A Woman
in the House
How a third-generation Japanese-American school teacher and mom from Hawaii overturned the status quo to become a state legislator, a U.S. Congresswoman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration — and an effective Republican in a decidedly Democrat state.


Message from the author
Honorable Patricia F Saiki
“I keep reminding myself that I first ran for office more than 50 years ago! A lot has changed in those five-plus decades, nationally and particularly in Hawaii. And as a result, there are now a couple of generations in Hawaii and the country for whom the important political battles of five decades ago, let alone one decade, is ancient history. I thought it would be important to share some of my story with the younger generations. They need to know that it’s possible to lead and bring about systemic change even in the face of overwhelming odds. They need to know that it’s important to be willing to step into the ring and lead, that change can result if you have courage, keep your focus, and are willing to fight the good fight. That’s the spirit of my memoir. I hope it inspires a new generation of civic-minded youth, particularly young women, to step forward and be counted.”