Commemorating Dr. Mimi Henriksen by Shana Brown

Thoughts of Mimi

shanab3 — 2021-10-19 23:16:26 UTC

Along with all History Department colleagues, staff, and students, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Mimi Henriksen. When I joined the department she was graduate chair and immediately made me feel at home as a graduate faculty member. I am thankful to Mimi for her wit, warmth, bracing honesty, and kindness. She was one of the most talented instructors and mentors in the department and I learned so much by seeing the patient, collaborative, and encouraging manner she developed with all her students, especially at the graduate level. She will be deeply missed and always remembered with warmth and gratitude for her many contributions to the department.

Talking about TV

2021-10-20 00:36:10 UTC

One of the last conversations I had with Mimi before the pandemic was about binge watching old tv shows, specifically, “Dark Shadows.” I had started to watch it (the number of episodes is well over 1000) but had stopped, and had asked if she had managed to watch it all the way through. She said she remembered watching it as a teenager, but didn’t recall seeing the whole thing. I finally managed to finish watching all the show’s episodes while hunkered down at home over the last year or so, and was going to tell her that when we finally had our first in-person meeting after the end of the pandemic, something for which we are all still waiting, and so never had a chance to tell her about it. Her passing is so sudden and tragic. She will be greatly missed.

shanab3 — 2021-10-20 00:58:50 UTC

From the 2008 Honolulu Star-Bulletin: "'WITNESS' REVIEWED: Herbert Zeigler, left, Mimi Henriksen and Peter Hoffenberg moderated a screening last Thursday of "Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust" hosted by Ann Brandman, right, at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. The film documents Hollywood's take on Nazi anti-Semitism from the 1930s to the present. An overflow crowd stayed for an hour of post-show discussion." http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/06/26/news/berger.html

Signature irreverence

2021-10-20 01:02:30 UTC

Mimi's irreverent wit was always on display in encounters with her on the Sakamaki veranda, and her departure -- sudden, without the opportunity for sentimental goodbyes -- feels in keeping with her spirit. Although I didn't know her well, I think her combination of sardonic humor and cultural historical sensibilities might make her appreciate the incongruous - though no less sincere - medium of a purple Padlet to say sayonara and farewell. All the best to you Mimi, wherever your spirit now resides, and deepest condolences to Herb and daughter Alex.

Incomparable...

kellinak1 — 2021-10-20 01:52:22 UTC

I entered the History Department shy, uncertain about my future, and painfully ignorant in the ways of reading, writing, and understanding. I used to watch crowds of undergraduates and graduate students surround Mimi and wonder what party I was clearly missing out on as there were jokes, laughter, and an easy camaraderie that is often missing between faculty and students. Mimi graciously took me on as a graduate student and served on both my Masters and PhD committees. Still now, I cringe thinking back on all the time that she spent editing and working on countless drafts of my papers, pushing me, encouraging me, showing me how to be a better writer and thinker through her own examples. I'd like to think that I became a historian because of her but really, I am still trying to meet the standard that she set forth through her personal career as a teacher and scholar.

On a personal note, I also liked to think of her as a friend and mentor, characteristics that I am sure hundreds if not thousands of other students will say in describing Mimi. Her irreverent humor, sarcasm, and biting wit made me look forward to every encounter where I would be greeted by a sassy "hola chica!" that became our usual greeting. I cried when I heard the news of Mimi's passing as the world lost one great shining light and spirit. Herb and Alex, thank you for sharing Mimi with all of us and allowing her to touch our lives, mine included. With love and deepest aloha, Kelli Nakamura.

She went to bat for us

2021-10-20 03:35:06 UTC

In talking with a couple of graduate school classmates tonight, one thing kept coming up in addition to her wonderful sense of humor—-Mimi was always ready to go to bat for us. One hopes she understood that her students always felt a deep appreciation and respect for her, and not only because of this. As a young woman considering a job in academia at that time, her example as a dedicated Professor who also made time for her family was essential to my sense of possibility. My path to completing my MA was non-traditional but her support never wavered. Her ability to value all different kinds of people and life paths and work with the same level of focus and care for each is something I will take with me in my professional life. I’m so sorry like so many of us for not being able to tell her how much she meant in person. My heart goes out to her daughter and husband. She will be missed.

