No. 6 - SOFT HANDS, BIG DREAMS

SOFT HANDS, BIG DREAMS

March 5, 2025 • Issue No. 6

Happy March and Happy Women’s History Month! Today, I’m sharing a story from my past life that I hope you’ll enjoy. 

A week ago, I received an email from a friend I met in my coaching certification program. He asked if I’d be interested in delivering a keynote at his company in honor of Women’s History Month. While we weren’t ultimately able to seal the deal, the prompt for the talk has been rattling around in my mind ever since I read the email. 

“We're looking to feature a keynote educational presentation that explores the history of women's protest—whether in the workplace, at home, or in other spheres—and provides practical strategies for applying those lessons in today’s workplace.”

Here’s where my past comes in: I used to work at an all-girls school! I did a few different jobs there — 2nd grade teacher, 4th grade teacher, science teacher, DEI coordinator, and academic dean — but in every role I had the same goal of preparing young women to enter the world confidently and with self-assurance. So I’m chock-full of stories about women’s protest and have read the studies about the key traits girls (and women!) can use to their advantage and the ones they can sharpen.

Now I’m not saying that the story I’m about to share with you is the one I would have told at this keynote but it was far and away my student’s favorite. It’s the story of Hiromi Suzuki - a woman and a trailblazer. 

Hiromi’s Story

Hiromi is the daughter of Japanese immigrants who moved to New York City to open a sushi restaurant. Her father grew up poor in the countryside and dedicated his life to becoming a sushi chef. It takes hours — sometimes years — of training and apprenticeship to earn the esteemed title of “Itamae” and Hiromi’s father spent the beginning of his education just making huge pots of rice. He didn’t even get to touch a fish or a knife in the first phase of his training. Despite his initial impatience, he took his work very seriously and felt grateful that he had received his mentor’s blessing to come to the States. When he got here, the work only got harder. He was in his NYC sushi restaurant every day, and Hiromi would join him after school. Watching her father work, she knew she wanted to be just like him and she dreamed of following in his footsteps. When Hiromi asked her father to train her to become “Itamae”, he hesitated. In Japan, women were not allowed to make sushi. It was commonly believed that their soft warm hands would spoil the fish. (At this point in the story, I would tell my students to look at their hands and ask them if they thought this was true.) But this was America and Hiromi’s passion was evident, so he bucked tradition and began to train her. Over time, Hiromi mastered the art of sushi and began to work alongside her father in his restaurant. One day, his mentor came from Japan to visit the restaurant. Once he got past his skepticism of a woman behind the counter, he bestowed Hiromi with the high honor of “Itamae”. She had accomplished her dream. 

Hiromi’s story reminds me of all the things we set out to do before we even know there are barriers. She didn’t set out to become a sushi chef because it was forbidden, she pursued it because it was something she loved. Perhaps you’ve heard the statistic about women being less likely to apply for a job unless they meet 100% of the qualifications (and maybe you’re in that group!) Self-doubt and imposter syndrome are formidable obstacles when you’re looking at a LinkedIn job opening or when you’re on the fence about throwing your hat in the ring for a promotion. But remember that there was something that caught your eye to even make you peek at the qualifications in the first place. Maybe this opportunity would bring your dream job title, or it’s based in a city you’ve always wanted to live in. Instead of waiting for someone to tell you that you can, borrow this mantra: the dream IS the invitation. The idea wouldn’t have popped into your mind unless some part of you was intrigued and realized you were capable. We can break just as many societal barriers when we start with the things we’re passionate about. Don’t go popping your own dream bubbles; society has got that covered. Let passion lead you to step into your goals with confidence. 

The jury is out on whether or not an adult audience would find this advice practical, but I’ll tell you what my students told me. When asked what we can learn from Hiromi’s story, they all gave some version of the same answer, 💎 “Don’t give up on your dreams.” 💎 Take some time before March is over to pinpoint what your dreams are right now and the ways you’re working toward them. As always, I’ll leave some prompts for you below.

Happy Women’s History Month, Sparkle Gang!

Learn the full version of Hiromi’s story in the children’s book Hiromi’s Hands by Lynn Barasch (Lynn’s daughter grew up with Hiromi in NYC!)

If you’re ever in Maine, check out Suzuki’s Sushi Bar. It’s a woman-owned restaurant with world-class omakase. I was so surprised to find a woman (Suzuki!) making sushi that I had an all-out fan girl moment and wrote her a note on the back of my receipt. I’m still hunting for women Itamae in NYC! Please share if you know of any.

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