Rachel Akana Rachel is from Keaʻau, Hawaiʻi Island. After one semester of college, she decided to serve a church mission and was called to serve in the Tohoku Region of Japan. It was the best 18 months not "of " her life but "for" her life, as it taught her the importance of walking side by side with God. She is passionate about fostering spaces grounded in relational trust and place. This includes being a community power builder and lifelong learner. In her free time, she can spend hours tearing up watching "The Dodo" animal videos online and listening to podcasts.She is a soon-to-be graduate from Brigham Young University-Hawai'i in Social Work and Political Science with an emphasis on Hawaiian Studies. Her next steps involve completing UH Mānoa's MSW/JD Dual Degree Program to further contribute to the lāhui.