Cheryl Chow was the daughter of restaurant owner and King County Councilwoman Ruby Chow, and opera singer, US Army veteran and chef Ping Chow. 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 kids 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 partner in 2013.

This photo shows Cheryl Chow in May 1993 at a noodles-and-bowling fundraiser for her reelection campaign. Helping her is young Taylor Chow, probably a nephew.

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/