History is Biography

Matthew Nagato is a storyteller, strategist, and systems tinkerer whose work challenges the way we approach equity, power, and community transformation. He develops strategies that move beyond rhetoric, ensuring that storytelling and engagement lead to meaningful change. His efforts are grounded in the belief that true transformation requires acknowledging the inconvenient truths about power and resources, and then having the courage to choose and act differently.

Growing up in Waimānalo, Hawai‘i, Mr. Nagato experienced firsthand the racism, stigma, and poverty often associated with impoverished minority communities. He also observed the ways in which communities are shaped not just by policies and programs, but by the relationships and structures that determine who has access to opportunity and who is left behind. His career has been dedicated to shifting that balance.

While working on behalf of communities to increase access to health care, he was asked to write and direct a Hawai‘i version of the landmark PBS series Unnatural Causes, an examination of the social determinants of health. Mr. Nagato called the resulting documentary, Ola – Health Is Everything, his love letter to Hawai‘i.

The film, screened nearly 400 times nationwide, demonstrated that solutions to systemic inequities already exist within communities, but they are too often dismissed as impractical or naïve by those in power. Its sequel, ‘Ike – Knowledge Is Everywhere, challenged those assumptions and demonstrated that genuine progress happens when individuals within community lead the way. Both films sparked a movement that reached far beyond the healthcare and education sectors.

an imperative to do good

Mr. Nagato’s experience extends across more than 30 years in communications, strategic planning, and public policy, including leadership roles at the Hawai‘i Primary Care Association and the Hawai‘i Medical Service Association. His work has redefined how public health and social services communicate with the people they serve, moving beyond institutional messaging to narratives that engage and mobilize communities. He has worked on award-winning campaigns, redesigned public health engagement strategies, and exposed the structural fictions that keep communities in cycles of scarcity while resources remain concentrated in the hands of a few.

A sought-after speaker on systems change, collective action, and the intersection of policy and community, he has challenged audiences to think beyond traditional frameworks for philanthropy and public service. His TEDx talk explored how people, not institutions, drive meaningful and replicable change. He continues to push for a shift away from incremental solutions toward a fundamental rethinking of how we invest in community well-being.

For Mr. Nagato, storytelling is about elevating voices and holding power accountable. His work continues to challenge outdated assumptions, amplify the leadership that already exists within communities, and push for solutions that move beyond charity toward justice. He formed Lumos Media LLC to facilitate his ongoing desire to produce and share inspirational and provocative stories about Hawai‘i, where he focuses his energies on creating thriving communities.

And somewhere in the moments between it all, he’s still working on the Great American Novel.