What are your New Year’s resolutions? Mine are simple:
For one, it’s to say “thank you” more. My heart is so filled with gratitude for the abundance of goodwill, hard work, and kindness shown to me by people all around me. But I think I can do better at making sure my outward expressions reflect that gratitude. As I tell my 5-year-old, “a little thank-you will go a long way.” So I better practice what I preach!
Second, to strive for more joy. Joy is precious. Joy is magic. Joy is integral to moving past “survival.” So I’m going to be mindful of my joy — where it lives in me, how it’s sparked, and how it can ignite joy in others. Besides, my youngest’s name is Kota, which in Japanese means “joy.” You are the company you keep!
I took the oath of office late last month alongside my colleagues Commissioner Calkins and Commissioner Mohamed. I am so proud to serve alongside such stalwart advocates.
While my term as Commission President has ended, I look forward to continuing to advance the Teal New Deal (merging of "blue economy" maritime projects with "green economy" clean-energy investments to position Seattle as a global leader in sustainable energy commerce) and the Port’s mission of creating economic opportunity while serving our communities. You can read my Reflections on 2025 in my previous blog post.
While my work on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s transition team will soon hit the halfway point, the work of King County Executive Girmay Zahilay’s transition team concluded last month. The Girmay Transition 2025 Final Report is expected to be transmitted sometime this month.
I was recently featured in The North American Post, where I reflected on my roots, community, service, and rising to this moment. My family's story reminds me that public service is about creating opportunity for future generations and standing in solidarity with our communities during challenging times.
The Urbanist also published an Op-Ed I submitted titled “Sea-Tac Airport Transportation: Off the Road and Onto the Train,” summarizing the Port’s work overseeing the largest transportation operations in the Pacific Northwest. Check it out — I’m pretty fond of it.
2026 is not going to be easy. But we’ve done hard things before, together: through a trade war, xenophobic travel bans, a cyberattack, budget cuts at the federal and state level, and more. I know that come what may, we can and will face it together. We are equipped, connected, and courageous enough to answer to the urgency of this moment.
As I noted in my North American Post interview, "When the weight is unbearable, we lean on one another. This is what community is all about. Through the opportunities and challenges ahead, we have each other, and we have never been more powerful.”
Happy New Year, and thank you for making it to the end of this blog post <3 It means a lot.
Gambatte!
All my best,
Toshiko Grace Hasegawa
Commissioner, Port of Seattle
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Above photo: Enjoying a joyful moment with Kota and Keiko during Thanksgiving
