A longtime advocate and transgender community leader with deep roots in Hawaiʻi. Strongly supports LGBTQIA+ civil rights, inclusive schools, and workplace protections. Proven record of community service and advocacy with organizations supporting Hawaiʻi’s māhū and LGBTQIA+ communities.Dedication to affordability, equity, and protecting the dignity of all Hawaiʻi residents.

Mahalo to the Patsy T. Mink PAC for your endorsement and for your steadfast commitment to advancing equity, protecting women’s rights, and defending every person’s freedom to make decisions about their own healthcare.

I am deeply grateful for your support of our work to prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements that silence survivors of sexual harassment and assault, to protect access to reproductive healthcare, and to strengthen midwifery and community-based birth options that center safety, dignity, and choice.

At a time when Hawaiʻi families are already under pressure, we cannot afford silence or inaction when it comes to abuse or misconduct in our healthcare system. Recent allegations of physician misconduct in our state are a serious reminder that patients, survivors, and families deserve full accountability, true transparency, and real reform that ensures harm is never hidden or repeated.

We stand with survivors and patients, and we will continue to push for a system that puts people first, not institutions.

The College Democrats of Hawai‘i are proud to jointly endorse Janel Fujinaka for State House District 26

Congratulations. It is with great pleasure that I inform you of our Union’s recent endorsement of your candidacy for the upcoming 2026 Primary Election cycle.

We are happy to inform you that your campaign has been awarded the 2026 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate distinction. Thank you for advocating for gun violence prevention. 

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While this is not an endorsement, I am proud to be recognized for supporting commonsense policies that help protect our keiki, strengthen public safety, and keep our neighborhoods safe from gun violence. Together, we can build safer communities for every family.

I am deeply honored to receive the 2026 endorsement from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. This endorsement reflects a shared commitment to leadership that puts people first, expands opportunity, and ensures every person is treated with dignity, respect, and equality under the law.

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Together, we are building a future where every working family has the opportunity to thrive, and every voice is heard. Mahalo for believing in our grassroots campaign and our vision for a stronger Hawaiʻi.

Throughout her fifteen-year career in nonprofit leadership and civic service, Janel Fujinaka has proven to be a dedicated champion for equity, safety, and community transparency across O’ahu,” the Alliance said in a statement. “The Alliance proudly celebrates her authentic lived experience as an openly transgender woman who brings crucial public policy expertise from her time as a legislative committee clerk alongside a deep knowledge of emergency operations from her service in the Civil Air Patrol. We believe her proven track record of securing workplace protections, fighting for tenant relief, and elevating vulnerable voices is absolutely essential to effective state leadership.

Mahalo nui loa to Former State Senator Gary Hooser for your thoughtful endorsement and kind words.

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Your description of my approach as “quiet but effective” means a great deal to me, especially coming from someone who has spent years advocating for Hawaiʻi’s working families and environmental stewardship. I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with you over coffee and talk story about the challenges and opportunities facing our communities.

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I’m grateful for your confidence and support, and I will continue working every day to earn the trust of our neighbors in District 26 by showing up, listening closely, and delivering real solutions for our community.

Our state needs the residents of District 26 to send a bold leader to the Hawaii House of Representatives. We need more independent, courageous, and compassionate Representatives to join the fight for working families. Too many of my colleagues just go along to get along - they are silent when leadership violates the constitution or ignores pay-to-play corruption. I have known Janel Fujinaka for over 16 years, and as my committee clerk this past session, Janel was always early to work and eager to exceed my expectations. I pray that the people of Makiki, Tantalus, Punchbowl and Papakōlea send Janel Fujinaka as their Representative so we can work together to better serve our neighboring districts.” State Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto, District 25 (Ala Moana, Kakaako and Downtown Honolulu)

As a former Makiki resident and former Director of Development for Life Foundation, I understand the importance of leadership that is deeply rooted in service, compassion, and accountability to the community. That is why I proudly endorse Janel Fujinaka for State House District 26.

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Janel brings the work ethic, integrity, and people-first leadership our district deserves. She has demonstrated a clear commitment to listening to residents, understanding the challenges facing working families, and pursuing thoughtful, practical solutions that strengthen our neighborhoods.

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District 26 needs a leader who will show up, do the work, and advocate tirelessly for Makiki, Tantalus, Punchbowl, and Papakōlea. Janel Fujinaka is ready to lead with purpose, and I am proud to support her candidacy for a stronger future for our community.

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Calvin Marquez Jr.
Former Director of Development, The Life Foundation
Former Makiki Resident

Today I had the chance to meet with Janel Fujinaka, who is running for Hawaiʻi State House District 26, and the conversation impressed me with her knowledge and humility.

I shared that my own advocacies come from lived experience growing up on Anianiku Street, from watching my family and others in the community struggle with food security, transportation, access to community spaces, health access, and the lack of Hawaiian language programs. Papakōlea will always be important to me no matter where I live and I want anyone who is running for any political office to make sure that homesteads like Papakōlea are not forgotten and that they know the issue more than superficially.

What mattered to me was that she understood this not just intellectually. She shared that she also grew up in a struggling family, came through the public school system, and that level of understanding of concerns from her personal experience showed up in how she spoke. These issues were not treated as abstract or hypothetical. She already knew the concerns and named leaders I know from Papakōlea. She was on top of it and did her research.

She was clear that her approach is to support what the community wants, not to come in and tell them what they need.

We talked about real renter protections, term limits for state legislators, ethics, outreach that is consistent with Hawaiian values, and about her particular advocacy for kūpuna care as a measure of our collective health.

What stayed with me most was her emphasis on compassionate community driven solutions and on talking with people, not at them. We really need more people in political office who value community well-being and care from their own lived experiences.

I deeply value conversations where someone shows up having done the work but still wants to do more, is ready to listen deeply, and honors lived experience. Today felt like one of those conversations and I hope more people have conversations with people like Janel.