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Monday, September 17, 2012

City City Council Proclaims Today Cheryl Chow Day

Posted by Cienna Madrid on Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 3:03 PM

This afternoon, the Seattle City Council declared today Cheryl Chow Day, as city officials past and present honored former council member Chow for her decades of public service—including as a city council member, School Board president, Chinese drill team coach, and girls' basketball coach.

“Everything that she was about was advancing the welfare of children,” said former School Board president Steven Sundquist, in a moving tribute compiled by the Seattle Channel.

The tribute included interviews with former colleagues and clips of a younger Chow herself, who explained that community service came naturally to her: “My parents always gave back; giving back was what community was.”

Chow with daughter Liliana and partner, Sarah Morningstar.

The Stranger
Chow receives a kiss from daughter, Liliana, with partner, Sarah Morningstar.

Council President Sally Clark then announced that today would be Cheryl Chow day, and that all Seattle citizens should strive to, "Nurture the children, pass on traditions and values" to ensuing generations.

Taking a microphone and surrounded by family, Chow then thanked the council for giving her a forum to fulfill her final act of public service: Encouraging young people to not be afraid to come out to their parents. Chow recently came out as a lesbian in the midst of her battle with brain cancer.

"Why did I come out after 66 years of being in the closet and quietly being gay?" Chow asked. "I want kids out there—Asian, white, black, Filipino, whatever—to pick up the newspaper and say to their parents: Look, you’ve been voting for Cheryl chow for years. You’ve been supporting her. And you didn’t see anything wrong with her being gay. So what’s wrong with me being gay? If I can help one child from committing suicide or feeling bad about themselves, then this is my last crusade."

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Comments (12) RSS

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Why did she get a tribute and a day proclaimed? I'm having a hard time figuring this out... Did she do something that no one else had every done? Did she do something in a particularly remarkable way?

Posted by Aaron on September 17, 2012 at 3:37 PM

Her entire life has been devoted to public service, and odds are, she's going to die of brain cancer very very soon. Just a small way of honoring a woman who has served the public earnestly.

Posted by TheVripper on September 17, 2012 at 3:48 PM

It's not a small way. It is exceptional, and inconsistent with precedent for some unstated reasons.

Posted by Aaron on September 17, 2012 at 4:12 PM

Proclamations by Mayors, Councils and County Executives are rather common, Aaron. Given that Cheryl is the only person I can think of who actually served on the Seattle City Council and Seattle School Board (and the terminal cancer thing), there simply isn't anything unusual (or undeserved) about this.

Posted by J.R. on September 17, 2012 at 4:25 PM

Did Charlie Mas picket outside?

Posted by Pol Pot

on September 17, 2012 at 4:33 PM

@3, settle down, this is fine and dandy, not inconsistent with any damn thing. Google is happy to reveal a sample of our Council's various proclamations, some sublime, others less so.

Million Mom March Day, Grassroots Day, J.P. Patches Day, Security Officer Appreciation Day, Olympic Day, David Brewster Day, Navy League Day, Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Hiroshima Day, Trudy Weckworth Day, Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Bernie Whitebear Remembrance Day, Dave Niehaus Day, "Bow Down to Washington" Husky Stadium Day, Year of the Seattle Animal Shelter, Bhopal Remembrance Day, Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Uwajimaya Day, Horizon House Week, Hunger Action Week, Judy Shephard Day

Posted by gloomy gus on September 17, 2012 at 4:41 PM

Every time, every single time, I read Cheryl Chow, I think it says Cheryl Crow.

Cheryl Crow Day.

Posted by DMElkins *registered* on September 17, 2012 at 6:07 PM

Get back to me when we declare a Greg Nickles day. Because he's dying and was at least as effective. As are we all.

I think what this is really about is her very belated coming out. Which is bullshit, to award her a day for that. At least J.P. Patches made people happy.

Posted by Aaron on September 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM

While I am sorry for her health problems and support her decision to come out, I will never forgive her for her treatment of Tom Hudson, one of the best teachers I ever had.

Posted by Umm on September 17, 2012 at 7:12 PM

Happy "Dying Lesbian" Day everyone!

Posted by Stranger'sWorstNightmare on September 17, 2012 at 7:13 PM

Aaron,

You can't even spell the mayor's name correctly, it's Greg Nickels not Greg Nickles.

You have no heart, you have no compassion.

Unlike those you malign, no one will miss your passing, you miserable excuse for a human being.

Posted by Seattle voter on September 24, 2012 at 6:58 PM