Kealoha is the founder of HawaiiSlam, Youth Speaks Hawai`i (2-Time International Champions), and First Thursdays (the largest registered slam poetry competition in the world with an average attendance of 600+). In the 7 years that he has represented Hawai`i at the National Poetry Slam, he has performed on the finals stage 4 times, finishing 8th individually out of 350 of the world’s best poets in 2007. Kealoha has served as Hawaii’s SlamMaster since 2003, and has been on the Artists in the Schools roster since 2005. He has featured at hundreds of live venues throughout the world including the Nuyorican poets cafe (New York City), the Bowery Poetry Club (New York City), the Green Mill (Chicago), the Schiffbau (Zurich, Switzerland), the Rokerij (Amsterdam, Netherlands), the Bienal do Ibirapuera (Sao Paulo, Brazil), and the 2007 NFL Pro Bowl halftime show.
Kealoha was featured on HBO’s Brave New Voices series presented by Russel Simmons, and he is the poetic vocalist for Henry Kapono’s “Wild Hawaiian” project (nominated for a Grammy). In the literature world, his poetry has been published by Bamboo Ridge, Real Word Magazine, and the Honolulu Weekly. His poetry performances have also been recorded on albums such as Hapa’s “Maui” (winner of 4 Na Hoku Hanohano awards and the Hawaii Music Award for “Album of the Year”), the Mana Maoli compilation (featuring Jack Johnson and John Cruz), and a full-length spoken word CD entitled Kealoha. He has been featured 4 times on the “World’s Greatest Poetry Slam” DVD series (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008) and starred in the movie “Hawai`i Slam: Poetry in Paradise.” Kealoha has made dozens of television appearances, including two performances for the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii's Grammys), PBS's Long Story Short (with Leslie Wilcox), and the State of Hawaii’s “Can’t Fool the Youth” anti-smoking campaign that he wrote, performed, and co-directed.
Kealoha has shared the stage with Kenny Loggins (Multi-Platinum/Multi-Grammy Winner), Jack Johnson (Multi-Platinum Recording Artist), Ben Harper (Multiple Grammy Winner), Willie Nelson (Multi-Platinum/Multi-Grammy Winner), Damian “Junior Gong” Marley (Multiple Grammy Winner), Jason Mraz (Multi-Platinum/Multi-Grammy Winner), Michael Franti (Spearhead), Don Carlos (Reggae Legend), Medusa (Grammy Winner), and countless numbers of slam poetry superstars. He has also collaborated with artists such as Henry Kapono (Grammy Nominee), Hapa (Multiple Na Hoku winners), Makana (Slack Key Virtuoso), Willie K (Grammy Nominee), Mick Fleetwood (Multi-Platinum/Multi-Grammy Winner), and Jason Scott Lee (Actor). Finally, he has conducted workshops at over 200 distinct schools, libraries, prisons, and community centers throughout his career (including a Master’s Workshop at the Bamboo Ridge Writer’s Institute) alongside writing leaders such as Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3), Maxine Hong Kingston (The Woman Warrior), and Witi Ihimaera (The Whale Rider).
Beyond poetry, Kealoha co-wrote and played the lead role in a hip-hop theatre production entitled Chase, which sold out on every night of its original and encore runs. He also co-directed a sold out 1,400-seat show of the Vagina Monologues at Hawaii Theatre (featuring luminaries such as Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Nora Okja Keller, and Joy Harjo). He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Hawai`i People's Fund, a grassroots organization involved in activist-advised grantmaking. Kealoha graduated with honors from MIT with a degree in Nuclear Physics, served as a business consultant in San Francisco, and played around as a surf instructor prior to becoming a professional poet.