About the speaker
Megan Kamalei Kakimoto is the Japanese and Kanaka ʻŌiwi author of Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare (Bloomsbury 2023), a USA Today national bestseller. She is the recipient of the 2025 Elliot Cades Award for Literature for Emerging Artist from the Hawaiʻi Literary Arts Council and the “Author Under 35” Award by the HONOLULU Book Awards. Named a Fall 2023 “Writer to Watch” by Publisher’s Weekly, she has also been a finalist for the Keene Prize for Literature. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Bon Appétit, Granta, Joyland, and elsewhere. She received her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers and is an Affiliate Faculty in Fiction at Antioch University Los Angeles, and a Lecturer in English at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and at Honolulu Community College. A Fiction Editor for No Tokens journal, she lives in Honolulu.
Local partners
As the emerging epicenter of progressive urban island living, Our Kaka‘ako is a vibrant community, encompassing nine city blocks in the heart of Kaka‘ako, that is home to artists, entrepreneurs, chefs, innovators and influencers. Rooted in Hawaiian cultural values and anchored by a strong sense of place, Our Kaka‘ako embraces creativity, inspires learning and discovery, and serves as a catalyst for new and innovative ideas. As a popular place to dine, shop, work, live, learn and visit, Our Kaka‘ako is truly a unique, dynamic local community.
Spend some time and relax at the new SALT at Our Kaka‘ako. SALT is a city block driven by passionate chefs, artists and entrepreneurs. From the hottest eateries to one-of-a-kind events, SALT is a local gathering place to eat, shop and have fun.
Named after the pa‘akai (‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i for “salt”) ponds that once dotted the low-lying wetlands of this area, SALT at Our Kaka‘ako is Honolulu’s epicenter for local culture, food, shopping and innovative events. Comprising of 85,000 square-feet of curated retail, restaurant and mixed-use space, SALT is a dynamic city block designed for exploration and engagement. SALT is the 2018 winner of the Shopping Center of the Year (SCOTY) award, presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) serves as the official tourism agency for the State of Hawai‘i, tasked with managing the Hawaiian Islands’ iconic brand responsibly. HTA’s role spans marketing the Islands, preserving Hawaiian culture, protecting the natural environment, and strengthening local communities.
Jamba Hawaii blends real fruit and additional healthy, whole ingredients into each delicious fresh juice, smoothie, or energy bowl you order, for the most robust flavor possible. Our baked goods and savory food items are made with wholesome ingredients free from artificial ingredients or flavors, ensuring high-powered nutrition to keep you going for your active Hawaii lifestyle and busy schedule.
Honolulu Coffee was founded in 1992 with one small kiosk in downtown Honolulu.
We strive daily to provide the complete Hawaiian Coffee experience. We feel that our past and future success is contingent upon maintaining and exceeding these goals.
Our Hawaiian style concept stretches throughout our cafes on three different islands and our expansion in Asia. As a result, people around the world are able to experience our great Kona coffee and outstanding customer service.
Bess Press Inc. is a family owned publishing company located in Kaimukī. For over 43 years, the Press has been creating and developing content for Hawai‘i and the greater Pacific.
Today, the Press has grown to become a leading educational content producer of Hawaiian and Pacific Island studies curriculum for use in preschool through high school. Our company is comprised of varying divisions focused on educational publishing, trade publishing, online publishing, distribution, and retail. Our work is entirely dedicated toward enhancing the multiple voices, cultures, and shared stories that make up Hawaiʻi and Oceania.
Bess Press has published over 700 titles within the genres of children’s literature, language, history, coloring and activity, biography & memoir, as well as informational and nature guides, along with custom publishing projects.
Our parent company, Bess Press, has been publishing books for Hawaiʻi and Oceania since 1979. After much discussion internally and externally with our customers about how to fulfill the lack of independent, neighborhood bookstores in Honolulu, we decided to create our own.
Our goal was to custom design a space and to offer a curated experience that would appeal to readers of all ages and interests. da Shop: books + curiosities began in 2018 as a celebration of storytelling.
Reading is so personal, but having a space and place to come into and interact with real, tangible books is sacred. This was one of our main inspirations for opening da Shop.
Creative Lab Hawaii is a State of Hawaii program composed of three separate modules: Immersive Programs, Ideation Workshops, and Public Programs. Their intention is to accelerate global export of Hawaii’s creative content and creative products to strengthen our creative entrepreneurs’ capacity for success.
