Makai Freitas
Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL)
Commissioner
Makai Freitas is an experienced labor leader grounded in collaborative solutions to support the needs of today’s working men and women, all the while balancing this with 21st-century economic, social, and cultural realities.
He has 20 years of labor experience that has led to elected leadership within the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). His kuleana has included all aspects of union representation. Concurrently, he works on the docks across the state as a Longshoreman and understands the daily work conditions, health and safety, and core issues of working men and women.
Freitas is a long-time youth sports volunteer coach and a member of the Waimea Community Association. He lives in Waimea with his wife, Aulani, and two daughters, Wailea and Mahina.