Margaret Chin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margaret S. Chin
陳倩雯
Chin in 2011
Member of the New York City Council from the 1st district
In office January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2021
Preceded by	Alan Gerson
Succeeded by	Christopher Marte
Personal details
Born	(1953-05-26) May 26, 1953 (age 72) British Hong Kong
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Alan Tung
Children	1
Alma mater	Bronx High School of Science City College of New York
Website	Official website: http://council.nyc.gov/d1/html/members/home.shtml
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	陳倩雯
Simplified Chinese	陈倩雯
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Chén Qiànwén Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Chan4 Sin6-man4 other Yue Taishanese Chin3 Sen5-moon4

Margaret S. Chin (born May 26, 1953) is a Chinese American politician. She served as a council member for the 1st district of the New York City Council. She held this important role from 2010 to 2021. As a member of the Democratic Party, she worked alongside Queens Council member Peter Koo. Together, they represented the Asian American community in the city council.

Her district covered many well-known areas in New York City. These included Battery Park City, Chinatown, East Village, Financial District, Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, and Tribeca. It also included famous landmarks like Ellis Island and Governors Island.

Margaret Chin's Early Life and Education

Margaret Chin was born on May 26, 1953, in British Hong Kong. She was the third of five children and the only daughter in her family. In 1963, when she was 10 years old, she moved to the United States. Her father had arrived earlier and worked as a waiter in the Bronx. His experiences as an undocumented worker later inspired Margaret to support immigration reform.

Margaret grew up in Chinatown, New York City. She attended the Bronx High School of Science, a very selective school. Later, she graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in education. Before entering politics, she worked for 14 years at LaGuardia Community College. There, she helped adults continue their education.

Community Work and Advocacy

Margaret Chin has always been involved in helping her community. In 1974, she helped start Asian Americans for Equality. This group works to empower Asian Americans and others in need. She was the president of its board from 1982 to 1986.

She also led the New York Immigration Coalition. This group focuses on issues important to immigrants and refugees. Margaret was also on the board of the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development. This non-profit organization works to create affordable housing.

In 2006, she helped create the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation. This group was formed to help rebuild Chinatown after the September 11 attacks. Its goal was to keep the neighborhood's unique culture alive and strong.

Margaret Chin also served on local community boards. She was a member of Manhattan Community Board 1 and Manhattan Community Board 3. From 1986 to 1990, she was elected to the New York State Democratic Committee.

She has shared that her background helped her connect with voters. Many new immigrants and seniors in her district did not speak English. They appreciated being able to speak directly with her without needing an interpreter.

Margaret Chin's Time in the New York City Council

Margaret Chin ran for the City Council District 1 seat several times before winning. She ran in the Democratic Party primary elections in 1991, 1993, and 2001, but did not win those races.

Winning the Election

In 2009, she ran again for the District 1 seat. She won the Democratic nomination with 39% of the votes. This meant she beat the current council member, Alan Gerson. Margaret Chin's campaign focused on important issues. These included affordable housing, improving city services, and helping senior citizens. She also supported immigration reform.

On November 3, 2009, she won the general election by a large margin. She received 86% of the votes against her Republican opponent.

Re-election Campaigns

In 2013, Margaret Chin ran for re-election. She received support from various groups, including the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York. She faced a strong challenge from Jenifer Rajkumar in the Democratic primary. However, Margaret Chin won the primary with 58.5% of the votes.

She was able to run for a third term because of a law passed in 2008. In 2017, she ran for re-election again. She won her primary with 46% of the votes against her main challenger, Christopher Marte. Marte ran against her again in the general election. Margaret Chin won the general election with 49.9% of the votes.

Personal Life

Margaret Chin is married to Alan Tung, who is a public school teacher. She has since retired and moved to San Diego, California. Their son, Kevin, also graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. He studied at Syracuse University and is now studying photography in Santa Barbara, California.