Fall 2025 eNewsletter

Special Mahalo to 4th grade Kumu, Grace Tsubaki-Noguchi, Jennifer Keawe, and Tricia Kreidler for their meaningful insights and contributions to this article.

Director’s Corner

Dr. Kiriko Takahashi

CDS Interim Director

Our Center continues to move forward whilst challenges we have been facing with shift in federal landscape. During summer, we had an extraordinary moment for Hawai‘i’s disability community and for all of us who work alongside it. The signing of HB 320, Supported Decision Making, in Hawai‘i, represents a collaborative work led by our sister agency, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities in recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities. It also embodies the spirit of advocacy that drives CDS: creating pathways where every person can participate fully, confidently, and with support.

At CDS, advocacy is one of our outcomes that we aim towards. It begins in early intervention and education, where families and educators collaborate to ensure inclusive learning. It continues through youth and postsecondary transition programs, where students discover their strengths, develop leadership, and plan for their futures. And it extends into community and workforce initiatives, where our partners, advocates, and alumni advance systems that promote equity, accessibility, and belonging across Hawai‘i and the Pacific.

From projects like Ulu Aʻe Transitions and PIER Speaker Sessions to our work on inclusive higher education, sensory-friendly spaces, and the Pacific Rim International Conference, CDS continues to stand with communities, listening and learning. Every effort—large or small—reflects a shared belief that change happens when people come together with purpose and care.

As we look ahead, let us celebrate how far we have come and renew our commitment to creating spaces where every person is seen, heard, and empowered to decide their own future.