Theme: Island Roots: Growing a Model for the World

The theme for this year’s TEDxRichardsonLawSchool is: ISLAND ROOTS: GROWING A MODEL FOR THE WORLD. Hawai'i is the most isolated land mass in the world and known internationally as a vision of paradise that welcomes people to visit and, often, to return. As island people, however, we have an understanding that the ocean is what connects us, rather than separates us.

The draw of Hawai'i should be more than aesthetic beauty. Hawai'i is a meeting place for Kanaka Maoli (indigenous people of Hawai'i), generations of immigrant families, and visitors from around the globe. Cultural ideas have been shared and merged into a picture of community that is multicultural yet still rooted in a sense of place. While Hawai'i’s history is not without turmoil, the importance of relationships and connection has always been an inherent way of life. Living in Hawai'i requires mutual respect and an acknowledgement of interdependence, because we see firsthand how our actions affect others in a connected community. Because of these varied experiences and stories that are rooted in this place, we feel Hawai'i and its people can offer suggestions to the global community as we strive towards a model of increased sustainability, in every sense of the word.

William S. Richardson School of Law
2515 Dole Street
Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822
United States