Michael's Bio

With more than 25 years of experience in civil rights advocacy, political organizing, and labor leadership here in Hawaiʻi, Michael brings a rare depth of institutional knowledge and grassroots credibility to the work of advancing equity in Hawaiʻi.

Michael currently serves as an Inaugural Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus Commission, where he helped build the Commission’s legislative program, launched its social media presence, produced its inaugural and 2nd Annual Queer Day at the Capitol, and initiating the quarterly Rainbow Pau Hana: Queer Leadership Gathering to strengthen collaboration across Hawaiʻi’s māhū, LGBTQIA+, QTPI+, and allied organization leadership. His commitment to visibility and community connection is reflected in his active presence at Pride and community events statewide.

A longtime leader within the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Michael has served for over a decade on the State Central Committee (the Party's governing body) representing the Stonewall Caucus, while being the Caucus's Chair from 2012–2024, and has held numerous party leadership roles at the state level. He also serves as a Vice President of the Hawaiʻi State AFL-CIO since 2016 and is the President of Pride at Work – Hawaiʻi, where he champions the rights of māhū and LGBTQIA+ workers and advances the intersection of labor and queer rights.

Michael has played key roles in many of Hawaiʻi’s most significant civil rights victories, including Marriage Equality, gender identity nondiscrimination, the ban on conversion therapy for minors, the elimination of “gay panic” and “trans panic” legal defenses, Medical Aid in Dying, and the establishment of the Hawaiʻi State LGBTQ+ Commission. His advocacy has consistently focused on turning community needs into durable public policy.

In addition to his political and labor leadership, Michael has a long history of community service, event production, and coalition-building across Hawaiʻi, including leading Honolulu Pride for 5 years, producing the largest nonviolent protest in state history the 2017 Women’s March on Washington at the State Capitol on Oʻahu, and serving on nonprofit and civic committees for more than two decades.

Through HOKU PAC, Michael is focused on ensuring that māhū and LGBTQIA+ voices are not only heard, but elected, empowered, and protected—today and for generations to come.