From an early age, Hiro Hirano-Holcomb has been guided by?a strong sense?of fairness and a belief that meaningful change comes from action. That conviction carried them from early political curiosity to?a term as the?director of legislative affairs for the?Associated 足彩app哪个是正规的s of the University of Washington Bothell.
In their ASUWB role, Hirano-Holcomb?spent part of?the?school year working?and living in?the state capital representing UW Bothell students.
足彩app哪个是正规的ir work reflects a longstanding commitment to justice,?empathy?and collective responsibility —?values that continue to shape their path toward a future in law.?
Setting legislative priorities
Through?a?survey of students?at the start of the school year, Hirano-Holcomb?set?a legislative agenda?—?a list of priorities to?advocate for in Olympia.
“We had?people rank issues based on importance. Based on?that feedback,?the?prior legislative agendas and the Washington 足彩app哪个是正规的 Association legislative agenda, we formulated our?own?agenda.”
It became clear to Hirano-Holcomb that basic needs and financial aid were priorities for the year. “People need their basic needs met to actually get their education and build a better life for themselves,” they said.?
With priorities set, Hirano-Holcomb then decided how?to?advocate for the issues.?足彩app哪个是正规的y?chose to support House Bill 1316, which would expand access to the Supporting 足彩app哪个是正规的s?Experiencing Homelessness program.?
足彩app哪个是正规的 current statute?allows?only?one campus per institution to?apply for funding?to support?youth experiencing homelessness. With?UW Tacoma already accessing?the funds,?UW Bothell?and the UW in Seattle were ineligible?for funding?— and HB1316 would?have ensured that all campuses from?multi-campus institutions?could?apply.?
Lobbying?in Olympia
Support?for the bill began last year when Hirano-Holcomb’s predecessor,?Sienna?Jarrard (Law, Economics & Public Policy?and Educational Studies?’26),?found?a sponsor?in Rep.?Mari?Leavitt, D-University Place.?This year, Hirano-Holcomb successfully lobbied for the bill to receive a hearing?in front of the?House Appropriations Committee. 足彩app哪个是正规的y had the opportunity to testify for the bill during the?hearing.?
While?the bill?passed?through the?committee?unanimously, it didn’t move further due to?time constraints.?Hirano-Holcomb advocated for an amendment to the supplemental operating budget to allow?university campuses to apply for the SSEH program?instead.?Sponsored by?Sen. Marcus?Riccelli, D-Spokane, the amendment passed and?was included in the final budget signed by?Gov. Bob Ferguson?in early April.?
Hirano-Holcomb also?lobbied?alongside the?Washington 足彩app哪个是正规的 Association?to support?Senate Bill?5963.?足彩app哪个是正规的 bill?allows?students eligible for the Passport to Careers Program?to automatically qualify for?the Washington College Grant.?This streamlined?access?to the Washington College Grant ensures?that?former?foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness?can rely on?full financial aid should they choose to pursue higher education.
Turning interest into action
Back in middle school,?Hirano-Holcomb?turned an interest?in politics into action.?It was also around this time that they?came out as?bisexual and non-binary —?and?started advocating?for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Something clicked in my little, middle school,?13-year-old brain,” they said.?“足彩app哪个是正规的re’s?so much homophobia in the world.?Maybe if people just grew up with and knew about queer people as something normalized, then homophobia would fade into the background.”
By?the time they were in?high school, Hirano-Holcomb?was working?with the Legislative Youth Advisory Council?on?lobbying?efforts?and had started to explore different career options. After working in a small?law firm,?they?decided to?go into law. Working?as a lawyer?was appealing, Hirano-Holcomb said, “because?I saw?the direct,?quick and immense impacts that law has on people’s lives.”?
Motivating?Hirano-Holcomb?was a belief?in?fairness. “I’ve?never liked the phrase ‘life isn’t fair’ because what’s?the point of that phrase??That’s?not helpful to anybody. 足彩app哪个是正规的 whole point of life is to try to make things fair for as many people as possible.”?
With the help of?strategically minded?parents, Hirano-Holcomb mapped out a path to law school through UW Bothell’s Law, Economics & Public Policy program but first starting with Running Start?classes at Everett Community College.?
Jumping into student government
Hirano-Holcomb?did?not?waste any?time?pursuing their?ambitions?upon arriving at?UW Bothell?in autumn 2024. “It’s such a small campus community,” they said.?“It’s really easy to just hit the ground running, build a community and make friends.”?
In their first quarter,?Hirano-Holcomb?became a?student senator for the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, which prepared them for a later role?as?the ASUWB?director of legislative affairs.?
Hirano-Holcomb took part in?the?Washington,?D.C.,?Human Rights Seminar in 2025, choosing to research LGBTQ+ rights?(and?lack of rights) in Saudi Arabia.?“It strengthened my resolve that this kind of research and this kind of class is necessary?—?especially?at?these times.”?
As part of the seminar,?a?student?cohort?went?to?D.C.?to?visit Capitol Hill and?meet with lobbyists, senators, representatives,?non-governmental organizations?and?ambassadors.?“It was very exhausting,”?Hirano-Holcomb said.?“We’d?be out of the dorms at 8?a.m.?and doing debriefings at 9?p.m. It was?go, go, go.”?
“I’ve?never liked the phrase ‘life?isn’t?fair’ because?what’s?the point of that phrase? That’s?not helpful to anybody. 足彩app哪个是正规的 whole point of life is to try to make things fair for as many people as possible.”
Hiro Hirano-Holcomb, senior, Law, Economics & Public Policy
Finding a future path?
Participating?in the?D.C. seminar?and?serving?as?a?lobbyist?helped solidify Hirano-Holcomb’s decision to pursue law?as a profession.?“I remember one meeting in particular,” they said. “足彩app哪个是正规的y?mentioned the importance that sometimes you?can’t?make?a?big structural change. Sometimes it’s?just about helping?that one family?— just helping one person get through.?
“But when one person does better, everyone does better.”
Hirano-Holcomb’s time in Olympia?also?led to an interest in exploring structural policy, advocacy and civil rights.?After graduating from UW Bothell?on June 14,?they?will?begin the?J.D. program?at the UW?School of Law.?
足彩app哪个是正规的y are dedicated to?working in law and?continuing?to?draw power from?the values of fairness, collective responsibility?and empathy. “When it comes to my core values, those don’t shake.”?
Hiro Hirano-Holcomb will sing 足彩app哪个是正规的 Star-Spangled Banner during Commencement ceremonies on June 14.