She was the ultimate mentor

2021-10-20 04:18:52 UTC

I met Mimi in the spring semester of 1984, when I took History 17B at U.C. Berkeley -- Mimi was my TA. I wrote my first paper for her on Sinclair Lewis' Main Street and I received an "A-" but also, and more importantly, 2 pages of notes, questions, and careful feedback in neat writing with purple ink. Who did that? Mimi did. I would go on to take two more classes with Mimi (including one on Dr. Strangelove's America), and she pushed me to write more clearly, make my argument more cogently, and just be a better thinker. I just located all the papers from those years, with Mimi's notes, which is a testament to how much her careful mentoring meant to me then, and now. Under Mimi's tutelage, I went on to History graduate school. I remember her letters to me during that time, filled with support and encouragement. Although I have had a career outside of academia, I remember the model she set for me as a mentor and coach, and have tried to mirror it for others I work with. Although we lost contact over the years, I treasure my friendship with Mimi back at Berkeley, and what she meant to me. She lived a life of passion, and she was literally the coolest person I knew. She enriched my life in so many ways. May her family know what a gift she was to me and so many others. -- Ava De Almeida Law

Remembering Mimi

wensheng — 2021-10-20 06:14:42 UTC

Mimi, your essential decency, kindness toward colleagues and dedication to students have inspired us over the years. And they would matter even more in difficult time right now and ahead of us. You will be greatly missed!

Lots of Support and Lots of Laughs

2021-10-20 14:54:51 UTC

I TA'd for Mimi a few years back. What I appreciated most about her was her laid-back demeanor, which felt incredibly supportive. She wasn't there to boss us around as much as she wanted us to find our own way as teachers, while also ensuring that we focused on our work outside of TA'ing as well. She was always quick to tell an irreverent joke to make us TA's feel at-ease -- jokes that we later recounted to one another, which made the laughs feel exponential. I'll always remember her. My heart goes out to her family, friends, and those in the department who knew her best.

Remembering Mimi before she was Dr. Mimi

2021-10-20 16:11:42 UTC

Mimi and I started in the Berkeley history program in the fall of 1981 when we became fast friends, confidants, and sometimes troublemakers. Although gay, I fell in love with her and while we had some awkward moments of near physical intimacy, we became intimate in a much deeper way. I felt that Mimi was a soulmate.

In the years I was at Berkeley (before exiting for a non-academic writing career) she was as good a friend as one can hope for, especially when I was diagnosed with cancer in 1984. She was family, taking me to and fro appointments, sitting by my bedside while I underwent chemo. (She even saw that the wrong medication was about to go through the IV and got a doctor in there, stat.)

Mimi taught me so much, as I see she continued to do in her time at UH. Above all, I’d say she lived her life as though each day mattered and was her last. I hate that her days proved short but love that she made each one indelible in those of us who counted her as a friend. My deepest condolences to her husband and daughter.

-Steven Petrow
Hillsborough, NC

Always in the Trenches with Us

mombrello — 2021-10-20 17:41:18 UTC

Mimi kept the grad student crew together as a caring and supportive team. I will never forget how she and Herb spent their weekend in the mud with us cleaning out the first floor offices after the Manoa Stream flooded Sakamaki Hall. Thank you Mimi.

Re: Mimi the mentor

2021-10-20 19:20:38 UTC

I can barely wrap my head around how much Mimi influenced my teaching.

I TAʻd for her several times, and each one was an adventure. I know she liked to yawn and be self-deprecating about teaching History 151, but she brought so much energy to the classroom. I can only imagine her mortification at discovering how much she has influenced my classroom. Her fingerprints and voice echo throughout my lectures. She is responisible for many of the things students say they love about my courses-- she was the model and the inspiration.

