After earning recognition as the Most Promising Artist at the 2014 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, Honolulu-based Yoza seemed destined for stardom. But behind the music, she was battling addiction that nearly cost her both her life and career. In an intimate profile, Yoza reflects on the difficult road to recovery, the power of family and how finding peace and healing gives new meaning to her music and life.

Tucked away in an old building in the McCully neighborhood of Honolulu, Truest Hawaii has earned an international reputation as one of the world’s premier sneaker shops, attracting collectors, athletes, musicians and celebrities in search of rare footwear. Yet despite its global acclaim, Truest has never lost sight of its local roots. Owner John Om remains grounded in aloha and loyal to the local community that has made it all possible.

For tattoo practitioner Kawika Au, kākau, the Hawaiian word for tattoo, is more than just body art. It is a sacred cultural practice that connects people to their place, genealogy and identity. Working in the traditions of pre-contact Hawaiʻi, Au preserves ancestral techniques and values while helping to revitalize an art form that nearly disappeared. Each mark he makes tells a story that honors the past and reaffirms the present.