Seattle’s Chinese Community Girls’ Drill team had its roots in the early 1950s. A group of Chinese girls at Seattle’s Garfield High School were impressed with girls’ drill teams from San Francisco and Victoria, BC. They talked with local Chinese American leader Ruby Chow about the possibility of starting one in Seattle as a way to share Chinese culture in the community. Ms. Chow convinced the Chong Wa Benevolent Society to sponsor the team. Now an independent non-profit, teamwork, leadership skills, performance, and community involvement continue to be part of the team experience.

Seattle’s Seafair summer festival featured many cultural groups in venues all over the city. This photo shows the Chinese Community Girls’ drill team at its 1952 debut as part of the annual Rainier District Powwow at Seward Park. They wore colorful headgear and long red dresses especially made for them in Hong Kong.

Caption information source: “Thrill-packed Powwow ends 1952 Seafair”, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 11, 1952, pages 1 and 23.
Caption information source: “Seattle Chinese Community Girls’ Drill Team”. From seattlechinesegirlsdrillteam.com/our-story. Retrieved March 6, 2026.