As a TA, Mimi made History 151 fun to sit and watch repeatedly; she made being a TA easy. She was incredibly welcoming and supportive from the moment we met... The words to express the depth of my gratitude escape me. I find myself typing and deleting memories-- her cutting observations, her gifts of Costco sized bottles of alcohol, her casual check-ins and conversations. I never took a class with her and she was not on my committee, but she was always there.
(Matt C.)

So many memories

kjolly5 — 2021-10-20 19:21:00 UTC

So many memories scattered across the 30 odd years that Mimi has been such a wonderful colleague. She came the year before me, and Jim Kraft the year after. Her absence leaves a gaping hole in our lives.
One thing of many I would like to commemorate is her teaching of world history. Mimi taught both HIST 151 and 152, unlike many of us who do only one or the other, and also every year, totaling thousands of students, maybe approaching 10,000 (back in the day we had hundreds of students in this required course). So it is not uncommon to be recognized around town—I can imagine she received variations on “oh Dr. Henriksen, I had your class three years ago...” She was that memorable, and word got around so other students wanted to take her version of world history. I know from students, TAs, and Mimi herself, that she liked to start class with a joke, music, and pop culture references. Maybe because of her research in contemporary American culture, or just her personality, she knew how to connect with every generation of students.
She will be missed by so many in Sakamaki Hall and beyond. Aloha Mimi, love and prayers for Herb and Alex. Karen Jolly

A joy to know

2021-10-20 20:07:32 UTC

It was great to know Mimi, even for just the 5 years that I got to spend with her. I respected and appreciated her because she made herself so accessible and invested herself in so many lives. She was an actual teacher and mentor. Nothing with her felt fake, which is why I really enjoyed spending time with her. She was such a fun person. I cared about her and she made me feel that she cared about me, and I could see that same feeling in a lot of the people around her. So many people are better for having known her.

Her presence and spirit will be missed!

2021-10-20 21:53:49 UTC

Mimi has been a valuable member of our Department. I still remember how excited and welcoming she was when I first joined the Department so many years ago. And while we had our disagreements, she was always honest about what she thinks and feels and was always friendly. I'll miss bumping into her in the elevators and corridors of Sakamaki when she always, and without fail, made me smile or laugh about something. She's always been a spirited presence in our Department and her dedication to her students is unparalleled. But I was especially sad to know that she was sick these past months. I had hoped that we could all be together again next semester. But sadly, we won't see Mimi again.

I hope that we could plan a simple memorial to remember her and celebrate her life sometime soon.

Vina Lanzona

Huge Loss

2021-10-21 01:26:27 UTC

It took me a while to grasp that Dr. Mimi is not with us anymore. Among other things, her monograph was one of the reasons why I chose to attend doctorate program here. Despite eventually having had to change my committee members' lineup due to various reasons, Mimi was originally one of the members. That meant something to me. She was the first person to let me know when exactly the U.S. premiere of Shin Gojira so that I can check it out (as I was working on a nuclear-related topic). She was the very person who told me (off the record) that my current advisor would be a perfect fit for me once the individual joined our program. She was the very person who, despite having had some different interpretation from mine, made me love reading, discussing on Gen X and so many movies including Pleasantville and Reality Bites. I think ultimately my interactions with her developed my love of US culture and television history more than ever. And that very person gave me insights, is now gone for good. I refuse to believe that she is no longer with us. Rest in Peace, Mimi.

