News & Events

MHC Alum Wins Decisive Victory

Mount Holyoke alumna Sharon E. Har ’90, real estate litigation attorney and second-generation Korean-American, won a decisive victory to become a state representative of Hawaii in the U.S. midterm elections Nov. 7, 2006.

From the Korea Herald

January 16, 2007

By Victoria Cook

For years, friends and coworkers had suggested to Har, 38, that she enter politics. Before starting her career as an attorney, Har had been a member of the Young Democrats and even spent three years working for former Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii and current congressman Mazie Hirono, giving her plenty of experience for a position in the state legislature. But Har had always felt that her commitment to her firm came first, and so she kept putting off a move.

Then, in early 2006, her father discovered he had cancer. Dr. Chester Luke had been born in Korea but immigrated to the United States in 1965 to study and then work as a professor at California State University. Although he would later return to Korea to work as a dean of the College of Business at Yeungnam University in Daegu, he was also an active member of his new country and encouraged his children, Sharon and Lawrence, to be as well.

“I always thought I’d eventually run for office. But this year I found out my father was sick with cancer and I wanted him to see me in office,” said Har.

But just wanting a position wasn’t enough to win one of the most prominent districts in Hawaii. Har discovered that she would have to battle an incumbent who had claimed her district’s chair for the past 10 years. Not to mention that she would be campaigning as a Democrat in an area that was over 70 percent Republican. Nevertheless, Har was up for the challenge.

“I had no name recognition and I wasn’t a soccer mom. I walked my district twice, door to door, for six months. And I had a great campaign plan. Everything just came together,” said Har, who earned a rare endorsement from the Honolulu Advertiser for her efforts and then went on to win almost 63 percent of the votes.

“I’m very gregarious and competitive,” Har added. “I like to win but I also want to help people.”

Har has many plans to improve her district, which is the fastest growing district in Hawaii. The biggest issue she will face is how to create the necessary infrastructure to support the rapidly increasing population.

“We’ve grown so quickly, but there is no infrastructure in place to support the change and so now our district feels overcrowded,” said Har. “First and foremost I want to bring money into the community to build roads, sewers and schools. I also want to deal with crime, which is becoming a huge problem because right now we can’t fund enough police spots.”

Part of Har’s desire to help people was taught to her by her father, who was both proud and excited about his daughter’s victory.

“I’ve always tried to be an inspiration for her and help her set her personal and professional goals,” said Dr. Har, who is retired and living near his daughter in Hawaii. “I always encouraged her to go beyond her self-interests if she wanted to be a big shot in society. That she should work for the common people who are less fortunate than she is and use her talents to help others.

“It was almost an impossible dream that she won this election. It’s an indication that she has a special rapport. She was the right person and she convinced them,” he added.

Har was raised in California and Hawaii by her parents, both Korean emigrants. She went on to study political science and sociology at Mount Holyoke College, where she also founded the Korean magazine “Han Ma Um.” Then she went to the John Marshall Law School in Chicago before returning to Hawaii. Throughout her childhood, Har’s parents worked to teach her and her brother the virtue of Korean culture, but both children were thoroughly Americanized from the beginning.

“They have an underlying idea of their culture,” said Dr. Har, who, along with his wife, travels back to Korea regularly. “But I thought in order to be successful you have to get into mainstream culture ... that’s why I didn’t push Korean culture over American culture.”

Still, Har is a strong advocate for the Korean-American community in Hawaii. She is president of the Korean-American Bar Association of Hawaii and director of the Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce.

“I was born in the United States and I consider myself more American than Korean, but I try to stay involved in the Korean community and I want to work for them,” said Har.

The most important thing for the Korean-American community and any group that wants to be heard, according to Har, is to get involved.

“Civic responsibility is very important,” said Har. “You don’t get taken seriously if you’re not a voting block, so I am encouraging Koreans to get involved.”

As for Har, now that she has made it into politics, she intends to stay there for a long time.

“It’s very fulfilling to represent my district, and it’s a privilege to be their voice for public policy,” said Har. “That’s the greatest task, and it will provide the greatest rewards.”