PC: Tiare Lawrence

District 12 House candidate Tiare Lawrence has announced endorsements from environmental, education and women’s advocacy groups.

The Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi endorsed Lawrence’s bid for election to the state legislature citing leadership on issues like preserving Maui’s coral reefs and moving Hawaiʻi toward a sustainable future, stream restoration, protecting small farmers, preparing residents for cesspool abatements.

The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association also endorsed Lawrence.  In a press release announcement, her campaign says she is “a fierce advocate at the Legislature for funding the schools our keiki deserve and giving teachers a livable wage that attracts and retains qualified instructors.”

With two children of her own, supporters of Lawrence say she wants to reduce the amount of standardized testing teachers are required to administer, “recognizing that such policies have utterly failed to prepare our kids for the realities of the 21st century.”

Meanwhile, the Patsy T. Mink PAC, which works to elect pro-choice women to legislative bodies, was an early endorser. According to her campaign, “This endorsement was in recognition of her dedication to advancing women’s health and well being and her capability as a strong voice for women.”

This past session, campaign organizers say, Lawrence fought for Title IX guarantees and pushed to require family planning clinics to disclose whether or not they are medically-licensed and to provide information on the full spectrum of health options available to pregnant women.

Lawrence also picked up endorsements from UNITE HERE! Local 5, representing healthcare and hospitality workers on Maui, Our Revolution – Hawaiʻi, the local chapter of the organization founded by Bernie Sanders, and the Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative.