Equality HI

Equality HI serves LGBTQIA+ people across Hawai'i Island. It began in 2018 as a small group of friends meeting monthly for pau hana who realized how many people on the Big Island were looking for queer community. They volunteered at the Hilo and Kona Pride events, pointed each other to resources, and built Equality HI to make services easier to reach. The group received its 501(c)(3) status in 2021.

The mission is a thriving, empowered culture that builds an inclusive and diverse queer community through aloha, leadership, resources, services and education. Its Mentorship to Resiliency Program pairs mentors and mentees to support LGBTQ+ people through life transitions such as coming out, transitioning and aging, when isolation and loneliness can set in. The program, first funded through the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Puna Strong grants, returned in December 2025 with a new program coordinator, Ryan Latta, who aims to bring it to the Kona and Kohala regions.

Equality HI has also hosted the Puna Strong Virtual Resource Fair, Talk Story sessions, Cooking to Resiliency gatherings, and The Queer and Abled Hawai'i Artists Collaborative, created with Abled Hawai'i Artists and Full Life Hawai'i. Its website gathers LGBTQIA+ religious and spiritual services and education resources.

Anyone interested in mentoring, being mentored or volunteering can contact the team at info@equalityhi.org, and donations support its work on the island.