“Drive with Aloha” Mural Unveiled at Lāhainā Boys & Girls Club: A Symbol of Resilience and Prevention

Lāhainā, Maui  — A vibrant new mural now brightens the Lāhainā Boys & Girls Club, unveiled on July 28 through a collaboration between Keep It Flowing and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT). Titled “Drive with Aloha,” the mural delivers a powerful message of hope, resilience, and prevention, inspiring Maui youth to embrace safe, healthy choices.

The unveiling marks a full-circle moment for Ken Nishimura, founder and creative director of Keep It Flowing, who painted his first Maui prevention mural at this very location in 2013. That original piece, created for the Hawai‘i Meth Project and emblazoned with the slogan “Not Even Once,” was the organization’s first anti-meth mural and received overwhelming community support. Tragically, it was destroyed in the 2023 Lāhainā Fires.

“Coming back to this exact location with a new message and a new mural is deeply meaningful,” Nishimura said. “But my favorite part of any mural isn’t the art, it’s the youth. It’s the impact this message can have on their future.”

The event brought together approximately 30 youth from both the Lāhainā and Central Maui Boys & Girls Clubs. Participants heard messages about substance use prevention, impaired driving, and the importance of making safe choices. The mural’s theme emphasizes that youth are not just the future, they can make a difference today, particularly in preventing impaired driving.

Keep It Flowing, known for uniting generations, cultures, and communities through collaborative public art, uses murals as platforms for social messaging, from ocean safety and anti-bullying to youth empowerment and drug prevention. Nishimura’s vision includes a statewide mural tour paired with a youth-centered curriculum to amplify young voices and inspire action across Hawai‘i.

This mural is part of that broader movement. Keep It Flowing recently completed a similar piece at Maui High School, encouraging teens to speak up if someone they know is planning to drive impaired and make safe choices. Contributing artists for the Lāhainā mural included Ken Nishimura, Kellee Kubita, Rylie Kubota, Ryson Lapenia, and Ikaika Lopez. 

Melissa Magonigle, Coordinator of the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, also addressed the youth, sharing an encouraging message about healthy choices. She reminded them that their future, dreams, and well-being matter, and emphasized that true strength comes from walking away from substances like vaping, alcohol, and drugs. Magonigle encouraged youth to surround themselves with people who support and uplift them, inspiring them to make positive choices that will shape their path forward.

As the mural now stands at the Lāhainā Boys & Girls Club, it not only restores a piece of what was lost in the fires—it renews a promise to Maui’s youth: to support, uplift, and remind them that their choices matter, their voices matter, and they have the power to lead with aloha.

For more information on the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth and our ongoing prevention efforts, visit mcdfy.org or find us on Instagram at @mauicoalitionfordrugfreeyouth.