Cheryl Chow

Cheryl Chow
Cheryl Chow, 1997
Member of the Seattle City Council from Position 8
In office January 1, 1990 – January 1, 1998
Preceded by	Jeanette Williams
Succeeded by	Richard McIver
Personal details
Born	Cheryl Mayre Chow (1946-05-24)May 24, 1946 Seattle, Washington
Died	March 29, 2013(2013-03-29) (aged 66) Seattle, Washington
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Sarah Morningstar (m. March 16, 2013)
Relations	Ruby Chow (Mother) Edward Shui "Ping" Chow (Father)
Children	Liliana Morningstar-Chow
Alma mater	Western Washington University (BA)

Cheryl Chow (May 24, 1946 – March 29, 2013) was an American educator and politician. She was a Seattle City Council member from 1990 to 1997.

Chow was born in Seattle, Washington, on May 24, 1946.^[1] Chow's father was Edward Shui "Ping" Chow, a Cantonese opera singer who received U.S. Citizenship after he was discharged from the United States Army, and her mother was Ruby Chow, who served as a King County Councilwoman, the first Asian American elected to that council.^[2] Her parents also owned Ruby Chow's restaurant, where Bruce Lee once worked.^[3] Chow's maternal grandparents were Chinese immigrants who had come to the United States to work on the railroad lines.^[3]

Chow graduated from Franklin High School and then attended Western Washington University.^[4]

After college, Chow worked as a physical education teacher at Hamilton International Middle School, a public school in the Seattle School District.^[4]

Chow also coached girls' basketball for the city parks and recreation department and became an instructor for the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team, which was started by her mother.^[4][5] Chow coached the drill team for almost 50 years.^[6] She coached basketball for the Seattle Chinese Athletic Association for around 30 years.^[7]

In 1975, Chow became Principal at Sharples Junior High School (now Aki Kurose Middle School Academy).^[4][8][9] Chow became assistant principal of Garfield High School in 1981, and in 1982 she served as principal of Madison Junior High.^[9]

In 1985, Chow ran for the King County Council for the seat her mother was retiring from, ultimately losing the election.^[10] Before running for Seattle City Council, she worked at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.^[10] Between 1983 and 1989 she served as the administrative supervisor for middle schools, Area Director, and Director II.^[9]

In 1989, Chow ran for Seattle City Council against longtime incumbent Jeanette Williams.^[11] In the November general election Chow narrowly defeated Williams, 50% to 49%.^[12] She ran for reelection in 1993, winning in a landslide with 74% of the vote.^[12]

In her first term, Chow chaired the Parks and Public Grounds Committee, and in her second term, she chaired the Health, Housing, Human Services, Education and Libraries Committee.^[11] On the latter committee she helped create the Urban Rest Stop to provide services to unsheltered people in Downtown Seattle.^[13] During her time on council, she helped form the Families and Education Levy, which funded after school programs, and helped build five community centers in the city.^[5][14] Chow stated her greatest achievements was getting the late night recreation centers and pulling together Asian gang leaders.^[5] In 1996, Chow worked as interim principal at West Seattle’s Madison Middle School while on the council, which received some criticism from community members.^[14]

She decided not to run for reelection to her council seat in 1997 and instead ran for Seattle mayor.^[11] In the September primary election, Chow failed to advance past the primary.^[15]

In 1999, Chow ran for Seattle City Council in Position 1 after council member Sue Donaldson decided not to run for office.^[16] In the August primary, Chow came in second and advanced to the general election with political newcomer, Judy Nicastro coming in first.^[17] Chow outraised Nicastro by over $12,000 due to her support from landlords and business leaders.^[18] Chow and her supporters labeled Nicastro as a "radical leftist," and Nicastro and her supporters labeled Chow "mediocre."^[19]

Chow would narrowly lose the November General Election to Nicastro, 49.51% to 50.49%.^[20]

After leaving the city council, Chow became an interim Principal at her alma mater, Franklin High School, and then at Garfield High School.^[8][11] In 2005, Chow was elected to the Seattle School Board.^[8] Chow served on the School Board until 2009 and served as Board President during her tenure.^[10][21] She also worked for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington as their Director of Outreach.^[22]

Chow was inducted into Franklin High School's hall of fame in 1992. She had graduated from the school and served there as principal.^[23] In 2012, the City of Seattle declared September 17 "Cheryl Chow Day", and in 2013, the Seattle Organization of Chinese Americans gave her the Golden Circle Award.^[22]

In 2015, the Low Income Housing Institute opened the Cheryl Chow Court Apartments in Ballard, offering 50 reduced-rent apartments to senior citizens, many of whom had previously been unsheltered.^[13]

In 2024, the Seattle City Council named Cheryl Chow Boulevard after Chow, placing a street sign next to Franklin High School, at South Mount Baker Boulevard and 31st Avenue South.^[6]

In 2025, the city opened Cheryl Chow Park at South Charlestown Street and 35th Avenue South in Rainier Valley.^[7]

Chow came out as a lesbian in August 2012.^[24] On March 16, 2013, less than two weeks before her death, Chow married her partner of ten years, Sarah Morningstar.^[8] Together, they have a daughter, Liliana Morningstar-Chow.^[8] Chow and Morningstar began running marathons as a hobby because the training allowed them to be together in public.^[24]

Cheryl Chow died on March 29, 2013 of central nervous system lymphoma at age 66, in Seattle.^[1]

• Seattle Voices 2007 interview with Cheryl Chow