Aleysia Kaha

Aleysia has a deep aloha for ʻāina and appreciates all of the ways to connect to and learn from the land. Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Aleysia is a native Hawaiian artist, gardener, and mother of 2 boys. “I'm inspired by the imagery of Hawaiʻi landscapes, the stories fill the spaces between each line I draw and through my art, the poetry is expressed.” In addition to her love for art, she received her Bachelor of Science in Agroecology and Environmental Quality with a certificate in Hawaiian culture. Her degree pushed her towards environmental education, where she supported the Ulu Lehulehu Million ʻŌhiʻa Initiative as well as the Teaching Change program as an Americorps intern. In recognizing the importance of higher education and how it opened doors for her, she worked at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo to support Native Hawaiian Students in navigating their academic pathways and receiving their degrees. In her training and position as a paimāna advocate, she supported learners in Hawaiʻi Life Ways under Lonoa Honua. “Looking towards the future, I am grateful to the community that raised me, the land that feeds me and I look forward to continuing to share what I love, to expose our ʻōpio to all of the possibilities, to be curious, to be inspired and in kinship with their ʻāina.”