{"id":1553,"date":"2026-06-19T04:09:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T04:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1553"},"modified":"2026-06-19T04:09:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T04:09:59","slug":"hawaiian-leader-introduces-former-president-obama-during-centers-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1553","title":{"rendered":"Hawaiian leader introduces former President Obama during center\u2019s opening"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii was represented in Chicago Thursday at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center.<\/p>\n

Read more Teen driver killed after vehicle crashes into ravine off Pali Highway<\/a><\/p>\n

There was a star-studded lineup for the event, including Christina Aguilera, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder and John Legend \u2014 just to name a few. <\/p>\n

Also in the lineup was a leader in the Native Hawaiian community, <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now, from the shores of his youth, to the city that rose with him, Chicago! Please help me welcome President Barack Obama!\u201d Dr. Kaiwipunikauikaw\u0113kiu Punihei Lipe said, as she was bestowed the honor of introducing the former president.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cWhere I come from, to introduce someone means we have pilina, a connection. If this man walked into my home, my children would call him uncle because we are both keiki o ka \u02bb\u0101ina, children of Hawaii,\u201d she said in her remarks.<\/p>\n

Dr. Lipe was a member of the Obama Foundation\u2019s inaugural cohort of the Asia-Pacific Leaders Program in 2019. She is also the current po\u02bbo kula at Kamehameha Schools Kap\u0101lama.<\/p>\n

Her brief remarks likened Obama\u2019s legacy and impact to the \u2018a\u2018ali\u2018i plant, known for versatility and tenacity, with strength deeply rooted, and resilience in the wind.<\/p>\n

Read more Additional suspect arrested in connection to Hopaka St attempted murder investigation<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOur people say, \u2018He \u2018a\u02bbali\u02bbi k\u016b makani mai au; \u02bba\u02bbohe makani nana e kula\u02bbi.\u2019<\/i> I am a wind-withstanding \u2018a\u2018ali\u2018i. No gale can topple me over,” she said.<\/p>\n

With the center\u2019s opening, President Obama\u2019s Honolulu alma mater, Punahou School, also expressed pride in being part of his legacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he reminds our students that where they come from really matters. That oftentimes, you know, your commitment to your service to others and to a cause that\u2019s larger than yourself is what really makes life worthwhile,\u201d Punahou School President Mike Latham, PH.D., said. <\/p>\n

In his speech, former President Obama said, \u201cMore than 40 years ago, on a late-summer afternoon in 1985, I arrived here in Chicago, entering the city through the very spot where this center now stands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Obama\u2019s Presidential Center campus stretches over 19 acres in Chicago\u2019s historic Jackson Park, with public spaces for visitors to enjoy. It will be open daily, and is one of 16 presidential libraries in existence.<\/p>\n

Read more Bee rescuers answer the call across Oahu while asking residents not to spray<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

She likened Obama’s legacy and impact to the ‘a’ali’i plant for several reasons. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nHawaiian leader introduces former President Obama during center\u2019s opening - Hawaii Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1553\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hawaiian leader introduces former President Obama during center\u2019s opening - Hawaii Moving Insider\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"She likened Obama's legacy and impact to the 'a'ali'i plant for several reasons.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=1553\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hawaii Moving Insider\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-19T04:09:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/590d72f16cb0f571fd45812a3c7ea1d0\"},\"headline\":\"Hawaiian leader introduces former President Obama during center\u2019s opening\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-19T04:09:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553\"},\"wordCount\":416,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/7e173da6200a2c48d446acd0b82bc314.avif\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\\\/?p=1553\",\"name\":\"Hawaiian leader introduces former President Obama during center\u2019s opening - 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