Positionality statements explain how one's identities and worldviews influence the research process. Sometimes referred to as "reflexivity," this is a continuous practice in self-reflection to identify personal biases and assumptions in the creation, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of research.

I come to my work as a wahine ʻŌiwi, a first-generation college graduate, an emerging critical race theoretical scholar, and a political advocate for Indigenous sovereignty and Indigenous rights. These identities along with my schooling background and my socialization intersect and continue to influence my belief in Indigenous stories and histories as legitimate wisdom and my prioritization of Indigenous goals and education practices in my research.

A scholarly approach is another exercise in self-reflection to name the guiding paradigms, values, and practices that shape how and why scholars engage in research.

Two important thrulines in my research are critical race theory in education/Kanaka ʻŌiwi critical race theory (KanakaʻŌiwiCrit) and Native Hawaiian methodologies. These frameworks form the bedrock of how I conduct research on Native Hawaiians. Consequently, I value collaboration with Indigenous communities in each project I undertake, so I foreground Kanaka ʻŌiwi voices in my scholarship. I treat Indigenous participation in my studies as a gift, and I value transparency and trust when working with students, educators, and community members.

Research agendas refer to the topics, themes, or lines of inquiry examined through research. It is often a long-term vision of a scholar's goals and commitments.

Given my background as a graduate of a Native Hawaiian K–12 culture-based education (CBE) school, I am interested in learning about student experiences with racial identity formation, youth resistance and student activism, and school-family-community relations. My work also broadly investigates the historical and contemporary consequences of settler colonialism and U.S. hegemony.