As part of our “Women on Wednesdays” series, please join American University's Women & Politics Institute for a virtual conversation with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), author of Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter's Story and WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin.

As America’s first Asian-American woman and the only immigrant serving in the U.S. Senate, Heart of Fire offers a “compelling and moving account of a woman coming into her own power over the course of a lifetime in public service, and of the mother whose courageous choices made her life possible.”

Filled with intimate stories and inspiring insights, Sen. Mazie Hirono reflects on her path toward “becoming more fully myself,” by having to shed “all the expectations others have placed on me as an immigrant, a woman, and an Asian American.” Sen. Hirono writes “my deepest wish is that my story will inspire you to do the same, to become more fully yourself as you step into your own immense power, regardless of the circumstances into which you were born.”

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) is a lawyer and politician serving as the junior U.S. Senator for the State of Hawaii. Her path in politics began with over a decade of service in the Hawaii House of Representatives, and has led her through two terms as Lieutenant Governor, three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and two terms as one of Hawaii’s current U.S. Senators.

Sen. Hirono was born in Japan and immigrated to Hawaii with her mother as a child, becoming a naturalized citizen at age 12. Sen. Hirono received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, before returning home to Hawaii to practice law.

Betsy Fischer Martin is an Emmy-winning journalist and former TV news executive. Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University and a faculty member in the School of Public Affairs, where she teaches courses on campaigns and elections. During her earlier career in television news, she spent 23 years at NBC News serving as the longtime Executive Producer of Meet the Press with Tim Russert and as the Managing Editor of NBC News Political Programming.

A native of New Orleans, Fischer Martin did her undergraduate and graduate work at American University in Washington, DC. She is a cum laude graduate of their School of Public Affairs and earned a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the AU School of Communication.

“Women On Wednesdays”: Sen. Mazie Hirono - “Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter's Story”