JPG Hawaii was founded in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2000 by three Hawaii born brothers with a dream. Originally starting as a small family business, JPG Hawaii has grown into one of Hawaii’s most unique print and design B2B serviceS companies.
Through our combined expertise, we have grown our list of services to provide a wide array of
resources to your business.
We work with clients from ideas and original concepts to final products. Our team can produce your project with the quality needed to make you stand out from the competition.
JPG Hawaii can help you increase your sales, promote your products, and enhance your overall brand image to bring it all to life!
We are a Honolulu based digital marketing/creative agency. As a digital marketing agency, we take the “marketing” very seriously. Nothing is cookie-cutter and everything is tailored to our client’s needs and expectations. We are inspired by you. Your awesome is blended with our awesome — and with our powers combined; insert Captain Planet. JK. We strive to take your stellar ideas and build them into an unforgettable campaign. What’s considered an add-on service for most agencies is a basic inclusion for our clients. We take your requirements and intentions for your business vision and incorporate them into a personalized brand guide to begin any project. This becomes the first step into our epic, creative journey to tell your story in the best way possible.
Completely isolated from the rest of the world, Waiākea offers purity in its ultimate form. Located just outside the quiet town of Hilo and surrounded by rich, bio-diverse forest preserves, a deep well source sits at the eastern base of the Mauna Loa volcano, one of the purest environments on Earth.
Our Vision is to be Hawai’i’s premier pakalolo provider, true to our local roots, uplifting of local partners, and cultivating an experience that celebrates the unique diversity of Hawai’i’s cultural heritage. Our Mission is to embrace kuleana (responsibility) by sharing la’au lapa’au (plant medicine) and aloha with all. Our Purpose is to cultivate ‘ohana in all that we do.
MORI Hawaii is a creative platform that showcases a curated selection of art, apparel, and music inspired by Hawaii’s unique culture. The site features collaborations with local brands like Aloha Got Soul, offering vinyl records and merchandise, as well as works from featured local artists and other artistic creations. MORI Hawaii celebrates the vibrant creativity of the islands through its diverse offerings.
TheBrewz are a Kaka’ako-based production and songwriting collective. Having worked on over 200+ songs crossing multiple genres since their inception in 2019 including high-profile collaborations with Grammy-nominated producer and singer Kimie Miner, Sonny Sandoval, lead singer of multi-platinum Grammy-nominated band P.O.D.
Splitting time between collaborating with artists and licensing their music in large-scale advertising campaigns and major television shows, their efforts have already proven a great success in their short time together.
We are a Native Hawaiian wahine-owned family business with a passion to serve the thriving local art community here on the islands. Located in the heart of Kaka‘ako, we feel that it is our kuleana to make fine art printing accessible for everyone. Whether you’re an established artist or an emerging creative soul, we at Ki‘ikau Printers are here to support you in your vision and help you bring your work to life!
In 2003 The Orchid Lei Company by ECAN RMS USA was established in Hawai‘i with the mission of embracing the tradition of lei giving culture by launching the new and transformed dendrobium orchid leis in both deluxe and signature premium leis. Our goal has always been to create a great company and loyal customer base that focuses on delivering high quality leis in each step of our operations. Now being the pioneer of creating the most unique and prestigious leis, we have over 550 various styles of lei in many different colors and patterns.
Additional details
Doors open to the public at 8:00am beginning with live music by z, a light breakfast by Jamba Juice, and Honolulu Coffee.
Stick around for giveaways from Spectra Foundation and more!
PARKING INFO: Enter on Keawe Street to access multi-level parking structure (P) 266 Stalls (10 ADA Stalls, 2 EV Charging Stalls) Automated Parking System Height Clearance: 7 feet Parking Garage Operating Hours: 24 hours FREE parking for the first hour, no validation required. With validation from SALT at Our Kaka‘ako shops or restaurants: 1st hour: FREE (no validation required) Up to 2 hours: $1 Up to 3 hours: $2 Up to 4 hours: $4 4 hours & up: $4 + posted rates
Standard Non-Validated Rate/Posted Rate: $3 per 30 minutes or fraction thereof. Lost Ticket: $48 Max. Daily: $48
Districtwide parking is available at: The Flats at Pu‘unui Keauhou Lane