Josh Green is the candidate who will advance Hawaii to a brighter future without sacrificing our community’s core values.

Over the decades, our state has transformed in ways our ancestors could have never imagined. While some innovations from abroad have promoted progression, others have threatened Hawaii’s culture and values. In this era of rapid and widespread change, we need forward-thinking leaders who appreciate and treasure our state as much as we do.

During his 18 years of leadership, Green has not compromised Hawaii’s core principles. His character reminds me of Queen Liliuokalani’s teaching that one must act with the perfect degree of flexibility. She believed that while an individual who is too flexible neglects boundaries, an inflexible one stifles progress.

Aligned with the queen’s philosophy, Green is open-minded to change while never losing sight of the needs and desires of residents. His top three goals as governor are affordable housing, reducing homelessness, and diversifying the economy.

The Kauhale initiative is one way Green has been preserving the Hawaiian traditions in our communities. He has been building Kauhale communities with partner organizations to offer affordable housing for formerly homeless residents. The project emphasizes the Hawaiian value of community to foster a sense of belonging and ownership among its residents.

Unlike many politicians, Green is constantly initiating and executing innovative solutions, such as the Kauhale project for our housing and homeless crisis. He has been one of the few Hawaii leaders who have taken action to solve these issues. His productive leadership is refreshing from the typical empty promises of Hawaii politics.

In addition to affordable housing and reducing homelessness, he plans to diversify the economy as our next governor. For college students like me, we need a reliable leader who will solidify our ability to return and stay in Hawaii. The high cost of living and lack of jobs has driven away many sons, daughters, and grandchildren. But Green’s priority to diversify the economy will create new job opportunities for generations today and for those to come.

While his top three goals are not easy to accomplish, Green has proven to be a hard-working leader who champions challenges and obstacles. When COVID-19 hit, the lieutenant governor did not take the easy way out like many politicians and was transparent about the pandemic. He went beyond his responsibilities and used his experience as a physician to educate the public. His famous whiteboard videos provided numbers and data inaccessible to our isolated kupuna who struggled with advanced technology. Looking back, many can thank him for not compromising his integrity and responsibilities in a time of extreme uncertainty.

Green’s 18 years of consistent leadership credit him as the most trustable candidate for governor. He will lead Hawaii into a brighter future without sacrificing our core values. A vote for him is a vote for the preservation of our state and people. His governorship will be a chance for us to reform our state so we can pass it down to the next generation with pride.

Many assume that Hawaii will always elect a Democratic candidate, but this outcome is impossible without voter participation. Every voting resident has the responsibility to take part in the election. We must all vote to reflect the public’s voice accurately.

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Seyeon Moon, an ‘Iolani School class of 2022 graduate, is at George Washington University, class of 2026.

“Raise Your Hand,” a monthly column featuring Hawaii’s youth and their perspectives, appears in the Insight section on the first Sunday of each month. It is facilitated by the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders.