This fall season, the inaugural Lights for Lahaina and Light March filled the grounds of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church with healing and aloha. From heartfelt activities to the powerful Light March that brought hundreds together, the event was a reminder of Lahaina’s strength, resilience, and spirit. The event was presented by Aloha Amplified, a non-profit, in coordination with Kumu Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i from Mālama Maui ‘Ohana Foundation and the community.  

“We are thankful for those near and far who joined us to reflect on Lahaina’s past, celebrated its enduring spirit, and who imagine a brighter future, together,” said Aloha Amplified co-founder, Linn Nishikawa. “We created Aloha Amplified so we can step more into the grassroots space and stand with our neighbors during times of uncertainty, helping people find resources, strength, and hope. We are deeply honored to have Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaiali‘i serve as a member on our Aloha Amplified Board.” 

“This Thanksgiving, I’m filled with gratitude for everyone who came together to honor Lahaina,” said Kahaiali‘i. “As someone who calls this place home, seeing over 850 people gather to remember, to heal, and to hold each other up meant everything. Light has the power to guide us forward, even as we heal from the darkness. That’s what I witnessed: families decorating lanterns in honor of loved ones, keiki sharing hope through art, and hundreds walking silently through our streets during the Light March, carrying that light together.” 

Reverend Amy Crowe also reflected, “the Lights for Lahaina experience is part of our kuleana, our sacred responsibility, to support one another and step beyond our comfort zones to embrace each other in new ways.” Crowe is a former pastor of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Lahaina, which had a church building on Front Street that burned in the 2023 fires. 

Looking to the future, Aloha Amplified’s new Lahaina Time Capsule project will preserve community member’s messages, photos, and reflections. The time capsule project was introduced to the community during the Lights for Lahaina event, where participants were invited to begin contributing to the capsule’s contents. Those who could not attend can still take part by submitting their entries at www.LightsforLahaina.org/timecapsule. Submissions are open until the end of 2025. In addition to written notes, community members are welcome to submit artwork and recorded video or audio messages. The capsule will be buried at Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina in January 2026, and it will be opened on August 8, 2043, twenty years after the 2023 wildfires.