country, that you feel Kalihi welcomed you with open arms.  That, because of its simple and maybe in some cases challenging way of life, you strove to be a better person.

Third, I believe that Kalihi has so much to offer that all along people have taken advantaged of yet, sometimes have not realized.  Kalihi has a concentration of businesses people hailed as the best in all of Hawaii.  It also has many services that support low-income families and it has opportunities for young people to learn from.  Being home to many churches, it can claim as well as a place where people found inner peace and resolution.  And perhaps the many people who made a difference in the society who claim roots to this place are the best offering Kalihi can ever have.

Last, I believe that Kalihi has so much potential to grow.  Given its ideal topography, it is considerably a cool place to live, particularly in the valleys.  It is near Punchbowl, Downtown, and Waikiki towards the east, Maunapuna, Moanalua, and Salt Lake to the west, and Kaneohe, He’eia, and Kailua to the north.  Kalihi consists of mountain, valleys, plain and the sea.  The land is fertile for planting and although there is not much room for farming now there are still natural springs in the neighborhood as proof of its arable past.  It is the home of the largest private school campus in Hawaii with more than 3,000 students and the home of a museum and learning center with an extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts and valuables of historical significance from the different cultures of the world.  Kalihi is home of the oldest schools in Hawaii and maybe even in the nation.  And because it is the most ideal place of settlement during the plantation era, different cultures have left indelible marks in the neighborhood.

The list can go on and on and I hope that in the near future I may be able to share with everyone about the things that are unique, relevant, nurturing, and many more reasons why I love Kalihi.