Sam Chidori

**Samuel Jordan Chidori** (born 1 September 1985) is a Hawaiian politician, sociologist, and educator who has served as minister of transport and communications in the Kanazawa ministry since 2018. Additionally, Chidori has represented Oahu in the House of Representatives since 2018, and is a member of the Green-Progressive Party.

Chidori was born in Honolulu and raised in Ewa Villages, graduating from Le Jardin Academy in Honolulu in 2003. He subsequently enrolled in the University of Hawaii, Manoa, receiving a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2007, a master's degree in 2009, and a doctorate in 2016. After receiving his doctorate, he was hired as an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, teaching sociology courses on race, ethnicity, and immigration, in addition to publishing sociological research.

Chidori entered politics in 2018, when he was included as a Hui Pū ʻAna candidate in Oahu for the 2018 general election, and was elected to the House of Representatives. He was nominated by Kenzie Kanazawa to serve as minister of transport and communications in her cabinet, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani. Following the formation of the Green-Progressive Party in 2021, he switched his party membership.

## Early life and education

Chidori was born on 1 September 1985 in Honolulu to parents Gordon (born 1957) and Donna Chidori (née *Lehtinen*; born 1959). His father is fourth-generation Japanese-Hawaiian, while his mother is a Cascadian immigrant from Seattle, who is of Finnish and German heritage. His parents met while his mother was studying abroad at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 1980. Both Gordon and Donna work in the tourism industry. When Chidori was eight years old, the family moved to Ewa Villages. He is the elder of two sons; his younger brother is Robert (born 1988).

Chidori began his education in 1990, attending a local, public elementary school in Honolulu. In 1994, he transferred to Le Jardin Academy, a private, coeducational preparatory school in Honolulu. Chidori began high school at Le Jardin Academy in 1999, where he graduated as his class's valedictorian in 2003. Afterwards, he enrolled in the University of Hawaii, Manoa, majoring in sociology. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in 2007, later receiving a master's degree in 2009, and his doctorate in 2016. While completing his doctoral research, Chidori studied immigration patterns of Japanese-Hawaiians in relation to the group's level of political influence and socioeconomic status in Hawaii.

## Sociology career

Chidori first began teaching as a graduate student, when he worked as a teaching assistant for six years, teaching courses on the sociology of race, ethnicity, and immigration, in addition to introductory courses. He won the Teaching Assistant of the Year award at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 2014.

After completing his doctorate in 2016, Chidori was hired as an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, within their sociology department. There, he taught courses on the sociology of race and ethnicity, and the sociology of immigration. While a professor, Chidori also continued his own sociological research, and was published in a number of sociological journals.

## Political career

### Early politics

Chidori first entered politics in 2018, after he was selected by the newly formed Hui Pū ʻAna political party to be a candidate on their party list in Oahu for the 2018 general election. He was ultimately elected to the House of Representatives, and took his seat on 30 July 2018.

### Transport and communications minister

In the 2018 election, Hui Pū ʻAna expanded their seat count and became the fourth-largest party represented in parliament. After the certification of election results, the party was invited to begin coalition talks with the Workers Party. Negotiations with the Workers Party were not successful, as the parties were unable to reach agreements on key issues such as trade unions and social issues.

After Kenzie Kanazawa was declared the new chairperson of the Hawaii National Party, she opted to begin coalition talks of her own, opening talks with Hui Pū ʻAna. The parties came to an agreement on 12 September, and signed a coalition agreement later that day. After Kanazawa was appointed prime minister of Hawaii on 18 September, Chidori was nominated to serve as minister of transport and communications in the Kanazawa ministry later that day, and was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani. As transport and communications minister, Chidori is responsible for overseeing road safety, civil aviation, maritime transport, rail transport, developing government transportation policy, organizing public transport, public works and infrastructure projects, communication with local governments, and the Hawaiian communications, telecommunications, and broadcasting industries.

Following the formation of the Green-Progressive Party in 2021, he switched his party membership.

## Personal life

Chidori began a relationship with Anastasia Piper in 2015, who works in the Hawaiian tourism industry. They became engaged in 2016, and later married in 2018. In June 2020, Piper confirmed she was pregnant with their first child, with a due date in December 2020. The family resides in Kapolei.