We believe technology can be used with humility — not to replace human interaction, but to support and elevate it. Rooted exists to help redesign the intent behind tourism in Hawai‘i. We want to shift the focus from consumption to contribution, and from real-world escape to ethical connection.

We’re working alongside community members to build a future where visitors give back, local businesses thrive, and the stories of Hawai‘i are shared with protection and care.

Pono First.
Everything begins with what’s right — for the land, the people, and the culture. Pono is not a checklist. It’s a moral compass. Humbly, we stand firm in stating now is the time to move forward and away from the current tourism paradigm.

Future-Minded.
We design for the long haul. Every choice we make today shapes the Hawai‘i our children (and their children) will inherit.

Rooted in Respect.
We uplift Native Hawaiian and local voices not just in name, but in leadership, authorship, and decision-making. We listen and observe way more than we speak.

Invitation, Not Extraction.
Visitors can be welcomed with open hearts, but we guide them with intent. Tourism should not be allowed to keep taking without giving back. We need a new model that promotes and teaches stewardship.

Health of the Land = Health of Us.
Regeneration is more than environmental. It’s cultural, relational, and personal. When the land thrives, so do the people.

Collaboration Over Control.
This is not about the founder’s vision. Rooted is being shaped in conversation — through real talk with kupuna (elders), cultural leaders, and with pono local business owners. True systematic changes come from shared authorship.

Our team is small by design, and we’re taking the time to bring the right thinkers and doers on board from the start. We are actively seeing consultants, small business owners, artists, and educators to guide the first iteration of Rooted that will reach the public eye. We move with intent, and only advance when we know we’re pursuing what’s right for Hawai‘i.

Rooted was founded on Maui in 2025 by a resident passionate about innovation for social change. She spent 12 years helping small businesses navigate federal contracting, then 7 years in Big Tech. With a systems-level lens and a deep personal connection to Hawai‘i, our founder is committed to building Rooted in a way that serves the community first, and tourists second.

Native Hawaiian leadership is guiding the development of our Board of Advisors. Our Cultural Lead is playing an integral role in shaping Rooted’s design and strategy. The Lead’s work weaves cultural expertise, lived experience, and community priorities into every decision we make — while also helping guide how we communicate and engage. This critical, foundational role ensures that Rooted’s voice, vision, and actions remain grounded in respect, authenticity, and meaningful connection.

Hawai‘i is not a tropical destination. It’s a lineage. A responsibility. A living classroom. Rooted’s role isn’t to tell Hawai‘i’s story, but to ask: What’s appropriate to share — and how can we support storytelling and education in the right way? Native communities deserve agency over how their culture is represented, and we are committed to honoring those rights.

Hawai‘i is healing and rebuilding. This moment is emotional and complex — and it’s the most meaningful work our founder has ever taken on. Rooted has not been founded to sell illusions; we’re here to help protect Hawai‘i’s future for the next seven generations who will call these islands home.

Culture is the compass, story is the teacher, and technology is the tool. Our mission is to make values-aligned travel a powerful vehicle for social and environmental change.

Visitors aren’t the problem. Disconnection is.