What began with learning to grow a few native Hawaiian medicinal plants and use them, led to wanting to grow my own food and a backyard aquaponics system courtesy of MALAMA Aquaponics. Then the world shut down and the need for food security and sustainability became apparent. Malama ʻāina became an important concept that stuck with me and led me here to this ʻāina and this community. I am very grateful to be here, to have this opportunity to build ʻĀina Kūlohelohe (natural land), to the many amazing people I've come to call friends along this huakaʻi and to malama the place that raised me.