About Lahaina Strong
Lahaina Strong is a Maui-based grassroots community organization committed to building a resilient, sustainable, and just future for Lahaina and all of Hawaii. We are organized, resident-led, and rooted in Hawaiian values.
Fighting for the Future Lahaina Deserves
Lahaina Strong was first formed in 2018 after smaller West Maui fires threatened our community. Led by resident Jordan Ruidas, we launched a fundraiser that raised over $60,000 to support families who lost their homes and belongings.
When the August 8, 2023 wildfire killed over 102 people and destroyed more than 2,200 structures, we reactivated with greater determination than ever. What began as disaster relief has grown into a full-scale movement for housing justice, water rights restoration, and community-controlled recovery.
We fight to prevent speculative land grabs, keep Lahaina lands in local hands, and ensure the people of Lahaina control the future of their hometown. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and the long work of systemic change.
"Lahaina Strong recognizes that restoring our water rights is essential not only to prevent future disasters but to ensure the wellbeing of our community for generations to come."
"We are committed to fighting the entrenched systems of corruption that have long plagued Hawaii. We stand for transparency, accountability, and a recovery that puts people before profit."
"By the community, for the community."
Jordan Ruidas and Courtney Lazo at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol
Our Values
Community Control
Lahaina residents must lead their own recovery. Outside developers, state agencies, and corporate interests do not get to dictate the future of our hometown.
Housing Justice
Every displaced family deserves dignified, affordable, long-term housing in Lahaina. We oppose speculative land grabs and short-term rental conversions that push survivors out.
Water Rights
Restoring water rights is essential to prevent future disasters and ensure the wellbeing of Lahaina's people. Water is a sacred resource, not a commodity.
Cultural Integrity
Lahaina is ʻāina, history, and people. Every program we run integrates Hawaiian values, ensuring recovery honors the deep roots that made Lahaina home.
Systemic Change
Immediate relief matters, but it is not enough. We work toward long-term structural changes in housing policy, land use, water management, and energy resilience.
Accountability
We demand transparency from FEMA, state agencies, and elected officials. Lahaina deserves equitable institutions that answer to the community, not to capital.
The People Behind the Movement
Jordan Ruidas
Jordan Ruidas is a proud Lahaina local and Lahainaluna graduate. She is the founder of Lahaina Strong, which she originally started in 2018 to raise funds for victims of smaller West Maui fires. A mother of three, Jordan reactivated the organization after the August 8, 2023 wildfire and has been on the front lines of recovery organizing ever since. Led by her, Lahaina Strong raised over $60,000 to support families who lost their homes in 2018 and has since grown into the most visible grassroots advocacy organization in Lahaina's history.
Pa'ele Kiakona
Pāʻele Kiakona is the driving force behind Lahaina Strong's public advocacy, uniting the team and ensuring the community has a seat at the table for all critical conversations. A Lahaina native and president of the Save Honolua Coalition, Pāʻele became known nationally when he biked 13 miles through smoke, wind, and chaos on August 8, 2023 to save his grandmother from the Lahaina wildfire. He has since become one of the most recognized voices for Lahaina residents in legislative hearings, press conferences, and community gatherings.
Courtney Lazo
Courtney Lazo is a Native Hawaiian whose roots run over 15 generations deep in Lahaina. She carries the legacy of her ancestors and Lahaina's storied past with fierce pride. As the only homeowning fire survivor actively navigating the full recovery process for her own family, her grandmother, and her father's properties, Courtney brings unmatched lived insight into what real recovery looks like on the ground. She is Lahaina Strong's most deeply connected community member, the heart behind the Lahaina Strong Mākeke events, and a steadfast mental health advocate ensuring survivors get the emotional and cultural support they need to heal and rebuild. She advocates for residents at every level of the recovery process.
De Andre Makakoa Takahashi
De Andre Makakoa is the creative force behind the powerful visual storytelling of Lahaina Strong. A Native Hawaiian father, filmmaker, and community videographer born and raised on Maui, De Andre is Courtney's little brother and uses his lens to capture the heart of the community and amplify their voices. He lost everything in the 2023 Lahaina wildfire. He co-produced Lahaina Rising, an award-winning documentary about the community's fight for a just recovery, and continues to produce and share testimonies, livestreams, and cultural media projects that keep the world watching Lahaina.
Lauryn Rego
Affectionately known as the Team Mom of Lahaina Strong, Lauryn Rego brings over a decade of experience in grassroots organizing and environmental advocacy to the team. Her steady presence, institutional knowledge, and deep care for the people of Lahaina make her an essential anchor of the organization.
Stand With Lahaina
Community-led, resident-first. If this work matters to you, contribute and help keep us fighting.
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