Be Aloha Series

Working across a variety of mediums, Nanci Amaka is a masterful contemporary artist who holds multiple roles in the Hawaiʻi creative community, in addition to being a mother. As an interdisciplinary creator, Nanci explores ideas surrounding trauma, ancestry, memory and West African Animism. Born in Nigeria, Nanci now resides in Honolulu with her ʻohana, and is known for creating artworks that are both emotive and magical.

Nicole Naone is by all definitions — a producer. No truer statement could begin to define a woman who is composed of visionary approaches in the fields of fine art, marketing, and cinema, while representing the forefront of cultural storytelling through modern mediums. As founder of PointHawaii.com and producer of an award-winning feature film Waikiki, who has served as one of the board of directors for Hawai‘i’s Domestic Violence Action Center — Nicole is the consummate creative rooted in the essence of ʻāina.

With the belief that if you take care of your pet, your pet will take care of you — Jordan Lee and Matthew Guevara have curated an urban pet supply located in Kaimukī, Hawaii. Far from the ordinary, The Public Pet specializes in organic, holistic, and local products for cats & dogs — all while leading a community voice for shopping local and setting visionary initiatives to uplift a historic town.

Pag-ibig Ara Laylo has been at the forefront of the contemporary art, design and creative community in Hawaiʻi for nearly two decades. A multifaceted changemaker with a deep commitment to Hawaiʻi, Laylo kicks off our 2021 Be Aloha spotlight series. Check out our interview with her to learn about where she finds inspiration, what excites her about the next generation of creatives and get her recommendations on some of the best eats and shops in urban Honolulu.