Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience & Joy is an unprecedented musical initiative celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of African descended individuals in post-contact Hawaiian history. This transformative project, sponsored by the Gerbode Foundation and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, features original mele inoa (name songs) that honor historical figures and stories, ensuring that their legacies become an integral part of Hawaiian cultural memory.

Recognizing the significance of this project, four-time Grammy Award winner Kalani Pe‘a joins an impressive roster of artists, including Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners Kamakakēhau Fernandez, and Patrick Landeza, Ikaika Blackburn, jazz vocalist Azure McCall, as well as award-winning composer Māhealani Uchiyama and her Hālau Ka Ua Tuahine in performance.