Our History

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Adrian Nakea Silva founded Hui Huliau in 2011 after recognizing the social and economic needs of his own community. As a Native Hawaiian, he wanted to use his leadership abilities to help his people overcome the challenges of unemployment and poverty through education and increased self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Adrian also has a passion for preserving the rich Native Hawaiian heritage and the legacy left to Native Hawaiians by their ancestors. His own work through the years with nonprofit organizations reinforced his belief that cultural awareness and opportunity breed success, and leaders are nurtured and developed through programs that expose them to ideas, skills, and mentors who can guide their growth.

 

As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Hui Huliau operates on tax-deductible donations and profits earned from for-profit companies owned by Hui Huilau to generate revenues that sustain community enrichment programs. The Hui Huliau ohana (family) of companies works in harmony to support a common mission and to deliver the highest levels of service possible to all stakeholders. This includes providing rapid, reliable responses to our external customers, our internal customers, as well as our donors and benefactors. Our team has decades of experience in their respective fields and applies that expertise to every project we undertake.

 

At the heart of our work is the knowledge that Hui Huliau offers an underserved population of Native Hawaiian keiki (youth), kupuna (elders), and koa kahiko (veterans) opportunities for education and the tools to create a successful life. We also support efforts to preserve the Native Hawaiian language and traditional culture for current and future generations to enjoy.