Kim Coco Iwamoto
![]() |
Kim Coco Iwamoto | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Commissioner, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission | |
In office 2012–2016 | |
Board of Education Member, Hawaii Board of Education | |
In office 2006–2011 | |
Personal details | |
Born | [1] Kauai,Hawaii,U.S. | May 26, 1968
Political party | Democratic |
Residence | Honolulu, Hawaii |
Alma mater | University of New Mexico School of Law (JD,2000) San Francisco State University (BA,1990) Fashion Institute of Technology (AAS,1988) |
Kim Coco Iwamoto(born May 26, 1968) is an American politician fromHawaii.She was one of theDemocraticprimary candidates for the position ofLieutenant Governor of Hawaiiin the 2018 election.[2]She previously served as a commissioner on the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission and was elected to serve two terms on theHawaii Board of Education.
Iwamoto was recognized as a Champion of Change byPresident Barack Obamain 2013[3]and in 2018,Newsweeklisted her as one of fifty need-to-know pioneers forLGBTQ rights.[4]
Early life and career
[edit]Iwamoto was born on the island ofKauaiand is ofJapanese descent.Her mother went into labor at a private party hosted by Grace Guslander to celebrate the expansion of herCoco Palms Resort,and Iwamoto was then born the next day. Guslander visited Iwamoto's mother in the hospital with a bouquet of flowers, a card, and a request to name Iwamoto “Coco” after her hotel.
Education
[edit]Iwamoto attended Kaimukī Community Christian Pre-School on Oʻahu, Hōkūlani Elementary School, Aliʻiōlani Elementary School, andHanahauʻoli School.She later attended and graduated fromSaint Louis Schoolin 1986. She went on to qualify as an Associate of Arts in Merchandising at theFashion Institute of Technology.Subsequently, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing fromSan Francisco State Universityand aJuris Doctorfrom theUniversity of New Mexico School of Law.
In 2011, Iwamoto completed Harvard University'sJohn F. Kennedy School of Governmentprogram for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as aDavid Bohnett FoundationLGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.
Family and personal life
[edit]Iwamoto's paternal great-grandparents left Japan to work in the sugar cane plantations of Kauaʻi. Her paternal grandmother met her paternal grandfather at Tip-Top Restaurant on Kauai, where she was working as a cashier. The two used their family cars to start a taxi company, which eventually expanded into a tour company and a rental car company. Iwamoto's father began working for the family business in high school as a car washer, and their collective efforts became known asRoberts Hawaii.
Iwamoto's maternal grandparents left Japan to grow cantaloupe and other produce in Imperial Valley, California. During World War II, Iwamoto's mother and her family were forced into internment camps in Poston, Arizona. Iwamoto's uncles were released from the internment camp to enlist in the military to serve the United States of America. Eventually, the entire family was released and they returned to their farm. When Iwamoto's mother was in high school, she contributed to the family business by taking care of all the bookkeeping.
Volunteering and leadership
[edit]Shortly after finishing her undergraduate degree, Iwamoto moved back to New York City, where she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. Using her own life experience as a transgender woman, she spent time volunteering at a local community center, helping youth develop leadership skills. It was here that her passions for helping homeless youth andLGBTQhomeless youth were fostered. Helping youth like the ones she worked with in New York was part of her motivation for attending law school. When she returned to Hawaii, she became a licensed therapeutic foster parent.[5]
Public service and business experience
[edit]Iwamoto recently served as a commissioner on the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, appointed by GovernorNeil Abercrombieto serve a four-year term from 2012 to 2016. She also previously served two terms with theHawaii Board of Education,Oahu-at-Large, from 2006 to 2011. Her election as atrans womanin November 2006 made her, at that time, the highest-ranking openlytransgenderelected official in the United States and the first openly transgender official to win statewide office.[6]She was reelected in 2010 with 25% more votes than in 2006.[7]
Iwamoto's other work experiences include serving as Managing Attorney at Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii and facilitating affordable housing through AQuA Rentals, LLC (Affordable Quality Apartment Rentals, LLC). Her volunteer work includes serving on the board of directors for both Kūlia Nā Mamo and Hawaiʻi People's Fund.[8]
