Meet Jen Roberts, a retired firefighter with a passion for adventure and a deep love for serving Hawaiʻi. She’s lived a dynamic life - bartending, fighting fires, and leading a women's motorcycling club - all while embracing each moment with gusto. Jen shares career-defining stories, from delivering a baby on the H-1 freeway to the meaningful work of The Pantry in Kalihi, where her team coordinates food distribution to nearly 10,000 residents each month. She also reflects on her side gig as a TV and movie extra (cue EMT!), along with adrenaline-packed travels to Dubai, Thailand, and South Africa with her family. Tune in for a lively conversation about chasing flames, loving big, and the joy of the open road.

Episode Highlights

0:21 Jen: a globe-trotting, motorcycle-riding firefighter

1:32 Volunteering at The Pantry, an e-commerce food distribution center

3:20 Roots: From Florida to Hawaiʻi at 21

4:20 Bartender to Firefighter

5:45 Delivering babies? Just another day on the job

9:25 Juggling a variety of jobs and new skillsets

10:18 Motorcycle magic and the open road

13:00 Steppin'

13:55 World travels with the fam

18:49 Giving back at Chai Lai Orchid in Thailand

22:42 Adrenaline-chasing in Dubai

26:45 Cape Town tales

28:09 Background acting gigs (aloha, Hollywood!)

31:55 Appreciate, volunteer, love big

Learn more about the organizations Jen mentioned by visiting:

The Pantry: https://thepantry.org/ (Kalihi, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi)

Chai Lai Orchid: https://chailaiorchid.com/what-we-do/ (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

Photos: Jen Roberts

Episode Art: Molly Mamaril

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

We appreciate you tuning in to Heartbeat Narratives! On this podcast, we celebrate stories of joy through organic conversations about the passions, places and people that our guests love. Letʻs continue to build our connections with others in our circles by leading with curiosity and aloha. Episodes are released every other Wednesday! 

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

It's game on in today's episode as we sit down with Aunty Helen Nakano, the enthusiastic founder of Hanafuda Hawaiʻi. From her childhood in the 1940s on South King Street to teaching across Kauaʻi and Japan, Aunty Helen shares her journey of reviving the traditional Japanese card game, Hanafuda, for players across the islands. Learn how she’s using these “flower cards” to bridge generations and inspire joy in players from ages 5 to 104 including at kūpuna centers, correctional facilities and local schools. Discover the story behind the latest Hanafuda Pilina cards, which celebrate Hawaiʻi’s native flora and fauna, and hear her practical advice on how to be an engaged citizen in your home community. Mahalo for tuning in to this conversation about heritage and the power of play - all recorded in a karaoke room in Mānoa!

Episode Highlights

0:22 Intro to Aunty Helen Nakano

1:28 Childhood in the heart of Honolulu on South King Street

3:27 Becoming a teacher - teaching on Kauaʻi and in Japan

5:03 Hanafuda or "Flower Cards"-  a Japanese card game

6:25 Playing with her grandchild 2,500 miles away

9:20 Founding Hanafuda Hawaiʻi

11:05 Hanafuda Pilina cards about Hawaiʻi's native flora and fauna

13:34 Thursday Hanafuda days at Nā Kūpuna Makamae

15:19  Players are 5 to 104 years old

17:20 Win-Win: One person's junk, another person's treasure

19:25 Hanafuda tournaments at a women's correctional facility

23:26 Hanafuda kits for Hawaiʻi's 4th grade teachers

25:17 Sharing knowledge and making it simple

26:38  A mover and a shaker: tips to become an active citizen

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

If you love food, you will fall in love with Rachel Fukumoto, a business owner and agricultural enthusiast based in Keaʻau, Hawaiʻi. In this insightful episode, we learn about Rachel's foodpreneur endeavors through her business, The Pastry Farmer. From living in a convent on a sustainable farm to training to become a farmer, she shares her winding path into agriculture and her deep-rooted desire to feed communities across Hawaiʻi. We dive into the functional quirks of being a petite, female farmer, the meditative power of observing land and the importance of connecting to our food sources. Rachel reflects on food security in Hawaiʻi, shares the origin story behind her signature fruit tarts, and even gifts us a fresh daikon salad recipe. You'll also hear about why she loves growin tea and how CSA boxes are basically "love in produce form." This conversation is perfect for some grounding inspo and some laughs. Bon appétit - we go eat!

