With daughter Sydney Hinds.
While Kimberlyn Hinds has made headlines for her accomplished legal career, leadership roles like chairman of the Commonwealth Ports Authority, and her current run for US Congress Delegate, one important aspect of her life has gone largely untold – until now. Beyond the professional accolades is the story of Kimberlyn as a working mother, navigating the challenges of raising a child while climbing the career ladder.
A mother’s lasting imprint
With godmother Magdalena Reyes, mother Serafina King-Nabors and Aunt Rosa Lazaro.
Kimberlyn’s own mother provided an example of balancing motherhood with professional duties and public service. As a child, she remembers “watching her work from underneath her desk during the first CNMI legislature while she was serving as one of the first female congresswomen.” Her mother instilled values that still guide Kimberlyn today – “the belief that you do not have to be elected to serve or to lead.”
Following her heart
One key lesson from her mother has stayed with Kimberlyn: “Don’t do something because you expect recognition or expect something in return. Do it because it is what your heart desires.” This philosophy motivated Kimberlyn to “only pursue personal and professional goals that bring me personal fulfillment” rather than being driven by accolades.
The struggle
For any working parent, finding balance between career responsibilities and family life is an unending battle. Kimberly experienced this first-hand, admitting “I missed out on so many moments with my daughter because I was working all the time.” The harsh reality is “when you miss a moment, you can’t make up for that lost opportunity to make a memory” with your child.
A mother’s pride
With husband Chester Hinds and daughter Sydney at her Coast Guard graduation ceremony.
Despite the regrets over missed moments, Kimberlyn overflows with pride about the person her daughter has become. “My daughter just turned 21 and is pursuing a career path that makes her happy without my help. She is completely independent, economically self-sustainable and the least materialistic person I know.” Seeing her child flourish self-sufficiently is “my greatest achievement as a mother.”
Shaping her leadership
The experiences of motherhood have shaped how Kimberlyn approaches leadership roles. “Being a mother has taught me there is no one right way to do something,” she explains. This motivates her to “constantly change my leadership style and approach to adapt to what would work best” for the organization.
Advice for other moms
For other working mothers struggling to juggle responsibilities, Kimberlyn emphasizes, “Learn to set boundaries and prioritize what makes you feel personally fulfilled. More importantly, practice self-care.” Too often, mothers deprioritize themselves, which can lead to stress-related health issues. Her advice: “Make it a priority to take care of yourself so that you can continue doing the things that you love and taking care of the people that matter most.”
Her lifeline
Kimberlyn credits her incredible support system, starting with her “super dad” husband, for allowing her to pursue her career. “He took the kid to almost all her appointments, practices, games, and made sure dinner was ready when we got home.” Her older sister’s help when her daughter was very young was also invaluable. “I have been incredibly blessed to have that love and support which allowed me to develop the career that I have today.”
Heartbreaking choices
Even with a strong support network, working mothers often face gut-wrenching decisions between work and family. Just recently, Kimberly “had to choose between going to my niece’s wedding and my dad’s funeral or staying in CNMI for critical consultations about issues impacting our community…I chose to stay because this issue will have a lifelong impact on our people.”
Mother-driven ambition
Kimberlyn’s role as a mother is a driving force behind her current ambition to become the CNMI’s Delegate to US Congress. “I want to be part of building a CNMI that my daughter and all of our kids will want to come home to,” she states. Her goal is fostering “a sustainable economy balanced with our national security interests” to create opportunities for the next generation.
A mother’s perspective
If successful in her congressional bid, Kimberlyn plans to bring a maternal perspective to representing the CNMI’s interests. “Our priorities must focus on what our community’s basic needs are and work to tackle those issues first,” she asserts. Her experiences as a mother make her determined “to be disciplined about creating a direct line of communication between our people and Washington DC” and ensuring the community’s voice is heard.
Beyond the headlines about her political and professional accomplishments, this glimpse into Kimberlyn Hinds’ life as a working mother reveals a side seldom highlighted – one driven by nurturing her family, balancing responsibilities through self-care and perseverance, and ultimately aiming to build a better future for all children in the CNMI community she hopes to represent.
