Senator hirono biography wife

As an immigrant who grew up under difficult circumstances, I recognize that my path to the Senate was unlikely. At the same time, my experiences have shown me the incredible opportunities available in America and have fueled my desire to give back. I owe much to the courage and determination of my mother. My early childhood was spent on my grandparents' rice farm in Fukushima, Japan.

How old is mazie hirono

My mother sent me to live with my grandparents because of family circumstances. My father was an alcoholic and compulsive gambler and I did not get to know him much. As a result, our family had little stability or money. At times, he would even sell my mother's belongings to gamble away. But instead of watching our family continue to suffer, my mother made the courageous decision to seek a better life for us.

She plotted and planned in secret, and when I was nearly eight years old, we literally escaped to this place called Hawaii and this country called America. My mother, brother and I boarded the President Cleveland in Yokohama and crossed the Pacific in steerage. Like many immigrants, our new life was not easy. In the beginning, my mother worked at a Japanese language newspaper for minimum wages with no benefits.

She worked two jobs as a single mother to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. We didn't have much, but we persevered. Thanks to my mother's courage, I was able to take advantage of the educational opportunities available in Hawaii's public schools.