Why People are Leaving Hawai'i

Hawai'i Together with Keli’i Akina, June 24, 2019

Are you working two or three jobs and fear Hawaii's high cost of living will eventually push you and your family from the state? 

Josh Mason, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii director of communications, appeared on the weekly talk show “Hawaii Together,” on the ThinkTech Hawaii network, to talk about his “Why we left Hawaii” project, a series that shares the stories of Hawaii expats.

“One of the key things I’ve tried to do with my project is, when I share these stories, I don’t make them into an article," explained Mason. "I don’t say, ‘Here’s what this person said, and this is why they left, and this is the policy affecting it,’ I just shared their quote. I didn’t add my own commentary, and I think that’s touching people because they realize these are raw, real stories and they’re being affected by the bad policies that we’re passing here.”

“Hawaii Together” is hosted by Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

LINK: Why we left Hawai’i -- Hawaii residents have been moving away from the islands in droves in recent years; in fiscal 2017, more than 13,000 people departed — the highest negative net migration ever.