Episode Highlights

0:23 Introduction to Rachel (and grad school memories!)

2:55 Love of agriculture and feeding Hawaiʻi communities

4:11 The spark: living in a convent on a sustainable farm

5:26 Becoming a farmer

8:19 The power of being grounded, kilo (observing) as active meditation

11:06 Everyone has a connection to food, food (in)security in Hawaiʻi

13:27 The quirks, joys and challenges of of being a wahine farmer

17:42 Origins of The Pastry Farmer

20:12 The fruit tart as a canvas

20:49 Fukumoto Farms through GoFarm Hawaiʻi

22:21 CSA boxes are the best! (Community Supported Agriculture)

25:12 Recipe: Fresh daikon salad

27:13 The plate test - where are your ingredients from?

28:24 Growing root crops and tea

30:46 Tempura tea leaf surprise

32:56 The infamous cane spider

36:10 Farmers are our friends, get to know them :)

Learn more at: https://thepastryfarmer.com/

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

To celebrate the 62nd Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Hawaiʻi this week, we honor the legacy of Karl Veto Baker, a kumu hula of Hālau I Ka Wēkiu, alongside Michael Lanakila Casupang. With five decades of experience as a hula dancer and teacher, Kumu Veto reflects on his journey that began in 1975 under the mentorship of renowned Kumu Hula, Robert Cazimero, whose 50th year of dancing is being honored this spring. Kumu Veto shares stories of learning hula during the Hawaiian Renaissance in the 1970s, his ʻūniki (graduation exercises), and the founding of his hula school, Hālau I Ka Wēkiu, in 1998. We explore the joys and creativity of teaching, the dedication of his haumana (students), and how hula positively shapes lives both on and off the stage. From honoring family legacies to reviving powerful moʻolelo (stories), Kumu Veto offers reflective insight into the vision, research, choreography, and spiritual essence that fuel his artistry. With contemplations on his love for the hula community, this episode honors hula as the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people. Mahalo for tuning in! 

Episode Highlights

0:22 Introduction to Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker of Hālau I Ka Wēkiu

0:47 Gratitude to his teacher of 50 years, Kumu Hula Robert Cazimero

4:12 A family legacy of hula dance

5:31 The Hawaiian Renaissance

6:42 ʻŪniki: the process of becoming a kumu hula

8:09 Establishing Hālau I Ka Wēkiu in 1998

8:33 The joy in watching students excel

9:51 Preparing for Merrie Monarch 2025

11:08 Students rising to the occasion in all areas of life

15:45 Hula is the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people

19:14 Abundance flows from aloha

23:12 Striving for the excellence: performances and connecting to the audience

27:14 Newness each year

27:50 It all began in1975

28:10 50th celebration: Reviving the saga of Halemano and Kamalālāwalu

33:33 Peʻahi o Makana written by Kumu Hula Devin Kamealoha Forrest

36:41: Vision, research, choreography, mechanics, spirit, strive for the wēkiu 

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

Snap happy is a real thing. In this episode, Tâm Koppelaar, our new Dutch bestie shares about why he loves photography. From an unexpected airplane friendship to scenic hikes and a cozy Friendsmas party, Tâm brings a sharp eye and sarcasm to our conversation. We follow his journey from the Netherlands to Hawaiʻi, tracing the spark that turned a “real” camera into a gamechanging tool for storytelling. Tâm opens up about documenting weddings (cue unhinged uncles), and his love of capturing fleeting memories. Of course, no Dutch guest leaves without some good travel tips from charming windmills to biking culture. Come say "cheese!" and see the world with fresh eyes through Tâm's lens.

