Any Hawaii anti-Asian tensions long ago notched downward on its priority list, but the national problem has only intensified during the pandemic, with many heinous attacks on Asian Americans.

Now, three with Hawaii ties are in the thick of addressing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues. U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth have pressed an Asian hate crimes bill, and Erika Moritsugu, former staffer for the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, is President Joe Biden’s new AAPI liaison.