Mazie Hirono, the first female senator of Hawaii

Senator Mazie Hirono was born in Fukushima, Japan. Because she had an unstable father, her mother risked everything to escape to the US for a new life for her children. Once in Hawaii, their lives were challenging as she struggled to learn English and her mother worked two jobs to pay the bills. Despite the barriers, her love of learning flourished with trips to the library and a newly found passion for public service. 

Sen. Hirono attended the University of Hawaii where the importance of serving all, especially the underrepresented, became apparent. Her passion for grassroots organizing was seen in her participation in Vietnam War protests, leading her to see the vast influence of our government. From there, Hirono went to Georgetown Law and began working for Hawaii’s attorney general office. 

In 1980, Hirono successfully was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives where she served for over a decade. Next, she was elected lieutenant governor where she focused on promoting the rights of Hawaiian workers and early childhood education. Although not successful in her 2002 run for governor, she was the first female Democratic nominee for governor in Hawaii’s history. Then in 2013, she became both the first female senator from Hawaii and the first Asian-American woman elected to the Senate, a position she still holds today. She is also the first U.S. senator born in Japan, and the first Buddhist senator in the U.S.

We admire Senator Hirono for her passion, dedication, and strong leadership for women all across the country. Thank you for making herstory!