Episode Highlights

0:22 Meeting Tâm and airplane friendships

2:25 Hikes and Friendsmas parties

3:28 Traveling from the Netherlands

3:48 What makes your heart beat?

4:27 Love of photography

5:31 The spark + real cameras

7:30 Memorizing the moment

8:43 Favorite wedding moments to document

10:17 Advice for aspiring photographers

11:06 World travels through photography and family - Netherlands, Vietnam, Hawaiʻi

12:45 Love of Hawaiʻi

14:24 Upcoming travel destinations

15:06 Travel tips for The Netherlands: Amsterdam! Windmills! Cheese! Trains! Biking! 

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

For our first LOVE STORY of Heartbeat Narratives, we welcome middle school sweethearts, Gigi and Jesse, to reflect on nearly 20 years of being together. With their baby daughter, Samara, in tow, they reminisce about Jesse's memorable *first sight* of Gigi at age 13, their slow-burn high school romance, and the perks of growing up together in Minneapolis. They talk about their cultural backgrounds and how these influences have shaped their relationship. Gigi moved from Italy to Minnesota and has Ghanaian roots, while Jesse was raised in Minnesota and identifies with the Hawaiian diaspora. From midnight phone calls in the early 2000s to starting a family in 2024, they share their hopes for the future, all while staying forever kids at heart as they navigate life together. Host, Molly Mamaril, looks forward to sprinkling in occasional love story episodes as a way to honor - and answer - the question, "Who makes your heart beat?"

Episode Highlights

0:23 Intro to Gigi, Jesse and Samara

1:10 What brings you joy?

1:57 Middle school sweethearts

5:10 Grow up, glow up

6:48 *First Sight*

9:40 Gigi and Jesse's cultural roots - Ghana, Italy, Hawaiʻi, Minnesota

12:37 High school was a sloooow burn

17:06 Getting the scoop from the hairdresser about Jesse's love life

17:35 Midnight phone calls, building the foundation

19:51 Mother-in-law's intuitive dream

20:42 Teacher observations of their budding romance

21:39 Who makes your heart beat?

22:00 Experiencing growing pains together

23:40 Love bubble, reading eachother's minds

25:06 Sprinting to Georgia's heart

26:08 Marriage advice

27:45 3 things you love about eachother

30:02 Forever kids at heart

Episode art photo credit: Molly Mamaril

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

Valentina is a heart-forward social worker with a decade of experience serving houseless communities in both Hawaiʻi and California. Born in Honolulu and raised in San Diego, she moved back to the islands to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Through her undergraduate capstone project, she discovered a deep passion for helping others during an internship at a large shelter in the city. Since then, Valentina has helped about 1,000 individuals find stable housing by navigating social services resources, building a strong team of colleagues with a shared vision, and aiming to embody the principle of "cor ad cor loquitur," or "heart speaks to heart," in every interaction. It is clear that she thrives in environments where connection to people is at the center of her work. During her off-hours, Valentina is all about finding that elusive work-life balance. She embraces her downtime by restaurant-hopping, diving into books, experimenting with gardening, and playing the role of "animal auntie" to her sister's pets. Looking ahead, she is eager to continue her ʻohana’s legacy of social justice work, committed to another 30 years of uplifting those in need.

Episode Highlights

0:22 Intro to Valentina

1:30 Social work and serving the unsheltered population

2:31 Trust in relationships

3:30 Hawaiʻi is home, regardless of your housing situation

4:20 Focus on making the difference

6:36 Cor ad cor loquitur: "heart speaks to heart"

7:35 Making magic - working with clients and a good team

9:21 Check up with those who have been housed

9:40 How many people do you think you've helped over the years?

10:19 A family legacy of serving the community

10:50 Housing her first client

11:28 Finding her element at a Honolulu shelter, working with families

13:10 Neighborliness:"You've just gotta talk to people, you've got to listen"

15:11 Career highlights: keys in doors

16:17 If you could fix one thing to better serve the houseless community, what would it be?

