Donovan devoted to seeking gender equity

LIHU’E — Kaua’i County Council candidate Anne Donovan has never held public

office, but feels her life experiences and stints in student government on

Kaua’i have prepared her for the job.

Donovan, 38, of Kapa’a, has been a

student senator at college for three years and a member of five student

legislative committees.

She fought for free tuition for Native Hawaiians in

the University of Hawai’i system and for a two-year reprieve on tuition

increases.

Last November, Donovan participated in a Washington, D.C.

conference on domestic violence, minimum wage, medical issues, reform of

welfare and hiring of teachers.

She spoke to 3,000 audience members and met

Geraldine Ferraro, the Democrats’ nominee for vice president in 1984. Donovan

has been invited to return to the conference this year.

“I have done

things with the community that already pertain to the job of the council,” she

said.

Winning a seat on the council would be a victory for women, she

said.Women employees are the backbone of county government, and her wining a

council seat would show “women can achieve and hold the same level as a man

can.”

Donovan advocates gender equity on the council, a point of view, she

said, that is not meant to slam men.

“Gender equity means equal voice from

both genders and to have equal representation on vital issues,” she said.

“Gender equity comes with a belief system that women and men are equal.”

As

a councilwoman, Donovan said she would focus on the purchase of Kaua’i

Electric, alternate energy sources, higher-paying jobs and domestic

violence.

A proponent of self-governance, Donovan said residents should

have more of a say in what happens in their communities.

Donovan, who ran

for the council two years ago, is a single mother of two children and is

developing a company that would conduct Internet research.

Staff

writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and

lchang@pulitzer.net