The Young Advocate For the ‘Āina

As a member of the Honolulu Youth Commission, Punahou senior Asa Shimizu is making his voice heard with repeated calls for the care and protection of Hawai‘i’s resources.

About six or seven years ago, Asa Shimizu and his family began a summer tradition of camping at Mānele Bay on Lānaʻi, where they’d go without a tent and sleep on cots under the stars. There, dolphins can often be seen swimming in the bay.

It’s this spot on The Secluded Isle where Asa feels most connected to nature.

“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to in the Hawaiian islands, and it really opened my eyes to how the Hawaiian islands should be. It’s disappointing that it’s not necessarily like that anymore, but that doesn’t mean it’s over,” says the Punahou School senior. “There’s still so much that we can do to fight the massive development and shifts that urbanization of a land that once belonged to a native people and that was really treated with mālama — and I hope to one day be able to … get more widespread appreciation for the beauty and delicate nature of our island home.”

It’s places like Mānele Bay that inspire Asa to keep working toward sustainability as the District 4 representative on the Honolulu Youth Commission (HYC). In fact, he’s already making his mark in this area after becoming the first youth commissioner to have his resolution passed unanimously by the Honolulu City Council.

Proposed last October, Resolution 24-007 — revised into Resolution 24-213 and supported by Council chair Tommy Waters — urged the city to provide recycling receptacles in city parks and recreational facilities.

“I was so thankful when the resolution unanimously passed, and the whole experience felt really surreal to me,” Asa says. “I felt really empowered that we were able to make so much impact — not just me, but all the different programs and institutions that helped me get to that point where I was able to pass a resolution at city and county level.”

Being a naturally curious person, Asa’s interests in sustainability, history and government institutions made him a solid addition to the commission.

While the East Oʻahu resident describes being initially nervous serving on HYC, he’s since become more confident in his role and gained many new friends along the way.

“I was really able to find a home within the commission, and that was something that was really valuable to me,” says Asa, who was appointed to HYC in July 2023. “That process of feeling more comfortable, being able to speak up at meetings and that transitioning into actually being able to propose my own resolutions.”

According to Youth Commission legislative liaison Kevan Wong, Asa’s “enthusiasm and dedication to civic engagement reflect the spirit of leadership and public service that the Honolulu Youth Commission strives to foster.”

“I appreciate his willingness to step forward and contribute his time and energy toward shaping a better future for Honolulu’s youth and look forward to seeing the positive impact he will continue to make in the years ahead,” Wong adds.

Started in 2020, HYC offers two-year terms to 15 members, or commissioners, ages 14 to 24. The City Council oversees nine positions while the other six spots fall under the mayor’s office.

The commission’s main priority is to advise the City Council and mayor on the effects of policies concerning O‘ahu youth.

“We, commissioners, are able to draft resolutions which, if passed in meetings, will be sent to the City Council and to the mayor’s office,” Asa explains. “These resolutions come as recommendations to these bodies of government, and they’re able to — if they approve — (be brought) up as real resolutions in the city county level.”

The inspiration behind Asa’s resolution begins with sports — specifically, his playing baseball at Koko Head District Park and Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park in Mililani, and basketball at Kaimukī Kīlauea Gym.

“I spent immense periods of time there, and ever since I can remember, honestly, it really bothered me that whenever we walked past trash cans at these areas, they were just filled with post-game Gatorade bottles and aluminum cans — things that could totally be recycled,” he explains.

His third-grade teacher furthered his interest in the environment with her lessons about native birds and plants.

“It was the first time I really felt protective of my island home and realized how fragile my island home is,” Asa says. “I’ve realized that all my favorite memories were made against Oʻahu’s beautiful backdrops, whether it be camping at Sherwood’s, fishing in Portlock or even Sunday surf sessions at Ala Moana Bowls.”

Even his Global Sustainability by Design class during his freshman year became influential because it’s where he learned how different communities identify issues and find solutions to implement change. 

Last year, Asa joined the first cohort of the Sustainability Fellowship, a free program held over two summers that offers 20 high school freshmen and sophomores opportunities to learn more about the environment.

It was during the first summer when Asa chose to draft his resolution.

“The biggest thing that the fellowship taught me was the urgency with which we need to address climate change as an issue. This class was where I found the inspiration to introduce my recycling resolution, and it was my sustainability fellows that encouraged me to and wrote testimony to help with the resolution,” says Asa, who recently spent an off-the-grid week on Hawaiʻi island, where he participated in several innovative projects, including a first-of-its-kind energy lab at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy.

Since returning to Oʻahu, he’s begun an internship at the State Capitol with state Rep. Amy Peruso.

“Her office is pushing a focus on pesticide use and the dangers of pesticides, so I hope to learn more about the (agriculture) industry through her and work with her on that,” he says.

Asa encourages other students to consider applying for the fellowship. (Visit bit.ly/3TwWT3K to learn more.)

“You may think like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure if I want to spend two summers dedicating my life to sustainability,’ but the truth is that if people don’t spend time fighting for a brighter tomorrow, there won’t be one,” he contends. “People can always just look to the next person and say, ‘Oh, they’ll be the ones that inspire change. Not me. I’m too busy,’ but I think that mindset has got to go — it’s up to us. It’s up to everyone to really inspire change for the masses.”

Still, fighting for change isn’t always a walk in the park.

“To be honest, it’s hard,” Asa admits. “(Climate change) is such a big issue that it can make one feel really small, and as a kid specifically, that applies even more so. No matter how happy I am that my resolution was able to be passed, I’m still all too aware that that is nowhere near the end of the story. There’s so much more work that needs to be done, and it can’t just be me. It’s a collective effort, and it can be depressing at times, but personally, I feel like I owe it to this island, honestly, to keep fighting to preserve it.”

Asa, whose first term with the commission expires at the end of July, is excited about being recently appointed to a second term. He says his next goals consist of looking into youth intervention and human trafficking issues. He also plans to urge the City Council to pass a resolution that calls for the use of electric leaf blowers over gas-powered ones.

Currently, he’s waiting to see the outcome of another resolution of his, 24-008, which he hopes will gain traction with the City Council. The resolution aims to broaden youth recreational activity participation, particularly for those who might not be able to afford private sports league fees.

As a three-sport athlete (cross country, basketball and track), Asa hopes that the resolution will ultimately increase participation in youth sports programs.

Despite a packed schedule, Asa still finds time to hit the beaches (Yokohama’s, Mākua Beach and “Ke Iki’s”) and go on hikes (Makapuʻu Lighthouse and Koko Head are among his favorites). He also loves to read and write. His poem, Pana Nō Ka Honua (The Earth Beats Too), won the Pearl Award in Bow Seat’s 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest and the Gold Key for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

“In modern society, it feels super easy to just accept what is wrong in this world, especially as youth. I feel like we often feel like our voices are just kind of irrelevant in government settings,”  he says. “As a result, we feel forced to ignore the problems of today and wait until the transition to adulthood to try and make a difference.

“We’ve been placed in a timeline that requires action now and not 10 years down the line … I wasn’t necessarily so optimistic that it was possible, but I think that the support that I garnered from all these very respected individuals, namely Council chair Waters, made it possible for me. And, if it’s possible for me, anyone could do it. If you just reach out and connect with like-minded kids, like those that I met in the commission and in the fellowship, even the youngest and smallest of voices can be unified and heard. And that, I think, has been the lesson of a lifetime throughout this whole process.”

Applications for Honolulu Youth Commission’s next term are due 11:59 p.m. on July 20. Visit bit.ly/45vpaz5.