EPIC was established in 2009 by a group of young Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (NHPI) leaders who recognized the urgency to address the growing needs of NHPI families. With experiences ranging from grassroots organizing to higher education administration, the founders prioritized building a strong and unified advocacy voice for Pacific Islanders. They set out to accomplish this by collecting and publishing disaggregated data to illustrate the needs of NHPI families; and establishing a pipeline of strong leaders who can be advocates and influencers in, and on behalf of, the community.

Our Mission

EPIC advances social justice by engaging Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders in culture-centered advocacy, leadership development, and research.

Our Vision

We envision a world where Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders are thriving and empowered to realize liberation for all.

Our Values

Kuleana. We believe that responsibility and service are the pathway to leadership.
Tauhi vā. We hold transformational reciprocity as a core value and practice this by nurturing the sacred space that connects us to build a relationship that bears blessings in good and bad times.
Kommol. We prioritize gratitude as a habit of humility that recognizes interdependence and promotes connection.
Lototele. We model courage that is loud because our communities have been silenced for too long; it is joyous because when we raise our voices against injustice it is also a celebration of the best parts of our humanity that emboldens others to join us.