“Recent UH graduate takes on the Capitol” |
| Recent UH graduate takes on the Capitol Posted: 06 Feb 2011 06:44 PM PST Unlike most students in the last semester of law school, Linda Ichiyama wasn't sitting for job interviews or studying for the bar exam. "I was actually campaigning," she said. The then-23-year-old filed the paperwork declaring her candidacy for the State House of Representatives, District 31, in Feb. 2010, and won the seat in November. In her first full-length newspaper interview, Rep. Ichiyama shares why she knew she wanted to run for office, how she prevented her youth from becoming an issue and her plans for the future. TO THE MAINLAND AND BACK Rep. Ichiyama (D) was born and raised in the Salt Lake, Hawai'i and earned her B.A. at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. In the nation's capital, she interned for then-Congressman Neil Abercrombie and came home during summer breaks to volunteer at the First Circuit Court and Honolulu Corporation Counsel. While many graduates of Hawai'i high schools stay on the mainland after college to pursue careers, Ichiyama decided to return to Hawai'i to attend the William S. Richardson School of Law. "I knew I wanted to come home," she said. "Going to law school at UH has really big advantages for people who want to practice [in Hawai'i], because of the relationships and networks that are built between the legal community here and the law school." READY TO RUN Despite her youth, Ichiyama was a public service veteran when she declared her candidacy. As a senior at Moanalua High School, she was elected a student member on the Hawai'i State Board of Education. It was her responsibility to represent the public school student population to the organization charged with their oversight. This experience, she said, "got me interested in policymaking." Ichiyama had an extensive community service background, including volunteering for Lanakila Meals on Wheels, the Moanalua Lions Club, and the Japanese-American Citizens League, among others. A legislative career was a natural next step. "It was actually something that I thought about for a long time, because public service is so important to me," she said. "I was working as a community liaison for Rep. Glenn Wakai (the district incumbent) when the opportunity arose to run. I felt like the timing was right and it was something that I really wanted to do." Ichiyama was the first candidate in what became a four-person race for the Democratic nomination for the District 31 seat. She was the youngest candidate, but felt that her age was an advantage. "I think in some ways [my age] was to my benefit, because people really want to see young people getting involved in politics. They want to see them stepping up, to say 'Hey, I'm going to be around for the next 50 years and I want to take part in what Hawai'i is going to look like.'" HOW TO WIN Ichiyama filed for candidacy nearly two full months ahead of her other competitors. In fact, she credits her early start with helping her to win. "I knew that this was something I wanted to do, and I had the support of our current representative, so I was able to get out there much earlier." Ichiyama comfortably secured the Democratic nomination in her district primary, capturing 64.8 percent of the vote. As her campaign progressed to the general election, she also garnered 23 endorsements from organizations as diverse as the Hawai'i Carpenters Union and the Planned Parenthood of Hawai'i Action Network. "My prior activities in the community helped with those endorsements, because I was able to build on relationships that I already had." It took more than previous relationships to get those endorsements, however. "Throughout the whole interview process for endorsements, they interviewed [each candidate] and they were able to say that 'We think you would do the best job for the community.'" Another key factor in her primary and general election victories was her ability to raise a considerable amount of money for her campaign. "It was tough, especially because of the current economic situation. I was really fortunate to have a lot of support from my family," she stated. As Ichiyama's campaign continued, however, community members opened their wallets. "A lot of folks in the community believed in my campaign and believed in what I could do for them, so they stepped up to support me. The [financial support] was something that I really wasn't expecting." Her hard work paid off on Nov. 2, however, when she defeated Republican opponent Garner Shimizu by carrying nearly 65 percent of the vote. A REAL PERSON Despite her new office at the state capitol, her responsibilities as an employer of four, and her duties as a state lawmaker, Ichiyama insists that she is a regular person. "The people who work [at the capitol] are regular people. All the legislators up to the governor's office … They're all here to help the community, to serve the State of Hawai'i." Ichiyama also finds some time in her busy schedule to relax. "I listen to a lot of music from 'Glee,'" she admits. "I like movies. I like to go to the beach. In my last year law school I took up rock climbing." She also loves to read. "I'm reading Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. It's really fascinating." AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE Ichiyama is planning to take the Hawai'i State Bar exam this July, and hopes to practice law in the future. At this time, however, she is concentrating solely on her job as a state representative. "For now, I'd like to focus on being a good lawmaker. That's my first and foremost goal." She continued, "Public service has always been so important to me. It's a value that my parents instilled in me growing up, and so I hope to continue [doing that] in whatever career I choose." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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