Keiko Bonk

Last updated
Keiko Bonk
Keiko Bonk in 2007 (408491832).jpg
Keiko Bonk in 2007
Hawaii County Council Member
In office
1992–1996
Personal details
NationalityJapanese American
Political partyGreen Party of Hawaii
Alma mater University of Hawaii Manoa, Hunter College
OccupationPolitician, painter, singer

Keiko Cecilia Bonk (born 1954) is an American artist, musician and former politician from Hawaii. Bonk co-founded the Hawaii Green Party and was the first person in North America elected to a partisan level office as a member of the Green Party of the United States. In the US most local elected offices are nonpartisan, meaning the candidate is not running as a member of a political party. State and federal offices are partisan, meaning that the candidates represent political parties. In Hawaii local government, such as county government, it was formerly necessary to declare your political party. Other people who called themselves "Greens" had been elected to local government offices in the United States prior to Keiko Bonk, but they were not representing a legally established political party. In the United States, it is very difficult to win an election in a partisan race if the candidate does not run as a Democrat or Republican. Keiko Bonk was the first person in the United States to run as a representative of the Green Party and beat a Republican and Democrat.

Contents

Life

Born July 13, 1954 in Honolulu, her mother was Fumie Matsuoka and her father was William Bonk. Bill was a professor at the University of Hawaii. He was an anthropologist/archeologist who studied Native Hawaiian. He worked with Kenneth Emory to date the first arrival of people to the Hawaiian islands. Fumie was a public school teacher and ceramicist. Bill and Fumie were both stalwart figures in the progressive wing of the Hawaii Democratic Party, working for decades to elect many of the states most prominent politicians.

Keiko grew up making art with her mother, working on archeological digs with her father, and participating in electoral politics with both. When Keiko co-founded the Hawaii Green Party with University of Hawaii professor, Ira Rhoter, and decided to run for office herself, the more conservative members of Hawaii's Democratic Party saw the Green Party as a threat to the Democratic Party, and organized to defeat Keiko. Her father, who worked for the Democratic Governor as the Director of the Office of Culture and Historic Preservation, publicly resigned his position, quit the Democratic Party, and joined the Green party to support his daughter's political career. [1]

Bonk attended Hilo High School on the Island of Hawaiʻi and graduated in 1972. She then attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1976. Bonk went on to achieve a master of fine arts degree from Hunter College in New York City in 1982. [2]

Art

Bonk's first career was as a painter and musician in New York. She sang in the bands "His Masters Voice," and "Cosmic Oven," in the 1980s. [2]

After returning to her home in Hawaii, Bonk continued to play original music and paint. Her first band was the Monkey Wrench Gang. She then formed a new band called "Kazan", and released a CD called "Save the World" in 2007. [3]

Keiko had a show of her paintings at the Honolulu Academy of Art in 2009. [4] She then spent 15 years caring for her parents and other elderly family members. Her mother Fumie was the last, and passed died in 2019.

Politics

Bonk made her national political reputation as an elected official by becoming the first person in North America elected to a partisan level office as a member of the Green Party. She was one of the co-founders of the Green Party in Hawaii. She was elected to two terms on the Hawaii County Council from 1992 to 1996, and as chair of the council from 1995 to 1996. In 1996 and 2000 she ran for mayor. In 1996 she was narrowly defeated by the Democratic incumbent, Stephen K. Yamashiro. In 2000 she was defeated by Harry Kim, who ran as a Republican. Bonk worked building the Green Party, and spoke in support of Ralph Nader as the presidential nominee of the Green Party in 1996.

After leaving office Bonk taught art at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She moved to Honolulu with her second husband, Michael Christopher, when he returned to school to pursue a second doctoral degree. Christopher holds doctorates in sociology and clinical psychology, and has been her political partner even before they married in 1998. She met Christopher after he heard of her electoral success. She put him on the county payroll even as she began an affair with him. This led to cries of impropriety. Comments still abound that he is the power behind her. [5]

After moving to Honolulu, Bonk was chosen as Executive Director of the Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu in 2003. She was fired in February 2005 by its board of directors citing "philosophical differences". [6]

Bonk went on to become the campaign coordinator of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Network. She promoted Congress' investigation into corruption in Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the government advisory council responsible for management of the pacific fishery. Bonk worked as the Executive Director of the Hawaii branch of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute (MCBI).