Toki

2021-10-21 05:55:25 UTC

More recently, Mimi was a colleague, although I only got to see her a few times in person before COVID hit. Before that, she was my professor and committee member, and she helped me get through PhD comps. I have been thinking about her a lot over the past few days, and I see now how much she influenced my teaching. I wasn't her TA, but I took her undergraduate television history class and was in awe of how easily she connected with students. Her classroom was fun and dynamic and students loved her. She brought history to life, and it worked. I admired that, and have tried to emulate it in my own approach. I wish I had realized as much while she was still here, and had the courage to tell her. Rest well, Mimi. -Monica LaBriola

Thank you

2021-10-21 07:11:34 UTC

Mimi, I'm not sure if I deserved the trust and confidence you had in me, but without your encouragement, I don't think I would've developed the love of books and ideas I've enjoyed for... has it been decades now?? ...decades since you asked twentysomething me what I'd like to write for my thesis, really asked, and didn't turn any idea away for being too fringe? At the time, most of my family and friends found it simply unbelievable that you'd patiently, with genuine interest, listen to me chatter away about Jimmy Stewart and psychoanalysis, or wax paranoid about the links between the second season of Twin Peaks, the Bay of Pigs, and a suspicious series of traffic tickets I got in Mililani. But, do you know what those conversations did for an immigrant kid from Chinatown whose family frowned upon idle speculation? They showed me that a life of the mind could spring from anywhere. They taught me to take life seriously, even the weird bits - especially the weird bits. And they gave me the courage to call heinous things heinous, nice things nice, and outsiders my kind of people. Thank you, Mimi.

Fond Memories

2021-10-21 20:09:00 UTC

It’s always hard to lose a close friend or good colleague, but losing both in the same moment is especially tough. Mimi has been my hallway buddy and fellow American historian for thirty years. I met Mimi during my on-campus job interview, when I didn’t know my way around Sakamaki Hall. She was sitting at her office desk cradling Alex, who couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. Herb quickly stepped into the room to pick up Alex, and then Mimi and I chatted for a long while. We connected immediately and have since shared countless hours together, both on and off campus. I have served on more departmental committees with Mimi than I care to count, including many involving graduate students. Believe me when I say that no one championed students like Mimi did. She was always the favorite professor in the room.

I guess Renée and I won’t be spending our golden years on a French vineyard with Herb and Mimi, as we had planned. But we’re raising our glasses to Mimi now, with fond memories. Rest in peace, my friend.
--Jim Kraft

2021-10-22 05:30:51 UTC

I am deeply saddened by Mimi’s passing. When I got to know Mimi, I was a young, nervous graduate student lacking a clear direction. Mimi welcomed me with open arms and helped me find my place. She always looked out for me and stood up for me. She was a professor who I knew was on my side and who supported me in every way she could.

Mimi’s humor was legendary. She had a cutting wit and would tease me in a way that may have been biting but was never mean. I could tell that kindness and genuine affection was at the heart of her jibes.

I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without Mimi’s mentorship and example to guide me. Fourteen years later, my lesson planning still involves the question “what would Mimi say about this?” My first advice to every student transferring to UH Manoa was to take whatever Mimi was teaching.

I am shaken by her loss but heartened by how many of us that she mentored are teaching across the UH system and beyond. I know we are all still inspired by Mimi and trying to live up to the example she set. My heartfelt condolences to Herb and Alex for their loss. Mimi was one of the greats.

-Alan Boyes

Sakamaki Times

mskinner51 — 2021-10-22 23:16:29 UTC

Mimi was great. I was fortunate to be her World History TA and learned a lot about the art of teaching from her. I always enjoyed our Sakamaki conversations about school and life. Will tip a glass or two to her memory.
-Mike Skinner

R.I.P Mimi

2021-10-23 11:27:17 UTC

I was her TA for HIST 151 a few years back.
She supported us and gave us the freedom to teach in our own lab to improve our own teaching ways. In addition, she was humorous and made me ease to be familiar with my first TA experience at the department.
Thank you a lot.

