Page 18 - MidWeek - May 24, 2023

18 MIDWEEK MAY 24, 2023
“I was really shocked,” admits Kimura after learning she had re- ceived the distinguished title. “It is such an honor because there are so many stellar moms out there.”
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Hawai‘i Match of the Year w
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his big brother, Neal Hafner. Currently, Kimura work
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Kimura became a single mom when her children — Jennifer, 19, and Jonathan, 15 — were just 9 and 5, respectively.
s wai‘i Laborers and Employers
n Cooperation and Education
“When I first became a single mom, I was working three jobs around the clock just to support (us),” she explains. “I sacrificed a lot of my own personal goals to make sure that my goals for my children were met because they
Trust Fund.
She is also president-elect
of Soroptimist International of Honolulu, an international
nonprofit that “works to im- prove the lives of women and through economic empowerment and higher education.” This month, Kimura is spearheading a service project to help benefit YWCA La- niakea’s “Dress for Success Pro- gram” — a program that is near and dear to her heart as she herself used its services.
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Joy and her children, Jennifer and Jonathan, pose for a photo during a trip to Washington, D.C., in 2018. PHOTO COURTESY JOY KIMURA
really are my priority.”
The Hawai‘i Kai resident
was able to overcome all these ob- stacles that were in front of me, I would pay it forward,” she says.
is most proud of her children. Jennifer is currently finishing the school year at University of Massachusetts at Amherst. There, she joined the wrestling
“I relied a lot on social services,” shares Kimura, who notes other or- ganizations such as Aloha United Way, Parents And Children Togeth- er, and Catholic Charities Hawai‘i helped her family get through pe- riods of adversity.
Additionally, Kimura volunteers with YWCA’s Fernhurst Resi- dence, The Institute for Human Services and Habitat for Humanity.
When asked what moth- erhood means to her, Joy Kimura, this year’s Hawai‘i Mother of the Year, says, “everything.”
around my children and what’s best for our family,” she adds.
team and is undefeated in her weight division and even went on to compete at a national tourna- ment in Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, Jonathan is a freshman at Kaiser High School, where he is on the judo and air rifle teams, and has made the Principal’s List every quarter. Jonathan was also recently selected as Big Brothers Big Sisters
“My advice to other moms would be to be intentional about where you put your energy,” shares Kimura. “It’s important to be cog- nizant about where, what and who you choose to expend energy on.
“Everything I do is with the in- tention of making sure my family is OK and all my choices revolve
Kimura was nominated by her friend Dori Palcovich, who dis- covered American Mothers Inc., a national nonprofit that has selected a Mother of the Year in every state, district and territory in the country since 1935.
It’s the very reason why she makes it a priority to give back to the community.
“And, enjoy and appreciate all the moments of being a mom be- cause kids really do grow up so fast.”
“I made a promise to myself that if I was ever in a position and
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There is nothing more powerful than a mother’s love. Just ask Hawai‘i Mother of the Year, Joy Kimura.
STORY BY
Jocelyn Lansangan
PHOTO BY
Lawrence Tabudlo
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