Our Story
Pono Collective was born from a shared belief: that the future of learning about Hawai‘i’s food systems depends on cultivating a more just, resilient, and locally grounded approach to agriculture and education. In 2018, a group of educators, industry leaders, and changemakers came together around a simple but powerful vision — to uplift communities through hands-on learning that reflects the spirit of pono — doing what is right in thought and action.
We saw a need for more than textbooks and lectures. We saw an opportunity to bring learning to life in the very places that sustain our communities — farms, mills, roasteries, and beyond. What began as a pilot project to connect students to Hawai‘i’s specialty coffee industry quickly grew into something larger: a movement to bridge education, agriculture, and local leadership.
Today, Pono Collective brings people together through immersive, hands-on learning rooted in our local values. We’re not just teaching — we’re helping build a future where knowledge, culture, and sustainability grow side by side.
This is our story — and it’s still being written, with every learner and partner who joins us.
Our Purpose
Pono Collective is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity founded on the belief that meaningful education occurs through connection—connection to the land, its people, and culture. Since its launch in 2022, Pono Collective has taken learners out of the classroom and into real-world environments across the specialty coffee value chain—from farms and mills to sensory labs and roasteries. By offering experiential learning opportunities, we connect students and professionals in understanding the hands, histories, and values behind Hawai‘i’s agricultural community, fostering a deeper respect for our local food systems and the people who sustain them.
Our mission is to cultivate future leaders who value community, collaboration, and the Hawaiian principle of pono—doing what is right. Through partnerships with institutions like Kapi‘olani Community College and relationships across the Pacific, we create immersive programs that bridge education, agriculture, and industry. We are dedicated to building pathways for learners to engage meaningfully with the stories, skills, and systems learned from Hawai‘i’s past to help shape its present and future.