Thanks, Mimi

asselin — 2021-10-25 22:46:26 UTC

You were an inspiration in so many ways, Mimi. I regret not letting you know when I had the chance. I learned much from you about being a professor, and one who cares about students. It was an honor to TA for you. Your love of the profession and your students proved infectious. Thanks for showing me how to be a humble, honest, caring, and compassionate educator. Above all, thanks for convincing me to pursue a career and remain true to myself in academia.

hattoria — 2021-10-25 23:33:02 UTC

Mimi taught me that History, just like our current lives, overflows with moments both serious and ridiculous, upsetting and entertaining, comprehensible and incomprehensible. As a new doctoral student, I had approached my History courses with all the solemnity that I could muster, viewing history as like rubbing elbows with revered ancestors. Then entered Mimi. I took a few of her courses and TA’d for her before she joined my committee. I am forever indebted to her for reminding me that our pasts include humor, sarcasm, wit, and the whole gamut of human experience. Our planet has lost a precious soul.

The passing of Mimi Henriksen

wfarris2 — 2021-10-25 23:56:30 UTC

Mimi and I were colleagues for twelve years. Her passing comes as a great shock.
Two vignettes stand out for me. During my first year at UHM, I had my final exams early and made the mistake of telling Mimi when I had finished grading. She chuckled and handed me my hat.
Then, in a Department meeting, I commented favorably about the movie "Patton." Mimi looked at me and commented wryly: "Didn't he slap a soldier?"
My condolences to Herb and family.
Wayne Farris

Brilliant and Unforgettable

camposj9 — 2021-10-26 01:41:54 UTC

I was stunned when I opened the my e-mail and saw the message about Mimi's passing. After many a tear shed, I can finally post something to celebrate a dear teacher, mentor, and friend. I entered UH-Manoa in Mimi's first semester teaching and had the fortune to take her History 151. She was engaging, brilliant, funny, and made me want to learn more. Mimi encouraged independence, creativity, and critical thinking. She also enjoyed when students thought about new things. These were some of many traits that made Mimi incredible.

I was lucky when she sat on my committee for my Ph.D. in Political Science. She tempered my craziness of writing at times and made the journey bearable. I will forever be in debt to her. During the defense, all I had to do was glance over at Mimi and knew all was good. As my own career developed, I came to understand and appreciate the enormous influence she had on my scholarship.

Mimi was, and forever will be, a towering figure in my life. My heart goes out to Herb and Alex. I hope the two of you find solace in the impact Mimi had on so many lives.

Thank you, my friend and mentor, you will be missed and forever in my thoughts.

2021-10-26 04:58:26 UTC

Mimi, we miss you! As you were never one to hide your strong and well-taken feelings about things and about others, working with you, when we were chairs together, was truly insightful and refreshing and we got a lot done. It was fun! Mimi, you were great! We think of you with such delight!
Was einer ist, was einer war
Beim Scheiden wird es offenbar.
Wir hören’s nicht, wenn Gottes Weise summt,
Wir hören’s erst wenn sie verstummt.

Michael P. Speidel

2021-10-27 16:50:44 UTC

Hearing of Dr. Henriksen’s passing comes as a great shock. It saddens me tremendously to know that she will no longer mentor students or introduce folks to new books, films, shows, and ideas. I do not have the words to describe how influential Dr. Henriksen was in my life. She was my MA advisor and sat on my PhD committee. I cherish the countless hours we spent discussing history and movies in her office in Sakamaki Hall. She guided me to crucial eureka moments in my own work and was always open to exploring even the most excessively farfetched ideas. I also TA’d for her in several world history survey courses. Those experiences were crucial to realizing so many personal and professional goals, and I am forever grateful. Because of Dr. Henriksen’s advice and support, I was able to pursue a career in education. Today, from lectures to activities to discussions to course materials, there is hardly anything that I do in the classroom that is wholly original. It is all Dr. Henriksen inspired. She was a fantastic mentor who treated students with respect and kindness. What I admired most about Dr. Henriksen, even above her humor and wit (which was legendary), was how she offered her full attention. When meeting with her, you could always count on her to truly listen and engage. Mimi, thank you for your sincerity and guidance. You will be greatly missed.
Alex Holowicki

2021-10-29 04:48:54 UTC

“I have been in Sorrow's kitchen and licked out all the pots.” Zora Neale Hurston, Dust Tracks on a Road (1942)