In 2012 Keiko Bonk was nominated as the Green Party candidate for Hawaii House of Representatives, 20th district. The incumbent in that district, Democrat Calvin Say was easily reelected. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Lingle</span> Governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010

Linda Lingle is an American politician, who was the sixth governor of Hawaii from 2002 until 2010. She was the first Republican governor of Hawaii since 1962. Lingle was also the state's first female and first Jewish governor. Prior to serving as governor, Lingle served as Maui County mayor, council member, and chair of the Hawaii Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Fasi</span> American politician (1920–2010)

Frank Francis Fasi was an American politician who was the longest-serving Mayor of Honolulu, Hawaii, serving for 22 years. He also served as a territorial senator and member of the Honolulu City Council. To date, he remains the last Republican Mayor of Honolulu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Saiki</span> American politician (born 1930)

Patricia Hatsue Saiki is an American politician and former educator from Hilo, Hawaii. She served as a Republican in Congress from 1987 to 1991 and then as Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President of the United States George H. W. Bush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Kim (politician)</span>

Harry Kim is an American politician who was the mayor of Hawaii County, from 2000 to 2008 and 2016 to 2020. Before serving as mayor, he was the county's civil defense director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelson Doi</span> American politician

Nelson Kiyoshi Doi, was the sixth lieutenant governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1978 in the first elected administration of Governor George Ariyoshi. Doi was a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Kealoha</span> American politician

James Kimo Kealoha was an American politician who served as the first lieutenant governor of Hawaii in the administration of Governor of Hawaiʻi William F. Quinn. Prior to his election as Lieutenant Governor, Kealoha served a number of years as a legislator on Hawaii island, distinguishing himself as a respected leader.

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is represented by Jill Tokuda, who succeeded Kai Kahele after the 2022 election. The district encompasses all rural and most suburban areas of Oahu/Honolulu County, as well as the entire state outside of Oahu. It includes the counties of Kauai, Maui, Kalawao, and Hawaii. The district spans 331 miles. The most populous community entirely within the district is Hilo. Major segments of the economy include tourism, ranching, and agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen K. Yamashiro</span>

Stephen Kei Yamashiro was an American politician and lawyer who served as the former Mayor of Hawaii County from 1992 to 2000. Yamashiro served on the Hawaii County council from 1976 to 1990, including eleven years as the council's chairman. He then served as the Mayor of Hawaii for two consecutive, four-year terms from 1992 until 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Party of Hawaii</span> Hawaii affiliate of the Green Party

The Green Party of Hawai'i (GPH) is the green party organization in the state of Hawaii, and an affiliate organization of the Green Party of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaii Republican Party</span> Hawaii state party of the Republican Party

The Hawaii Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party (GOP) in Hawaii, headquartered in Honolulu. The party was initially strong during Hawaii's territorial days, but following statehood the Democratic Party has become the dominant party in Hawaii. The party currently has very weak electoral power in the state and is one of the weakest affiliates of the national Republican Party; it currently controls none of Hawaii's statewide or federal elected offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party of Hawaii</span> Affiliate of liberal U.S. political party in Hawaii

The Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Hawaii</span> Politics of a U.S. state

The politics of the U.S. state of Hawaii typically take place within the framework of a Democrat-dominated government. The Democratic Party in Hawaii was formed in 1900, by supporters of Queen Liliʻuokalani. For the first half of the twentieth century, the Republican Party ruled comfortably, dominating local politics until the end of World War II. After the war, Honolulu police officer John A. Burns began organizing plantation laborers, including many Japanese Americans and Filipino Americans and built a coalition that gradually strengthened the Democratic Party in Hawaii. This culminated in the Hawaii Democratic Revolution of 1954, after which Republican political influence in the islands was greatly diminished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Hanabusa</span> American politician (born 1951)

