Chiu, May
May Chiu was born in Hong Kong in 1965 and immigrated to Canada when she was 6 years old. Her family settled in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where they ran a restaurant. In her youth, May coped with violence in her home life in addition to the usual challenges of settlement and integration. During university, she started working a front-line job at Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal, a job she returned to on her breaks from school before ultimately becoming Executive Director. In this role, she helped many Chinese women access social services, including those who immigrated before 1967. Throughout her career, May has used her position as an attorney and community activist to champion issues of concern to Chinese Canadians, such as head-tax redress. During the 2006 federal election, she gained national attention for running in the LaSalle-émard riding as a Bloc Québécois candidate against the Liberal incumbent, Prime Minister Paul Martin.
‘My mom, I remember her taking us to Zellers and making us bargain with the cashier like she used to do at the markets in Hong Kong.’
May Chiu describes acting as a translator for her parents during childhood. She highlights the frustration caused by the cultural and generational gaps between the children and the adults in the family.
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