As Free Speech Week is officially celebrated this year from Oct. 16 through Oct. 22, the time is right to focus attention on the value of this critical constitutional right granted to every U.S. citizen.

As CEO of one of the four nonprofit, public-access media channels in Hawaii, collectively known as the PEG outlets — for public, educational, and government access — I’m concerned about the public’s access to information and its effect on free and independent speech. Of particular concern are those in underserved and rural communities in Hawaii, where the “digital divide” is most prevalent.

Here at ‘Olelo Community Media, we consider ourselves stewards of the right to free speech and that public-access media is the country’s last bastion of true free speech. While we do not allow material that is either defamatory or obscene, PEGs like ‘Olelo on Oahu, Akaku on Maui, Ho‘ike on Kauai and Na Leo ‘O Hawai‘i nonetheless do not censor; our whole mission is to allow you, as community members, the opportunity to express your views and tell your stories, as well as those of your communities, on all of our media channels. Free speech is direct speech.

PEGs are, by design, hyper-local, and they can provide crucial benefits, as we saw in the weeks following the tragic Maui wildfires on Aug. 8. Maui’s PEG outlet, Akaku, continues to provide extensive coverage of the wildfires, both in the field and at every Maui news conference, and shares that coverage with the other PEGs across Hawaii. And while national outlets may have moved on to other news topics, ‘Olelo, Akaku, Ho‘ike and Na Leo continue to work hand-in-hand as partners to provide essential and timely information as the people of Maui — and the state — recover and find healing.

The benefits of this partnership recently came to light when leadership of the Hawaii Executive Collaborative asked ‘Olelo to lead a first-of-its-kind broadcast of Kipuni Aloha no Maui, a live, sunrise-to-sunset prayer vigil for Maui that occurred simultaneously on six islands across the state of Hawaii on Sept. 1. All four PEGs partnered to make this extremely important healing vigil a broadcast reality.

Throughout this ongoing coverage, the Hawaii PEGs remain committed to allowing diverse viewpoints from within our communities. Part of that responsibility is encouraging residents to use their right to free speech by training and empowering them to create their own content for broadcast.

Lahaina-raised Jena Arcangel Miller not only works at Akaku, but she has also become one of its most prolific community producers. Since the fire, she has recorded more than 50 “Lahaina Listening Post” testimonies from people directly affected by the tragedy. As one of Lahaina’s own, she is helping others from her community to tell stories that are penetrating, honest and real. Jena has also trained scores of other contributors on Maui to help them tell their stories directly.

In covering the wildfires, ‘Olelo has served as a hub of information and, along with Akaku, has shared information not only with other PEGs but also with all local affiliate broadcast TV stations AND national media outlets as well. Along the way, the PEGs empowered Lahaina residents to tell stories about Lahaina, by Lahaina, for Lahaina.

In advance of Free Speech Week, I ask each member of our society to remember that free speech is our constitutional right. Use your right to free speech to express your opinions, advocate in support of existing programs or policies or advocate for social change.

Tell your story!

Roger McKeague is president/CEO of ‘Olelo Community Media.