Hey Sis

photographer JAE BELU | @jaebelu
RISA HOSHINO make up | risahoshino.com
JONAH DELA CRUZ hairstylist | @jonahface

As the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens...

It was a little over a year ago when surfer Kelia "Sister" Moniz announced her departure from a longtime sponsorship — a nearly 18-year partnership, marking a new beginning for the two-time world longboard champion from Hawai'i.

In this newest chapter of her life, Moniz finds herself juggling the first years of motherhood while starting a new business and admits to working harder than ever before. However, it's also been the most rewarding.

"Now, it's about finding myself and feeling like I'm in my own skin," she says. "I'm older (she turns 32 in February), and you really become content with who you are. Life feels right even if it may not be perfect. You learn things in life...

"As a surfer, I was always doing things for other brands, other companies, and platforms. Now, everything I am doing is for myself, my family, my husband and my kids."

For Moniz, being a surfer is not just about chasing waves at iconic surf breaks around the world or the post-card image of longboarders on a party wave in Waikiki. Surfing, she explains, is a lifestyle rooted in culture and community. It's long days of being sunburn and sandy, kids making sand castles and catching crabs, fishing, stand-up paddling, and families sitting at the beach all day waiting for other families to show up.

"My background-being Hawaiian, coming from a family legacy of surfing, and having Waikiki as the center of my home all of those things are very marketable," she says. "I've allowed companies to leverage that willingly without question. Now, I'm really excited to take those things for myself and represent the community, my family and lifestyle through my lens organically and not have someone else's take on what they like about my life to be showcased.

"I'm excited to celebrate the things of our lifestyle that are often overlooked. Things that maybe don't look as aesthetically pleasing to the eye but are so important to the community — and that is its people, the small inbetween moments. I think the culture here in Hawai'i is that we value time spent, and sometimes that's just doing nothing on the beach. I think that's beautiful."

Moniz with her two children, 4-year-old son Honouliwai, and 2-year-old daughter Lava. Moniz wears YUMI KIM ‘Waverly’ midi dress.

Looking forward to a fresh start, Moniz entered 2024 ready for change when opportunity came knocking. She and her husband, photographer/artist Joe Termini, were given a chance to open a shop in the trendy urban Kaka‘ako neighborhood. Despite having no inventory or business plan, the couple decided to give it a shot, and now they’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of their brand, Honolulu Pawnshop.

“It was an accident,” explains Moniz on how the business came about. “My uncle offered us space in this shared retail space (of the surf-lifestyle boutique Milo). My husband is very creative, and I’m always down to do new things.”

They started by displaying some of Termini’s art and photographs in the store, then consigning and purchasing products from local designers to sell.

“We were like, let’s call it Honolulu Pawnshop because we don’t have anything, so whatever we can get our hands on, we’ll sell, as long as it’s something we like,” recalls Moniz. “A lot of it was local goods.”

Then, she created a logo, printed it on T-shirts, and it sold fast. She made sweatshirts, and it went in seconds. Eventually, she expanded their merchandise to hoodies, sweatpants, hats, totes and kids’ apparel and launched a website. The store has since relocated to the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikīkī, and they are planning to do a pop-up shop in Japan in March.

“The first piece of clothing we sold was in February 2024, so it’ll be a year (this month), which is crazy,” says Moniz. “From having no plans ... we just figured it out, and now it’s a decently successful business that’s working. The model is working, and I think why it’s working is because of the stories we’re able to tell and just being real with people.

“I think culture is craving authenticity, and because I don’t have a corporation telling me how to do something and I’m doing what feels right, it’s connecting with the community.”

Known by family, friends, and the surfing world as “Sister,” Moniz grew up in Kuli‘ou‘ou on East O‘ahu with four brothers — Micah, Isaiah, Joshua and Seth, who are not only close in age but also very close as a family. The kids were homeschooled by their mom, Tammy, and spent much of their childhood at the beach. They all share an inherited talent for surfing from their dad, big-wave surf legend Tony Moniz.

“I’ve been very lucky to have the best parents in the world, and they’ve created a space for us that I would love to mimic and mirror for my kids,” says Moniz, who has a 4-year-old son, Honouliwai, and a 2-year-old daughter, Lava. “We spend countless hours on the beach, homeschooling, surfing. I can’t say that I have the patience that my mom does, but I’m gonna try my best to figure out a way to offer somewhat of the same lifestyle that we had ... it was the most special childhood ever.”

Surrounded by brothers, it’s no surprise that “Sister” often became “one of the boys.” She loves dirt biking (as does her son, who is already insanely good at it) and is okay with getting dirty, except for sandy feet, which she can’t stand.

But this self-proclaimed tomboy also possesses a few feminine qualities, such as a love for fashion and beauty. She describes her style as cozy, laid-back and street-forward. “Ultimately, I like feeling comfortable, but I love to accessorize with gold and jewelry, and a little bit of make-up,” she shares.

Her daily skincare routine consists of a cleanser, followed by hydrating with Glazing Milk in the morning and Barrier Butter at night — all by Rhode, the skincare line developed by her good friend Hailey Bieber. Her other go-tos are Jan Marini sunscreen, It’s a 10 Leave-In hair conditioner, and Hourglass mascara.

But the thing she’s most obsessed with is, of course, her kids.

“I love watching them grow,” says Moniz, who lives just two valleys over from her childhood home. “Now that they’re more of their own human, it’s really fun seeing their real personality. It’s fun hearing them tell me things that I didn’t teach them, like they just have their little imaginations and the way they communicate.

“They teach me so much about myself, about life, about patience. They challenge me a lot. It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but the most rewarding. Be-ing a mom is the best thing ever. I really love it.”

From her days as a pro athlete and model to mom life and girl boss, Moniz continues to be an inspiration to many, including the 700,000-plus followers she has on social media. But what she hopes the public sees is that she’s just a regular girl trying to figure it out like everyone else.
“Life is life regardless if you’re a celebrity or really rich ...” she says. “At the end of the day, when I come home, what does that feel like? What does that look like? How do I feel? Those things are so important.”

“I don’t care about having a life that is perceived as glamorous in any way because it’s not the reality. Life isn’t always glamorous even if you have all the money in the world ... my desire is for people to never feel like I’m any different than them because we all are living the same life. It’s challenging and it’s beautiful.”

From her journey as a pro athlete and model to mom and girl boss, Moniz inspires many, including her 700,000+ social media followers. Yet she hopes people see she’s just a regular person navigating life like everyone else.