Cheryl Chow (1946-2013) was a Seattle educator, politician, and advocate for children. Chow was the daughter of Ruby Chow, a restaurant owner and King County Councilwoman, and Ping Chow, an opera singer, US Army veteran, and chef. Born in Seattle, Cheryl Chow attended Franklin High School and Western Washington University. Early in her career, she taught physical education at Hamilton International Middle School, was principal of Sharples Junior High School (now Aki Kurose Middle School), coached girls’ basketball, and was an instructor of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team. From 1990-1997, Cheryl Chow served on the Seattle City Council. During her two terms, she helped form the Families and Education Levy, and created outreach programs for youth involved in Asian street gangs. After 1997, Chow served as principal of Franklin High School and Garfield High School, and later served on the Seattle School Board. Cheryl Chow came out as gay in August 2012, and married her longtime partner shortly before her death in 2013.

This image shows Cheryl Chow being sworn in for her first term as a Seattle City Councilmember by her mother Ruby (right), a former King County Councilmember. Cheryl’s nephews Kyle and Michael Chow, at center, joined their aunt in raising their hands for the oath.

Caption information source: Cheryl Chow dies: City Council member, educator, advocate for children, Seattle Times, March 29, 2013. Retrieved at https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/cheryl-chow-dies-city-council-member-educator-advocate-for-children/
Caption information source: All in the family, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 5, 1990, page B1.