The Kalaupapa Peninsula jutting out of the northern coast of the island of Moloka’i is an isolated area surrounded by the Pacific on three sides and 1700 foot sea cliffs. For years Moloka’i was referred to as ‘the Forbidden Isle’ as a leper colony was established on the peninsula by the Hawai’ian government in 1865. The peninsula was also the perfect place to build a lighthouse to mark the busy Kawai Channel between O’ahu and Moloka’i. I was fortunate enough to meet Richard Marks, the Sheriff of Kalaupapa, since his family lived in my hometown of Makawa’o on Mau’i. We made arrangements to meet in the then restricted Kalaupapa where he gave us a tour of his home. Richard had been diagnosed at age 21 with leprosy and was banished to Kalaupapa in 1940. He served as an outspoken advocate of the Kalaupapa community for many years until he passed away in 2008.