(BIVN) – In part two of our interview about Mauna Kea, Kealoha Pisciotta talks about a recent trip to California to meet with the head of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, a primary backer of the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Joining Pisciotta on the trip were Liko Martin, Laulani Teale, Pua Case, Dr. Kalamaokaʻaina Niheu.

“The purpose of going there was because a few of the kiaʻi had written to the Gordon Moore Foundation and requested an audience with Gordon Moore,” Pisciotta said. “Moore is one of the largest single donors to the TMT project. He’s not the only donor, but he’s the largest single donor. The goal of going there was to speak with him and tell him our position and let him know that we still want him to reconsider investing to build on Mauna Kea.”

Pisciotta says the travelling Hui shared a link to the petition in opposition to the project, signed by 67,000 people, and to remind the Foundation of the letters sent back in 2009. They also wanted to remind the Foundation of the Peter Adler’s Keystone report, commissioned over a decade ago to assess the risks for siting the TMT on Mauna Kea.

Gordon and Betty Moore were not there, Pisciotta said, but the president of the Foundation did receive them. Pisciotta said they had a good conversation.

“We basically were inviting them to be thought leaders… to join with us. Because whether you’re looking at the world from an indigenous point of view, or a Western point of view, we all agree that the Earth is in trouble,” Pisciotta said.

Pisciotta talked about Mayor Harry Kim’s “Vision for Maunakea” in part one of our interview.

This story has been updated.