Devin Yokouchi

**Devin Marcus Yokouchi** (born 22 September 1976) is a Hawaiian politician who has served as minister of innovation and technology in the second Kanazawa ministry since 2021. He has additionally served as a member of the House of Representatives for Oahu since 2014. He is a member of the Hawaii National Party, and was the first Afro-Asian elected to parliament in Hawaii.

Born to a Japanese-Hawaiian father and a black mother from Pouhatani, Yokouchi was raised in Kaneohe, graduating from James B. Castle High School in 1994. After graduating, Yokouchi enrolled in the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, and graduated with a degree in French literature in 1998. After graduating, Yokouchi found himself working in the technology industry, later becoming a senior technology director at Jennings and Crowe in 2010.

Yokouchi entered politics in 2014, when he was included on the party list in Oahu for the Hawaii National Party in the 2014 general election. He was ultimately elected to parliament, taking his seat on 14 July 2014. As a member of parliament, Yokouchi has aligned himself with the centrist faction of his party. Following the 2021 general election, Yokouchi was appointed to serve as minister of innovation and technology in the second Kanazawa ministry, becoming the first Afro-Asian and first person of African descent to serve in a Hawaiian cabinet.

## Early life and education

Yokouchi was born on 26 September 1976 in Kaneohe, on the island of Oahu, to parents John Yokouchi (1948–2017) and Lira Mfume (born 1952). His father was Japanese-Hawaiian and worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT), while his Pouhatanian mother is black and works as a dental hygienist. His mother came to Hawaii as a young adult in 1971, where she met his father. They never married, and later split up in 1984. Yokouchi is the second of three children; his siblings include Tanya (born 1974) and Dustin (born 1980). Following his parents' split, he spent time with both of them, but lived primarily with his mother.

Yokouchi began his education in 1981, attending public schooling in Kaneohe. In his youth, Yokouchi played tennis, and at one point considered pursuing a career as a professional tennis player. Yokouchi began high school at James B. Castle High School in 1990, where he played on the boy's varsity tennis team. Yokouchi has frequently spoken about the racism he was subjected to while in high school; at one point, the father of his girlfriend confronted him at school and told him that he did not want his daughter dating a black man. Yokouchi later graduated from high school in 1994. Afterwards, he enrolled in the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, where he played on the men's tennis team, and graduated with a degree in French literature in 1998.

## Technology career

After graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1998, Yokouchi was unsure of what career he wanted to pursue. After spending one year working for the Honolulu city government in a low-level position, he left the job and became a technology analyst for the publishing firm Quarters Publishing. Enjoying his work in technology, Yokouchi later became a technology manager at Quarters by 2005.

In 2008, Yokouchi left Quarters and was hired as a technology director at educational publishing firm Jennings and Crowe, until becoming senior director of technology at the firm in 2010. Yokouchi left his career in technology in 2014, in order to enter politics.

## Political career

### Parliamentary career

Yokouchi began his political career in 2014, when he was selected to serve as a candidate for the Hawaii National Party on the Oahu party list in the 2014 general election. In his youth, Yokouchi stated that he was "non-political," but began to become politically involved during the premiership of Delia Guevarra, due to disagreement with many of her policies. Yokouchi was ultimately elected to parliament, and took his seat in the House of Representatives on 14 July 2014. Upon his election, Yokouchi became the first person of Afro-Asian origin to be elected to parliament in Hawaii. He was reelected in the 2018 general election.

Upon taking his seat in parliament, Yokouchi aligned himself with the centrist bloc of politicians within the HNP. He nominated Kenzie Kanazawa in the 2018 Hawaii National Party leadership election, and was in talks with Kanazawa regarding a potential nomination to her ministry, with the media reporting that Yokouchi was a finalist for energy minister, social affairs and labour minister, and innovation and technology minister.

### Innovation and technology minister

Following the 2021 general election, Yokouchi was appointed to serve as minister of innovation and technology in the second Kanazawa ministry, becoming the first Afro-Asian and first person of African descent to serve in a Hawaiian cabinet. As innovation and technology minister, Yokouchi is responsible for overseeing overseeing the overseeing the economic development and corporate affairs of Hawaii.

## Personal life

Yokouchi began a relationship with Hawaiian pilates instructor Jennifer Curran in 2008. They later became engaged in 2010, and married that year. Yokouchi and Curran have four children together: Lucy (born 2011), Jacob (born 2014), and fraternal twins Chase and Electra (born 2016). The family resides in Kapolei.

Yokouchi was raised as a member of the Pouhatani Christian Church, but has stated that he no longer "closely follows" church teachings, and instead chooses to identify as a nondenominational Christian.