HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As the newly crowned Miss Hawaii Filipina 2025, Khiani Garcia has hit the ground running.
The Kauai native was crowned Aug. 9 at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue.
She told Hawaii News Now Sunrise she’s excited for the opportunities ahead.
“Being Miss Hawaii Filipina is not only about showcasing and learning more about my Filipino culture and heritage. It’s about using what I learn from my culture and who I am as a Filipina to collaborate with and contribute to cultures all over Hawaii,” said Garcia.
Garcia said one of her top goals is to engage with the community on Kauai and throughout the state, especially when it comes to “hard to talk about topics” in the Filipino community, like mental health.
With September being Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, Garcia is participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s annual Out-of-the-Darkness Walk and Resource Fair on Oahu on Sept. 13.
She’s also forming her own nonprofit organization, called the Inani Project.
“Inani in Filipino means to harvest, and that is my goal within this nonprofit organization is to harvest the dreams and hopes for the keiki so they are able to thrive in the future,” said Garcia.
Throughout her term, Garcia will host pageant workshops open to all interested throughout Hawaii. Activities will include pageant walking, makeup fun, photoshoots, and etiquette.
Her first workshop will be held on Oahu on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Aloha Dancesport Center.
Details will be posted on the Miss Hawaii Filipina Instagram page @themisshawaiifilipina.
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