HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green ordered the U.S. and Hawaii state flags to be lowered to honor Auntie Twinkle Borge, a homeless advocate and community pillar. 

Borge died on Aug. 5, 2024, at 54 years old. She was the acknowledged leader of Puuhonua O Waianae, a community of unsheltered individuals and families located near the Waianae Boat Harbor, where she lived for 17 years. She gave voice to the needs of thousands of the island’s homeless residents and worked with those in power to secure immediate and long-term solutions.

The flags will be flown at half-staff at the Hawaii State Capitol and all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawaii National Guard from Thursday to Monday.  

“I’d like to honor the extraordinary legacy of Auntie Twinkle Borge. Her unwavering kindness and aloha will always be remembered,” said Green in a statement. “She exemplified true community leadership and proved that anyone, regardless of their situation, can make a significant impact. Through her vision and activism, she united people to buy land and build the Puuhonua O Wai‘anae kauhale, a place that her Waianae Boat Harbor neighbors can call home. The First Lady and I extend our deepest condolences to her loved ones and the Wai‘anae community.”