Like Ava DeAlmeida Law, I also first met Mimi in History 17B in 1984. “America and Its Discontents: The Response to Modernization, 1870s-1920s.” Ava and I must have been two of Mimi’s earliest groupies. A devoted teacher, mentor, and confidante, she inspired devotion in return. I also took her seminar, “Wars, Weapons, Death and Insanity,” and she was our grader for Litwack’s lecture course on African American history. The Hurston quote comes from Litwack’s class. Its imagery and poignancy struck a chord in Mimi. She thought it was so cool that she told me and Ava that she’d give full credit on a midterm ID on Hurston if we included that quote. I don’t think Mimi thought at the time that the quote fit her own experiences; it could have hardly been true later, after she found a soul-mate in Herb and became mother to Alex. Instead, the Hurston quote tapped her deeply empathetic side: the side that was a card-carrying member of the IWW during her Berkeley days; the side that always carried change in her pocket—as long as Reagan was president, she said—to give to the houseless along Telegraph asking for a bit of help. We were watching, rather helplessly, the descent down to neoliberalism. We said back then in her little apartment on Euclid Avenue that we’d support the revolution once it came.

I wondered what Mimi was thinking during the BLM uprisings, as well as what she thought about the resurgence of leftist movements that have been demanding a more humane world. When Litwack, her advisor, passed away earlier this year, I thought of reaching out, but stupidly did not. We had been out of touch since I left UH in 2004.

Once upon a time, back during the 20th C, when I needed it the most, Mimi invested a great deal of emotional energy in helping me find my way. I would not have found my career as a historian without her. I was never able to repay her, but I've tried to play it forward. Her way of caring for her students has profoundly shaped the way I try to be present for my students.

Zora Neale Hurston’s line about hitting rock bottom is followed by one that I think better describes Mimi: “Then I have stood on the peaky mountain wrapped in rainbows, with a harp and sword in my hands.”

Rest in power, Mimi. You were my first and most important mentor. I will alway be grateful for how you showed me how to study the world and see my place in it.

Naoko Shibusawa

Belief in the human spirit

2021-11-04 00:16:57 UTC

Most of my international PhD advisees became Mimi's TAs in the big (and popular) world history classes. Almost none had ever taught in the English language. Mimi shared goals for the classes and empowered them to manage their sessions. They all came out better for it, the ultimate outcome being that they became confident about themselves in a new academic environment. I am immensely grateful to Mimi for that. I will always hold onto my astonishment about Mimi's belief in the human spirit to meet challenges and solve them. I can hear Mimi telling them, "of course you got this!" A little bit of Mimi's magnanimous character lives on among them.

Passionate, Caring, Generous

adriennepulu — 2021-12-14 21:35:56 UTC

I just reached out to you today. I was your former student in the late 90s and am now a History Teacher. I was going to ask you for some resources, so I looked you up on the directory and was excited to find your name. Sadly, it was to find out of your passing. Thank you for being a passionate, caring and generous professor. I would not have made it through college without your help. I pray you were surrounded with love and peace during your final days. My sincere condolences to your ohana.

Cool and confident

2025-10-10 08:50:41 UTC

On the first day of class, you walked in. Hawaiian style, "Cruise," yet confident. What you laid out for what you were going to teach and lead us through was unbelievable. The Red Scare through Sci-Fi? Mr. Ed? Dr. Strange Love, Star Trek, Apocalypse Now? What is going on here? You taught us how history is and was reflected in medias such as movie cinema, comedies, and TV shows. Amazing. You were Avant Garde, out of the box, innovative. You inspired US and like so many under your care, I used your methodology to engage, createcritical thinking, and quality discourse in my high school US History Classes. I became a social studies teacher because of professors such as you, your husband, Dr. Zeigler, and Dr. Connors. Thank you for sharing a part of your life and gifts with all of us. You truly made college FUN and influenced so many of us.