HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – This year marks 40 years since the People Power Revolution ousted former President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., from office in the Philippines, and Honolulu’s Filipino community is using art to preserve that history.

The People Power Hawaii month-long art festival is raising awareness about the historic peace movement and bringing the Filipino community together through art rooted in collective trauma and history.

“Art can inspire action, you want to tell people that something matters,” said Dianne Deauna, a board member of the Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice, and Democracy, and organizer of the panel and art gallery. “If we don’t prioritize sharing these stories and capturing that history, we lose our most potent weapon against forces that try to erase us, and divide us, our heritage.”

The People Power Revolution consisted of a four-day, non-violent uprising in the Philippines in February 1986 that ended Marcos’ 20-year rule. It followed public outrage over his rule under martial law, electoral fraud and the assassination of opposition candidate Benigno Aquino Jr. Democracy advocates and Marcos’ dissenters held demonstrations, protesting corruption and persecution under the Marcos administration. Marcos and his family fled to Honolulu, where he lived in exile for three years, and died in 1989.

The month-long art festival opened with Pagalala’t Pakikibaka (Memory in Art), an artists’ panel and gallery event, at the Hawaii State Library, offering a historical view into the Marcos era of the Philippines and his time in Honolulu. It also included a People Power Hawaii Concert.

A new theater play called Indigo Child will be shown at The Actors’ Group (TAG) Brad Powell Theater at Dole Cannery on March 10, 11, 17 and 18.

The theater play follows the story of a mother and son and their psychological aftermath of martial law in the Philippines.

“It’s a warning, against political, historical revisionism and unexamined history,” said Emmanuele Mante, the organizer of the Indigo Child play. “It’s also a form of ethical and political act.”

People Power Hawaii 2026 is organized by the Hawaii Filipinos for Truth, Justice, and Democracy (HFTJD) and brought by the Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii (FAHSOH), Filipino Association of University Women (FAUW), and the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

For more information, head to People Power Hawaii 2026.

Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Breaking news! We’ve just launched our new and improved Hawaii News Now mobile news app.

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Aloha, New Jersey.

Asbury Park rocker Jake Thistle will be featured on the Monday, March 9 episode of “American Idol.” It’s the ‘Ohana Round episode, which will have the Top 30 hopefuls performing for industry tastemakers as well as peers, family members and friends at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

Jacquie Lee of Colts Neck is also in the Top 30.

The tastemakers include social media personalities Kaniyia Brown and Terry McCaskill; dancer Sasha Farber; musician Anthony Gargiula; actress Loren Gray; singer Cheryl Porter; Grand Ole Opry announcer Kelly Sutton; and Rolling Stone editor Shirley Halperin, an East Brunswick native.

Thistle sang an earnest and soulful version of Sam Fender’s “Seventeen Going Under” on the Thursday, Feb. 23 Hollywood Week episode.

Lionel Richie said “I like him” after he pumped his fist during the rendition.

“You’re so ready for this,” said Luke Bryan of Thistle.

Music legends Lyle Lovett with John Hiatt are also fans of Thistle, a Paramus native.

“We’ve know Jake since he was a youngster and we’ve watched him grow and if you ever get a chance to hear Jake thistle play you will be glad you did,” said Lovett Wednesday, Match 4 from the stage of the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.

Thistle thanked the music stars on social media.

“Both of them have been hugely important to my development as a songwriter and musician, and I was honored they took the time!” Thistle said.

The 21-year old has been a regular on Asbury Park stages and Bruce Springsteen-related shows in the area. Thistle has even shared the same stage as the Boss.

“American Idol” airs 8 p.m. Mondays on ABC and subsequently streams on Hulu.

Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at cjordan@app.com