Civic Education Forum at Kauaʻi Community College Encourages Public Participation

From right, retired Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, retired Judge Kathleen Watanabe, former Kauaʻi County Council member Mason Chock, and moderator Jenny Silbiger engage in a discussion on civics with students, teachers, and community members during the May 5 forum at Kauaʻi Community College.

Community members, students, and educators gathered at the Kauaʻi Community College (KCC) Library on Tuesday, May 5, for a public forum on civic engagement, hosted by the Hawaiʻi Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education (PACE) and the Hawaiʻi Library Association (HLA). The event, part of the “Laws Make a Difference, and So Can You” speaking series, highlighted the importance of civic knowledge and community participation in a healthy democracy.

The forum was recorded by Hōʻike Kauaʻi Community Media and can be viewed online at Laws Make a Difference — Civic Education Talk Story at Kauaʻi CC Library (May 5th 2026) – YouTube.

The panel featured retired Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, retired Judge Kathleen Watanabe, and former Kauaʻi County Council Member Mason Chock. KCC students submitted questions on topics including executive authority, environmental safety, Native Hawaiian educational opportunities, and the responsibilities of local governments.

Former Chief Justice Recktenwald encouraged students to use the tools available to them to participate in civic life. “Make your voice heard,” he said. “You can testify, you can write op-eds, you can support organizations that share your beliefs.” He also described how former chief justices formed a national alliance to advocate for judicial independence and civic education, adding, “You really can have an influence. I’ve seen it over and over again at the legislature.”

The event was moderated by State Law Librarian Jenny Silbiger, who used the Baehr v. Lewin marriage equality lawsuit as an example of how a small number of people can influence society by exercising their civic rights. Silbiger also discussed Baehr v. Lewin as an example of how a single issue can move through and be shaped by the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government at the state and federal levels, as well as by voters who were presented with two amendments to Hawaiʻi’s Constitution to address marriage in Hawaiʻi.

Former Judge Watanabe and former Council Member Chock provided insight and perspectives from their respective experiences serving in government. They also tied their discussion to their backgrounds being from and serving the citizens of Kauaʻi. 

The PACE Commission was established by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court in 2021 to promote and advance civic education throughout Hawaiʻi. The commission works to strengthen civic knowledge, engagement, and participation through partnerships with schools, community organizations, the legal community, and government agencies. PACE emphasizes civic education that is place-based, constitutionally informed, and culturally sensitive to Hawaiʻi’s unique history and communities.

Founded in 1922, the Hawaiʻi Library Association is a statewide organization that supports libraries, library staff, literacy, lifelong learning, and public access to information throughout Hawaiʻi.

The forum at KCC closed with Silbiger’s call for shared responsibility and community care: “We are the ones in this room meeting the moment. We can do hard things.”