In Memoriam: Leonard Hoshijo, cont.

decades Hoshijo went on to become the Education and Political Director at the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters for fifteen years. In 2015, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR). In December 2017, Hoshijo became acting Director of the DLIR and was appointed Director by Hawaii Governor David Ige in February 2018. He was re-appointed Deputy Director in January 2019, a position he held until he retired in September 2019.

Serving the community 
Leonard was a director and officer of the Hawaii Labor Heritage Council, an arts and education nonprofit. He served on the State Judicial Selection Commission from 1979-1981. He was a trustee of the Blood Bank of Hawaii, a member of the Labor Education Advisory Committee (LEAC) of the Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR) at the University of Hawaii, a member of the Hawaiian Electric Company Integrated Resource Advisory Group, a member of the 90th Anniversary of Okinawan Immigration Committee, a board member of the Hawai’i Visitor and Convention Center Bureau, a board member of the Hawaii Council for Housing Action, and a member of the national board of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).

Lasting legacy 
ILWU International President Willie Adams noted the lasting legacy that Hoshijo has had in the union.

“Leonard Hoshijo served the ILWU for 26 years and his contributions to the union are still with us today. Leonard understood that housing is a worker issue. Leonard understood the importance of organizing—not only for the strength of our union—but also for the strength of the working class,” Adams said.

“I didn’t have the honor of knowing Mr. Hoshijo but it was inspiring to learn about his life and his contributions,” said ILWU International Vice President (Hawaii) Sam Kreutz. “We are both alumni from Kalani High School and we both have had the privilege of serving the ILWU membership. I am so thankful for all Leonard has done for the ILWU. I am humbled to see his many achievements and all the positions he held. He dedicated his life to uplifting workers. I hope to live up to the examples set by those before me who have served as ILWU International Vice President Hawaii. God bless the Hoshijo Ohana. May the Good Lord comfort you this season.”

Paul Liem, Board Chairperson of the Korea Policy Institute was a close friend of Leonard dating back to their college days at Antioch where they helped to establish an Asian-American studies program at Antioch in 1972.

“For Leonard, the story of Hawaii was part of the history of the American working class. When he came to Antioch, he understood if there was ever going to be real class solidarity in this country that we all needed to learn from each other. This could only happen if we organized. He was way ahead of his times for the task of organizing, for the task of educating.”

Leonard Hoshijo is survived by his wife Ronette Kawakami, sister Katherine O’Connor, brother William Hoshijo (Joyce), daughters Jennifer (Daniel) Leung, Andie Hoshijo, and Kai Hoshijo, and granddaughters Maggie and Charlotte Leung.