Keiko Bonk
Encyclopedia
Keiko Cecilia Bonk is a Hawaiin American
activist, artist
, musician
and politician
.
, her mother was Fumie Matsuoka and father was William Bonk, an archeologist who died in 2008. Her father was active in the progressive wing of the Hawaii Democratic Party, until he publicly resigned his position as an adviser to the governor, and then finally his membership in the Hawaii Democratic Party to support his daughter's political career.
Bonk attended Hilo High School
on the Island of Hawaii
and graduated in 1972. She then attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa
, 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.
After returning to her home in Hawaii, Bonk continued to play original music and paint. She played in a band called "Kazan", which released a CD called "Save the World" in 2007.
Bonk's paintings were shown in 2009.
. 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 Democrat 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 Hawaii at Hilo
, until moving 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. 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".
Bonk went on the 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).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
activist, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Life
Born July 13, 1954 in HonoluluHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, her mother was Fumie Matsuoka and father was William Bonk, an archeologist who died in 2008. Her father was active in the progressive wing of the Hawaii Democratic Party, until he publicly resigned his position as an adviser to the governor, and then finally his membership in the Hawaii Democratic Party to support his daughter's political career.
Bonk attended Hilo High School
Hilo High School
Hilo High School is a public, co-educational high school of the Hawaii State Department of Education, and serves grades nine through twelve. Established in 1906, its first class graduated in 1909. Hilo High School is near the Wailuku River in Hawaii County on the Big Island of Hawaii. The campus...
on the Island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
and graduated in 1972. She then attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
, 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
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1982.
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.After returning to her home in Hawaii, Bonk continued to play original music and paint. She played in a band called "Kazan", which released a CD called "Save the World" in 2007.
Bonk's paintings were shown in 2009.
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 PartyGreen Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
. 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 Democrat incumbent, Stephen K. Yamashiro
Stephen K. Yamashiro
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...
. In 2000 she was defeated by Harry Kim
Harry Kim (politician)
Harry Kim is a former mayor of Hawaii County, Hawaii. Hawaii County is the government of Hawaii island, known as the Big Island. He was elected in 2000, and served until 2008.- Life :...
, 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 Hawaii at Hilo
University of Hawaii at Hilo
The University of Hawaii at Hilo, UHH, or UH Hilo is one of the ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii...
, until moving 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. 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".
Bonk went on the 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).