18:34 Finding balance through reading, gardening, being an animal auntie and foodie

21:51 People connections are key 

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

What did we learn, honey? Let them bee!  In this buzzworthy episode, Darin Olson, a master beekeeper based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, shares his deep knowledge of bees and their critical role in our food system. Originally from Illinois, Darin's beekeeping lineage dates back to the 1400s in Norway, giving him true perspective on the craft (and, of course, an inherited sweet tooth). He describes how bees strive for symbiotic harmony with bears (and humans) while also expressing the problem of antibiotics in commercial farming pollination practices. As an antidote to chemicals, Darin's goal is to create a natural bee feed from native Hawaiian medicinal plants to assist beekeepers and farmers in sustaining healthy hives globally. And we would be remiss if we didn't talk about bee stings, the infamous Queen bee, his bumbling childhood in the hives, and ways we can support pollinators. 

Episode Highlights

0:22 Intro to Darin

0:52 Moved from Chicago to Molokaʻi in 1997

1:14 Beekeeping is a family tradition from Norway

1:59 Healing generational trauma from forced immigration

2:30 Managing bee diseases by listening to the bees

3:49 Beekeepers as stewards

4:20 Symbiotic relationship between bees and bears/humans

6:30 Bees = food for humans

6:35 Learning to respect the hive at age 7  

9:40 Multigenerational perpetuation of the practice

10:03 Pollinators are integral to our food system

10:41 Bovine antibiotics and honeybees

11:38 The potential for "bee feed" that is medicine + food

12:18 How honeybees naturally select plants to pollinate

15:35 How can people support bees?  

17:26 Problem: Sick bees spread disease which threatens our food system

18:29 Solution: Awareness, remove antibiotics, grow medicinal plants (and buy local coffee!)

20:02 Goodbye allergies! Benefits of eating local honey

20:53 Poi and its beneficial enzymes for the gut

21:21 Honey and infants

22:36 Bee sting remedy

23:03 The Queen Bee and reproduction

26:25 Hive health depends on the Queen

28:09 Honeybees naturally strive for perfection

29:07 Global food security and crop yield - killer bees vs. honeybees

30:48 Finding natural solutions in nature (as an antidote to antibiotics) 

Show Art Photo Credit: Darin Olson

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik

Monroe, known in the musical world as Sulubika, is an Oʻahu-based street musician. He is a gifted flautist who has spent years traveling with various artists and groups across Turkey, Italy and beyond, eventually making his way to Oʻahu. Urban Honolulu residents may recognize him by the trills of his flute at community parks and well-trod street corners. Monroe recognizes that music, and all forms of art, allow us to tap into a higher consciousness, giving way to our path towards divinity. He recollects his connection to his family, being in the flow state of sound, and his dream of returning home to Los Angeles one day.

Episode Highlights

0:22 Intro

1:11 Los Angeles origins

1:53 Force of truth and good

2:44 Los Angeles music scene - playing the flute

3:55 Traveling the world as a flautist

4:19 Music in Queen Latifah movies

5:00 Mission Impossible [plays song]

6:05 Hidden divinity - force and light

7:11 Birds interacting with music

8:04 Self taught  

8:58 Eric Dolphy and the sensitivity of musicians

9:29 See vs. Look

10:13 Music is a universal language

11:37 Jazz

12:11 Art and music as an entryway to opening of the mind

14:55 Our way of serving; the origin of the podcast

16:48 Traveling across Europe; "Be still and know that I am"  

20:28 Continue traveling to the continental and playing the flute

22:10 Music was an aid to show a deeper and profound reality of consciousness

24:24 Playing music across the island

24:47 Young people and connection to sense of place, culture, home

26:06 "Music will go on"

26:52 Expressing our deepest emotions

Host and Producer: Molly Mamaril

Guitarist: Amund Gismervik