Colleen Wakako Hanabusa is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2016 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she ran for her party's nomination for governor of Hawaii in 2018, challenging and losing to incumbent and fellow Democrat David Ige.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Tokuda</span> American politician (born 1976)

Jill Naomi Tokuda is an American small business owner and politician serving as the U.S representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district since 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Hawaii gubernatorial election</span> Election for the governorship of the U.S. state of Hawaii

The 2010 Hawaii gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010, to elect the next Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. Incumbent Republican Governor Linda Lingle was term-limited and not eligible to run for re-election. The Democratic Party nominated Representative Neil Abercrombie, and the Republican Party nominated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona. In the election, Neil Abercrombie defeated Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona. Abercrombie was sworn in as the state's 7th Governor on December 6, 2010. Aiona later unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Hawaii in 2014 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Hawaii's 1st congressional district special election</span>

The 2010 special election for the 1st congressional district of Hawaii was a special election to the United States House of Representatives that took place to fill the vacancy caused by Representative Neil Abercrombie's resignation on February 28, 2010 to focus on his campaign for Governor of Hawaii in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Abercrombie planned to not run for re-election in 2010, and many of the candidates that were running for his open seat transferred to the special election. The election was held on May 22, 2010 and Republican Charles Djou won, defeating five Democrats, four fellow Republicans, and four Independent candidates. The main reason for his win was because there were two Democratic candidates instead of one, which split the votes, allowing Djou to win, as Hawaii is an overwhelmingly Democratic state. Djou became the first Republican elected to Congress from Hawaii since Pat Saiki in 1988; Djou volunteered on Saiki's 1988 campaign, and Saiki served as Djou's campaign chair in 2010. As of 2022, this was the last time in which a Republican was elected to Congress from Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Akana</span> American engineer and politician

Bernard K. Akana was an American engineer and politician. He served as the Mayor of Hawaii County from 1988 until his death on April 12, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Inouye</span> American politician

Lorraine Rodero Inouye is an American politician from the state of Hawaii. A member of the Democratic Party, she serves in the Hawaii State Senate, representing District 4. She is not related to U.S. senator Daniel Inouye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andria Tupola</span> American politician

Andria P. L. Tupola is an American politician and member of the Honolulu City Council, representing the 1st district since January 2021. She was a Republican member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2014 to 2018, representing District 43. In 2015, Tupola served as the minority floor leader for one year. She served as the state house minority leader, making her the first Samoan woman to serve in that position. In 2018, Tupola was the Republican nominee for Governor of Hawaii. She garnered 33% of the vote and lost to incumbent Democrat David Ige.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosalie Keliʻinoi</span> American politician

Rosalie Enos Lyons Keliʻinoi was a Portuguese-Native Hawaiian politician of the Territory of Hawaii. In 1925, she became the first woman elected to the Hawaii Territorial Legislature, representing the island of Kauai.

References

  1. ↑ "Big Island archaeologist, political leader Bill Bonk dies". West Hawaii Today . November 29, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Rod Thompson (October 20, 2000). "Activism began early in Bonk family: The Green Party candidate urges a balance of economic and environmental needs". Honolulu Star-Bulletin . Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  3. ↑ Desiree Moana Cruz (February 21, 2007). "Keiko Bonk on fire mountain: The politics of one group that thinks the world can still be saved". Honolulu Weekly . Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Existential Pilgrims: Recent work by Duane Preble, Noe Tanigawa, Russell Sunabe and Keiko Bonk". Honolulu Arts Beat. 2009. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawaii News". archives.starbulletin.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  6. ↑ Sally Apgar (February 16, 2005). "Japanese Cultural Center fires director". Honolulu Star-Bulletin . Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  7. ↑ Richard Winger (June 6, 2012). "Keiko Bonk, the Green Party's First Partisan Winner in the U.S., is Green Party Nominee for Hawaii Legislative Seat". Ballot Access News . Retrieved June 7, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.