2018 Lieutenant Governor primary election
[edit]Iwamoto announced her bid for Lieutenant Governor in November 2017.[9]She was endorsed by theSierra Clubof Hawaii,[10]Victory Fund,[11]Maui Time Weekly,[12]Our RevolutionOʻahu Chapter,[13]Unite Here! Local 5,[14]politicianGary Hooser,[15]activistMari Matsuda,[16]and advocate and teacherMaya Soetoro-Ng,[16]among others. Although she received more than 34,000 votes in the Democratic primary, she lost the party nomination to SenatorJosh Green.[17]
Electoral history
[edit]2022
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Scott Saiki(incumbent) | 2,680 | 51.55% | |
Democratic | Kim Coco Iwamoto | 2,519 | 48.45% | |
Total votes | 5,199 | 100% |
2020
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Scott Saiki | 3,393 | 51.3 | |
Democratic | Kim Coco Iwamoto | 3,226 | 48.7 | |
Total votes | 6,619 | 100 |
2018
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Josh Green | 74,845 | 31.4 | |
Democratic | Jill Tokuda | 68,124 | 28.6 | |
Democratic | Bernard Carvalho | 45,825 | 19.2 | |
Democratic | Kim Coco Iwamoto | 34,243 | 14.3 | |
Democratic | Will Espero | 15,463 | 6.5 | |
Total votes | 238,500 | 100.0 |
2016
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Karl Rhoads | 3,606 | 41.8% | |
Democratic | Kim Coco Iwamoto | 2,530 | 29.4% | |
Democratic | Keone Nakoa | 1,865 | 21.6% | |
N/A | Blank Votes | 612 | 7.1% | |
N/A | Over Votes | 7 | 0.1% | |
Total votes | 8,620 | 100.0% |
Notable national advocacy and recognition
[edit]Iwamoto was recognized as a Champion of Change byPresident Barack Obama.[3]
Iwamoto publicly opposed passage ofCalifornia'sProposition 8,outlawing same-sex marriages in California. She has stated that Proposition 8 reminds her of her mother'sinternmentduringWorld War IIand believes the proposition is a violation of essential civil rights, stating, "The country has acknowledged that [internment] as a mistake, to just go with populous fear to oppress a specific group. I think we're going to look back at this kind of oppression as a mistake."[19]
In 2021, Iwamoto joined with local advocates known as the Wai Ola alliance as a plaintiff in a suit against theUnited States Navyto stop its plan to double line its underground fuel tanks at Red Hill.[20]
References
[edit]- ^"ABOUT KIM COCO".2010. Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2011.Retrieved12 August2011.
- ^"Kim Coco Iwamoto for Lt. Governor".
- ^ab"The White House President Barack Obama, Champions of Change".
- ^"LGBT Pride Month 2018: 50 Gay Rights Movement Pioneers You Need to Know".Newsweek.9 June 2018.
- ^"Meet Kim Coco".
- ^"Hawaiian Becomes Highest-Elected Transgender Official".Fox News.Associated Press. 16 November 2006. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009.RetrievedOctober 12,2009.
{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^"Hawaii Office of Elections: 2010 general election results"(PDF).
- ^"Experience - Kim Coco Iwamoto".
- ^"Kim Coco Iwamoto announces bid for Lieutenant Governor".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-02-08.Retrieved2018-04-03.
- ^"Home".Vote Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-07-06.Retrieved2018-07-06.
- ^"Victory Fund Endorses 37 More LGBTQ Candidates for 2018".
- ^"Maui Time Endorses Kim Coco".
- ^"Our Revolution Oʻahu Chapter".Facebook.
- ^"Game Changer in Race for Lieutenant Governor - Kim Coco Endorsed by Local 5".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-22.Retrieved2018-06-21.
- ^"Why Gary Hooser is Supporting Kim Coco Iwawmoto".7 June 2018.
- ^ab"Testimonials, Kim Coco".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-04-03.Retrieved2018-04-03.
- ^"Hawaii Office of Elections Results".
- ^"Primary Election 2018 -State of Hawaii – Statewide"(PDF).Hawaii Office of Elections.RetrievedAugust 12,2018.
- ^Park, Gene (16 November 2008),Islanders protest gay-marriage ban,Honolulu Star-Bulletin,archived fromthe originalon 23 November 2008,retrievedSeptember 28,2006
- ^"Citizen Group Announces Intention To Sue Navy Over Red Hill Tanks".Honolulu Civil Beat.2 November 2021.Retrieved2021-11-10.
External links
[edit]- 1968 births
- American women of Japanese descent in politics
- American transgender women
- Fashion Institute of Technology alumni
- Hawaii politicians of Japanese descent
- American LGBT people of Asian descent
- LGBT appointed officials in the United States
- LGBT people from Hawaii
- Living people
- Members of the Hawaii Board of Education
- People from Kauai County, Hawaii
- San Francisco State University alumni
- Transgender women politicians
- University of New Mexico School of Law alumni
- Women in Hawaii politics
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- American transgender politicians