Maui attorney and storyteller Lance D. Collins receives award for peace and social justice

Maui attorney and cultural storyteller Lance D. Collins was honored with the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Legacy Award for Peace and Social Justice by the Knights of Rizal – Aloha Chapter on Nov. 1, 2025, at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu.

Established in 2011, the award recognizes individuals who embody the ideals and teachings of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, particularly in advancing peace, justice, education and community uplift.

Previous recipients include retired Hawai‘i Supreme Court Justice Simeon Acoba Jr., Center for Philippine Studies founding director Dr. Belinda A. Aquino, retired University of Hawai‘i administrator Dr. Amy Agbayani, former Hawai‘i Governor Ben Cayetano, and retired pastor Rev. Samuel Domingo, among others.

Dr. Melinda T.  Kerkvliet, a long-time scholar of Philippine labor history and retired student services administrator at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, was the other individual awardee this year.

Collins has practiced law on Maui for more than two decades, focusing on public interest litigation and appellate work, with emphasis on good government, environmental protection, and Hawaiian rights. Beyond his legal work, Collins is a multi-disciplinary storyteller and community advocate. He is a multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award–winning music producer, an accomplished filmmaker, and historian.

His filmmaking credits include the award-winning Lahaina-based film “My Partner” (directed by Keli‘i Grace) and the recently premiered Ilokano language web series “All the Things I Leave You” (Patawid) (directed by Jade Castro). He also serves as long-time editor of the West Maui Book Series and is widely published in fields including legal history, governance and cultural studies.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to be included among the class of  distinguished community members who have devoted their lives to building a better community and better world,” said Collins.

The award citation praised Collins for “his remarkable record of pro bono public service, for his years of advocacy work for justice, good governance and community empowerment, and for exemplifying the ideals and principles of Rizal.” The committee also recognized his contributions to filmmaking, music, local publishing, and academic research as reflective of Rizal’s own multi-disciplinary legacy.

The Order of the Knights of Rizal, founded in 1911 and granted a legislative charter by the Philippine government in 1951, has more than 25,000 members across nearly 200 chapters worldwide. The organization has been established in Hawai‘i since 1956.