TOYA - Ten Outstanding Young Americans
“If one woman, on one island, with one step of faith, can bring peace to our world, one chocolate at a time, so can you!” -Erin Kanno Uehara
This weekend, I will be flying up to Minnesota to receive the TOYA (Ten Outstanding Young Americans) award. Finding out I was nominated by the Honolulu Chinese Jaycees, having an incredible write up done by their past president, Sarah Young, and then learning about this national win, is totally a God story!
If you are feeling like you’ve been doing some of the same things day in and day out and wondering if it matters, this is to remind you that God sees you!
At least that’s how I felt when I heard the news and thought I’d share below some of the responses the committee asked me to prepare in hopes that it inspires you! Or you can view a video on my YouTube channel
Brief Intro
Aloha! I’m Erin Kanno Uehara here in Honolulu Hawai`i, bringing peace to our world, one chocolate at a time. I am the owner of gourmet chocolate company, Choco le`a, a wife, mom, author, and known here in Hawai`i, as your chocolate friend.
Being a TOYA honoree reminds me that the work we do, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, matters. If we can connect with just one person and use the one thing God gives us to bring peace to our world, we should do it.
Mahalo to the TOYA committee, the Junior Chamber International, and the Honolulu Chinese Jaycees for this very unexpected nomination and award! To God be the glory!
What does being honored with this award mean to you?
I had no idea that one heartfelt Zoom talk in the pandemic to encourage the Honolulu Chinese Jaycees, would lead to this totally unexpected nomination and prestigious award! I love how young leaders lift up other young leaders and empower one another to continue to make positive change. A special mahalo to Sarah Young for taking the lead to lift me up, someone you had no obligation to and barely even knew, but simply took a step of faith to write your first nomination for someone that God put on your heart. And thank you to the TOYA committee for this incredible opportunity to be recognized among past recipients like President Joe Biden, Past President Bill Clinton, entertainers Pat Boone, Christopher Reeve, Elvis Presley, and Hawai`i’s own Marcus Mariota!
On another note, this honor reminds me how God’s plans are always bigger and better than our plans and it’s in His timing. The night before hearing the totally unexpected news of my nomination, I had prayed to God and thanked Him for all that He did through me. That as I was reminded of my young entrepreneur hopes to one day simply be nominated for a local 40 under 40 award would not happen as I had just turned 39, I surrendered it to God and thanked Him. That He saw me and that He was proud and I didn’t need to chase what the world glorifies and to keep focusing on His daily work. Being contacted by a friend and Jaycee’s President, Alena, immediately after this surrender to Him was a complete surprise. And to hear the nomination was for someone 40 and under and I just made the cut off, and that it wasn’t for the local award, but an even bigger reward, a national recognition! And then winning! Well that brought two verses to mind: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much…” -Luke 16:10 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” -Isaiah 55:8-9
How will this change what you do, and what inspires you?
I am starting to feel some new challenges as I age, but being called an Outstanding Young American, reminds me that I still have lots of energy (and hopefully life ahead) to make others feel outstanding too.
I’d love to use this amazing new TOYA platform to encourage all young Americans to do what they can, where they are and to not give up on yourself and one another. It would be amazing if I could speak not just locally, but now nationally tell the stories of challenges overcome, encourage others to persevere, and share the small and simple routines in my life now that help me find my rhythm between all the responsibilities we have. I’d love to use this opportunity to go where God leads for His glory whether it be speaking on college campuses, churches, small businesses in other communities, or writing my next book!
For me personally, this recognition feels like a pat on the back from God that the daily little things, the work we do wherever we are, it all mattered. And it still does. We may not see the results we are hoping for right away, even for years, but we should persevere because we never know the trail we are blazing or the path we are widening for those who are coming after us, just as those before us have done.
Praying this reminder brings a little peace to your world.
Faith forward my friend!
