If you’re not from my hometown or you don’t follow Hawaii politics closely, you’re most likely to know me for one of two things.
First, you may know me because I spoke out against Donald Trump at the Hawaii Women’s March and lost my leadership position at the Legislature in a very public battle. In 2016, I was the youngest woman in the United States to hold a legislative caucus leader position.
I used my voice and my profile to call attention to the intolerance and hate that I saw in Trump’s candidacy. It cost me a position, a list of donors and, at the time, I thought it might have cost me a job that I love.
It cost me something because I was an elected Republican, which is the other thing you may know about me. But, you might not know why.
When I first got back from graduate school with expensive student loans at the start of the recession, I found a job filing papers at the Legislature. As I watched the people in power, they didn’t seem know or care that people outside the Capitol building were losing jobs and homes. It looked like the legislators in power were controlled by the wealthiest people in the State. It seemed unfair. And, at 25, I blamed an entire party for the actions of a few legislators at the top.
I thought that if the Democratic Party wasn’t paying attention to my friends, family, and community, maybe the Hawaii Republican Party would.
As a legislator, I moved bills to reduce taxes on our low-income earners, raise taxes on the wealthy, tax out-of-state real estate investors, increase rental subsidies, and expand women’s health coverage.
Those are not traditional Republican talking points, but my goal was to bring a voice to the Legislature that would value my community over special interests and make real progress on issues of economic justice. I had the right goal, but I came to realize that these values were not held by the Republican party in Hawaii either.
Speaking out against Trump during the 2016 election and at the Hawaii Women’s March was the last step in a long journey.
What I saw during my time as an elected official, is that there was space, and in fact, a movement for these views within the Democratic party. So, I made the decision to petition to join the Democratic party. Like many, I was excited about energy that was shaking up the Democratic establishment and pushing for a renewed focus on the inequalities in our economy.
I spent a lot of time talking to my constituents about the move then I spent a lot of time talking with Democratic party members about supporting my membership. I willingly went through the process to be voted in by a Democratic party committee because I was an elected official. Before that vote, party members pulled up all the votes I had ever taken as an elected official and tested me on every single point of the party platform. When my votes diverged from the platform, I had to explain why.
My membership into the Democratic party wasn’t guaranteed. I had to earn it and prove that these values aren’t just talking points.
The Democratic party took some criticism because of the intensity of the process, but I supported it. The scrutiny and the transparency should be a part of the job when you run for office. And, making a decision to switch parties shouldn’t be easy.
My journey in politics was uphill in uncharted territory. Today, we’re facing challenges that we never expected, and I’ve never been more grateful for that political experience. It taught me to be resilient and brave in the face of uncertainty.
No one knows what next six months will bring. The first six months of 2020 shook our institutions and revealed more than anyone could have predicted.
All we know for sure is that we need leaders with the courage to push for progress even when it’s difficult.
We need politicians, activists, educators, CEOs, and leaders in every sector who are willing to do things the hard way if it means we can have our best chance at a better future.
The best part of what I do now is that I get to walk with people like you through your leadership journey. I can use the lessons I learned in my messy story and hope they make your experience a little easier.
If you want to learn more about working with me, reach out here.