Jenn Kagiwada
Hilo District 2
As a child, I learned to value not only my family, but all families; their commitment to raising the next generation and their strong relationships are the basis of a healthy community. I’m running for County Council to ensure Hilo families have a voice in decisions that affect their daily lives. I would be honored to serve as your District 2 representative on the Hawaiʻi County Council and I humbly ask for your support.
Jenn Kagiwada
Aloha
My name is Jenn Kagiwada. I’m running for County Council because I know we can do better for the people of Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island. I value hard work, education, family and a commitment to community.
County Council
Since 2020, I have been working at the County Council, learning about council proceedings, collaborating on legislation and seeing first hand what does and does not work at the county level. Whether it’s policy on fair taxes, housing, or child care, I strive to keep children and families as the focus of any discussion. I am good at bringing people to the table and crafting workable solutions and this is the approach I will take when elected to represent you on the County Council.
My 'Ohana
I live with my husband, Geoff Bower, our son, and our two dogs above the Hilo Hospital near Boiling Pots. Our daughter, Sachi, is studying environmental science as a freshman at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. Geoff is a radio astronomer with the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA) and has been leading the science of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). My son, Cyrus, is a Junior at Hilo High School who likes math, philosophy and video games.
The Kagiwadas
I come from a family of small business owners, teachers, community leaders and government workers. My father’s parents both immigrated from Japan when they were young. My grandfather, “Frank” Kagiwada, found work as a house boy, working long hours for little pay, to put himself through college before starting a business with his brother, the Kagiwada Insurance Agency. As an early member of the Japanese Independent Church of Hollywood, he met and married my grandmother, Sachiko Togasaki, a Sunday school teacher and organ player who had a succession of cats all named “Cathy”.
My Father
In 1942, Frank, Sachiko and their two sons, David (12) and George (10), were ordered to leave their home in L.A. and were sent to the desert in Poston, Arizona, where they would endure in an “internment camp” for two years. For my father, George, the hardship and injustice experienced by him and 120,000 other Japanese Americans, was a turning point in his life. After graduating high school and serving in the US Army in the Korean War, he focused on his studies and earned a PhD in sociology from UCLA. In graduate school, he met my mother, Nina, who was earning her advanced degree as a Marriage, Family and Child Counselor. After marrying and having 3 kids, my parents settled in Davis, California - a small university town surrounded by farms.
Childhood
Throughout my childhood, I witnessed the commitment my parents had to supporting our community through their work and every day actions. As Director of Asian American Studies at UC Davis, my father focused on social justice issues and supporting Asian American communities. As a psychologist working for the county, my mother spent her days supporting children, parents and families.
Values
My parents and grandparents taught me to value hard work, education and family. Inherent in my upbringing was also the importance of contributing to my community. My husband, Geoff, and I have tried to instill these same values in our children. Whether it’s weekends planting native species, sign waving for important causes or checking in on our kupuna neighbors, our family feels a great sense of kuleana for Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island.
Background & Interests
Experience
I have a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis on Public Policy. Before coming to the county, I worked many jobs in our public school system including Instructional Coach, PE Teacher, and substitute teacher. Other jobs I’ve held are Executive Director of a non-profit, Federal GSA Regional Child Care Coordinator, Education Consultant, Hawaiʻi State Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign Team Member and Child Care Teacher.
Volunteer Work
In addition to my paid work, I have been privileged to give my time and energy to various volunteer activities in our community, including: Hilo High School Community Council (SCC), Hilo High PTSA, Hilo Intermediate Band Boosters, EB DeSilva PTA, Junior Achievement Teacher, Women’s March Hawaiʻi Island Coordinator, Precinct District Council Representative for the Hawaiʻi County Democratic Party, “Summer of Resistance” Fellow for the National Democrat Party.
And for Fun!
In my free time I love to play tennis and pickleball, go for hikes with my family and enjoy all Hilo and Hawaiʻi Island have to offer!