I heard Clare Connors share her perspective on threats to democracy and her work as Hawaii’s former Attorney General and current US Attorney for the District of Hawaii. After the event I was asked to write a piece for the Bulletin about her talk: "Connors opened her remarks on the branches of government, sharing that in her mind, there are more than the traditional three branches. In addition to the legislative, executive, judicial branches, she considers the press and media to be the fourth branch, and private communication spaces, such as social media and Discord chats, to be the fifth branch. She explained that the fourth branch plays a key role in keeping the government accountable and the fifth branch can be disruptive, therefore influencing how officials perform their job." Before this talk, I hadn't considered how new technology spaces are influencing the role of government officials. After being inspired by her work, I interviewed her for my podcast "Lightbulb Conversations", of which I have 5 episodes present, where we further delved into the issues she discussed. 

Professor Diana Hess’s talk focused on how educators can create meaningful political discussions in the classroom while promoting both critical thinking and civic engagement. I found it especially compelling to hear how she defined the role of teachers as “democracy workers,” highlighting the importance of creating spaces where students can safely explore controversial topics without being swayed by their teachers’ personal beliefs. This concept directly connected to my work with Kids Voting Hawaii, where we fostered a sense of civic pride in students by transforming the classroom into a space for political participation. Hearing her stress that educators must remain fair and unbiased so that students can come to their own conclusions made me think differently about the way in which classroom discussions are conducted. 

As a student attending these speaker's presentations, it was interesting to learn about the ways teachers can design classroom discussions that balance safety with challenge, exposing students to viewpoints beyond their own communities. 

I represented Hawaii at the U.S. Senate Page Program in July 2025, hoping to learn more about the inner-workings of the legislative branch and make new connections with peers from across the U.S. The U.S. Senate Page Program gave me the once in a lifetime opportunity to live and work at the heart of our nation's government. As an official employee of the Senate, I worked in the Capitol building assisting senators and gaining firsthand experience with the legislative process. Pages help with day-to-day operations on the Senate floor, such as delivering correspondence, preparing bills and amendments for debate, and running messages between offices. I was able to observe Senators having conversations on the Senate floor, and was impressed by how much bipartisan work really happens. The media likes to focus on party divides, and I wish that others had the same opportunity to witness the vigorous collaboration that I observed. I watched the Senate vote on bills in real-time, including the rescissions package vote-a-rama that lasted till 3:00 a.m. (which I worked that entire shift).

In addition, I lived with the other pages in a supervised residence hall near the Capitol, took part in educational experiences, and made incredibly close connections. Half of the pages were sponsored by Democratic Senators, such as myself, and the other half were sponsored by Republican Senators. I found the open, honest, and respectful conversations I had with both Democratic and Republican pages on hot-topic issues to be one of the most rewarding experiences. Above all, we realized that we have a lot in common. During our discussions we didn't try to convince the "other side", but rather listened to gain a higher understanding of different beliefs. One interaction that stood out to me was a respectful discussion I had with my roommate from Wyoming, a Republican page, about LGBTQ+ rights. We held different beliefs but listened openly to each other. It was interesting to hear her perspective and understand the values that shaped her views, even though we didn’t agree.

One of the most impactful aspects of APUSH for me was learning connection between the study of history to the practice of civic participation. Our debates we held in class were particularly meaningful, since they forced me not only to understand historical issues, but also to articulate and defend a position in front of others. Having to prepare evidence, anticipate counterarguments, and respond respectfully in real time mirrored the kind of civic dialogue that is essential in a democracy.

Through these debates, I learned that civic participation is not just about voting or holding an opinion, it’s about engaging with others, listening to perspectives that challenge your own, and finding ways to bridge differences through reasoning and evidence. Many of the topics we debated were rooted in historical controversies, but are also relevant to modern issues. This made me realize how historical dialogue can shape contemporary civic life.

Another key takeaway was that dialogue is strongest when it is informed by a deep understanding of history. For example, discussing Reconstruction or the Progressive Era showed me how debates over equality, government power, and individual rights have evolved over time. Recognizing these continuities gave me a stronger sense of why informed civic participation matters. I got a real sense of how neglecting history can lead to repeating old mistakes.

At first, reading Frankenstein, In Cold Blood, Metamorphosis, and Beowulf seemed like an exploration of fictional or symbolic monsters, but I realized that these works actually reveal how societies define who belongs, who is feared, and who is excluded. 

For example, in Frankenstein, the creature, is rejected and vilified not only for what he is, but because people refuse to listen to his voice or recognize his humanity. This made me think about how civic participation requires actually hearing marginalized voices, rather than treating them as “monstrous” or outside the community. In Cold Blood complicated the idea of who deserves empathy, raising questions about justice, responsibility, and the structures that fail people before they ever commit crimes. Even Beowulf and Metamorphosis showed how fear, alienation, and the need for belonging can shape how communities react to difference.

Through this lens, monster theory expanded my mind on who is welcomed in, who is excluded, and what fears drive those decisions. These are the same dynamics at play in civic life, whether we’re talking about immigration, criminal justice, or social inclusion.