This still image comes from a video of U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda addressing the U.S. House on Wednesday in front of a large portrait of Maui County Council Member Tasha Kama. Courtesy photo

Speaking before the U.S. House on Wednesday, Rep. Jill Tokuda took a moment to praise the life of Maui County Council Member Tasha Kama, who died Oct. 26 surrounded by loved ones.

The Maui County Council member was also remembered during a ceremony Wednesday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

In Washington, the lawmaker from Hawaii described Kama as “a mother to all, a warm hand and a hug when you needed it most, a voice for the voiceless and a champion for everyone she served.”

Speaking on the floor of the U.S. House, Tokuda said Kama was a fierce advocate for affordable housing, Native Hawaiian rights and keiki and kupuna.

“But more than any title or position, she carried a quiet strength and a deep faith that grounded our entire community,” Tokuda said. “She showed up for people, not for recognition, but because she believed every person deserved dignity, respect and aloha. Hawaii and the world need more Tashas.

“With her now watching from above, we must now try to live and lead with the same courage, compassion and unwavering aloha that defined her life. To the Kama ohana and all those whose lives she shaped, we offer our deepest condolences. May her legacy continue to guide us forward. Rest in aloha, my friend. Mahalo and I yield back, Mr. Speaker.”