As of last month, I've been enlisted as a community engagement consultant to the HTDC and its Digital Currency Innovation Lab (DCIL) partnership with the state DCCA Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). The objective is to grow participation from cryptocurrency enthusiasts in Hawaii and help formulate a holistic perspective on the development of digital currency for the state.

It's going to be a fun assignment. Like many geeks I'm fascinated by where crypto is headed, and after attending and promoting local events related to Bitcoin and other digital currencies, I now have the chance to do so officially, and have a hand in planning them. For the next 12 months, at least.

As national headlines proclaimed a "crash" in the value of Bitcoin and other digital currencies last week, I checked in with reporter Casey Lund and the "This Is Now" team at Hawaii News Now to explore what it means. The segment allowed me to drop a promo for a HTDC webinar coming up this Wednesday, "Crypto for Nonprofits," featuring Alex Wilson of The Giving Block.