Capsun's Corner – by Capsun M. Poe

ON THE PASSING OF AQ

Add me to the long list of people who was saddened by the news of the passing of the legendary Ah Quon “AQ” McElrath.  I extend my deepest condolences to AQ’s family.  While Hawaii may have lost a passionate, eloquent, and humble activist and humanitarian, you have lost a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister.  My sympathies are with you.

AQ’S LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Even if you didn’t know AQ, you have probably been touched by her involvement in Hawaii politics, which like her life, was long and storied.  Just take a look:

• UH President David McClain described her as  “an esteemed labor activist and social worker“
• The Honolulu Advertiser called her both a “labor and progressive activist” and a “union, social activist“
• The Honolulu Star-Bulletin called her a “social activist“
• Pacific Business News remembers her as a “Hawaii activist“
• The Hawaii Tribune-Herald hailed her as a “pioneer in the union movement“
• KGMB labelled her a “labor leader, activist“
• KITV said she was a “labor pioneer, community activist” (which was even picked up by MSNBC)
• She was proclaimed “the conscience of the Legislature” on the Hawaii House Blog
• She was “a salty voice for what was right” to Jerry Burris
• Pat Beekman called her a “Hawaii labor movement icon“

The Advertiser even reprinted a 1999 profile of AQ by the late Bob Krauss.  But the very best may have been Dan Boylan’s recent write-up in MidWeek, which ended up being her final interview.

MY TIME WITH AQ

I first met AQ when I was an undergraduate student leader at UH Manoa.  But it was when I served on the UH Board of Regents that I really got to work with and know her well. I served from 2001-2003, the last two years of AQ’s eight years of service on the BOR.  While administrators, politicians, and even students would call her “Regent McElrath” she would always remind them that we were no different and no better than them.  She preferred to be thought of as a “fellow citizen” just like anyone else.

If you look at that picture of us, you’ll notice that AQ is wearing a white academic hood around her neck.  That is to signify the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters she received in 1988 and awarded to people for their achievements and contributions – and not their monetary donations, at least at UH.

AQ was considered the conscience and moral compass of the ILWU, the Legislature, and I would say of the BOR while she served there.  AQ never missed an opportunity to tie local happenings and University policies to struggles of working people around the world.  And, she always spoke about the need to raise the “human condition” of others.

What I appreciated most about AQ was her candor; if she believed something was wrong or unjust, she would call it like she saw it.  On many occasions, she’s been known to call something a bunch of BS (of course, she didn’t actually abbreviate it).

Another great quality she had was passion.  Sharp till the end, AQ always kept in touch with the current BOR and Emeriti Regents on issues that were important to her like UARC and Death With Dignity.  I only regret that I couldn’t attend the Hawaii’s People Fund dinner in November which honored her.

As someone else who knew her said, “If I could be half the person that she was, I would have lived a very productive life.” In short, AQ McElrath will be sorely missed.

Mahalo!

Updated 12/16/2008

Tags: ah quon, aq, mcelrath