In 2018, Nikki-Ann Yee was living abroad and had never heard of period poverty. And yet, once named and defined, she recognized it affected far too many people who menstruate not only abroad, but also in Hawaiʻi.

When Nikki moved back to the U.S. in 2020 she connected with her two sisters, Brandy-Lee Yee and Jamie-Lee Kapana, over this issue and Maʻi Movement Hawaiʻi was born. Through passion, coalition-building, and data collection, Maʻi Movement went from being an idea to launching a school pilot program, implementing a statewide distribution system, and passing state legislation in less than two years.