Community input is integral to the future of astronomy on Maunakea. We invite you to get educated, make your voice heard, and participate in the policy and decision-making process that will shape our collective future with respect to Maunakea and beyond.

ENGAGE

URGENT: Funding Our Future

Astronomy on Maunakea produces world-class discoveries, serves as an economic driver on Hawaiʻi Island, and offers learning opportunities to local students across the state.

The cuts proposed in the presidential budget would have far-reaching effects, not only on astronomy but also on biological sciences, Earth and planetary science, climate and environmental monitoring, STEM education, technology innovation, and the communities that participate in and benefit from these activities.

We need continued support from NSF and NASA to continue our work and contributions, and to maintain US leadership in research and innovation. It is important to actively work with our Congressional delegation to communicate the strategic importance of continued NSF and NASA investment.

How to Help

Hearing from constituents helps our congressional delegation effectively advocate for continued funding that will support NSF, NASA, and astronomy in Hawaiʻi.

  • Click here to send a message to Senator Schatz.

  • Click here to send a message to Senator Hirono.

  • Click here to send a message to Representative Case.

  • Click here to send a message to Representative Tokuda.

Educate your friends and family so they may contact their congressional representatives too!

Resources

Our Positions

We advocate for policies that affirm mutual responsibility for the mauna and respect all members of our community with the understanding that relationships – with land and each other – are core to mutual stewardship and are fundamentally intertwined. With this grounding in local place, culture, and community, we support knowledge sharing that furthers scientific discovery; integrates multiple ways of knowing that can inform and inspire each other; and creates genuine reciprocity between Hawaiʻi and the world.

  • We strongly believe there is a vibrant and sustainable future for astronomy on Maunakea - a future based on a community model of astronomy in which relationships and partnerships between the community and astronomy thrive, upheld by the values of respect, collaboration, and inclusion.

    For astronomy to continue on Maunakea, we work toward two essential priorities: land authorization to continue to fulfill our mission and strong relationships with our community. MKO strongly supports the Maunakea Stewardship Oversight and Authority (MKSOA), as well as Native Hawaiian and local community involvement in governance and management to ensure the mutual interests of the community, astronomy, and the state of Hawaiʻi are met.

  • We align with Astro2020 Decadal Survey recommendations and opportunities for us as a field to deepen the ongoing conversation about how to improve ourselves, our institutions, and the ways we interact with our communities. Among these goals is further development of partnerships with indigenous and local communities “that learn from past mistakes and frame a pathway for a more equitable and collaborative future together for the benefit of all,” a goal we wholeheartedly support.    

    We acknowledge our institutions' past shortcomings in inclusion, diversity, equity, and the kind of reciprocity foundational to our future. We are committed to becoming institutions where local talent thrives and is supported in top leadership roles, empowered to make decisions that will shape the future of global astronomy. The national and international astronomy community recognizes the huge potential and significance of science done in Hawaiʻi, and on Maunakea in particular. We are fully supportive of values and community-based astronomy that reflects and includes the lands and community from which discoveries are made.

  • It is important to emphasize that Congress sets the budget, and we, as constituents have the opportunity to advocate for policies that will support scientific discovery, cultural responsibility, and economic prosperity in our community. MKO partnerships with NSF snd NASA have kept Hawai’i on the cutting edge of discovery. We urge Congress to pass a budget that will maintain not only the world-leading transformational astronomy, but also the mutual stewardship work that is happening on Maunakea.

Make Your Voice Heard

Request for feedback on the MKSOA Strategic Framework Draft

The MKSOA is currently requesting feedback on the draft of their Strategic Framework. This is an opportunity to provide manaʻo on Maunakea governance. Download and review the draft, then provide your feedback by emailing mksoa.community@hawaii.gov or clicking the button below. Make your voice heard!

MKSOA

To access MKSOA Board meeting agendas, livestream link, and instructions for submitting testimony, click here.

Hawaiʻi State Legislature

To visit the official Hawaiʻi State Legislature website to submit testimony, view hearing schedules, and more, click here.

For instructions on how to submit testimony to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, click here.

For instructions on finding and tracking bills at the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, click here.