Iwen Chu: ‘I didn’t just start two years ago, I started 20 years ago.’

State Sen. Iwen Chu was defeated by Republican Steve Chan by about 10 percentage points in the increasingly Republican 17th state Senate District. Chu was the first Asian American woman to serve in the state Senate and was first person to represent the newly redrawn and predominantly Asian American district in southern Brooklyn.

Chu’s time in office came to an end in part because of community anger over a planned homeless shelter in Bensonhurst. Chan has been a vocal advocate against the shelter construction. 

City & State spoke with Chu to reflect on her time in the state Senate and what she hopes to do in the future. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s your biggest takeaway from serving in the State Senate?

As the first Asian woman to serve (in the) New York state Senate, 247 years, even though I’m the first one but I know I’m not the last one. I knew my mission, so I really used the time in the office to represent not just my district, southern Brooklyn over here, or (the) AAPI community, and also, as a woman political leader, I’m trying to project a lot of inspiration to the younger generation through my work. So I’m just going to count things I remember I took the lead (on). Last year, my first year, I took the lead, and this year too, we fought for $30 million for the AAPI equity fund. We all know (the) New York statewide AAPI community and organization, they are historically underfunded. They never had the attention. They were never getting support on government resources when the AAPI community is the fastest growing ethnic group population in (the) whole New York state. There’s a lot of issues we need to tackle, which we need local partners to join the government, to uplift, to represent people’s voices, to find solutions, so that’s one thing I’m very proud of. And the second thing is my local district. I’m a very pro-education person, because I came in, actually I have a sociology background in my education history. I really look at a society in formula, how I can project better outcomes, that’s how my logic works. So when I look at issues, I’m trying to find a factor to change it, then I will project a formula, then I have a better solution, and for me to see how New York state (can) be a better society for (the) next generation, education is the only solution. That’s why I'm very proud I secured almost $6 million to allocate for my 23 local schools in my district, which I used to serve (in a) volunteer capacity as a parent advocate. I know the school needs a lot of support, they need a lot of help. I am trying to work with the schools and work with the local superintendent, and try to secure more funding for them to address the needs, and I‘m proud I was able to do it within two years and then go to my constituent services. (In) my office, we speak 13 different languages (across) all my staff because I myself as an immigrant, I know when I represent this largely immigrant community, no matter what language you speak, I want you to be very comfortable coming to my office (and) speak the language that you prefer. Then we will do the translation, we will tackle down the issue, we will navigate the agency to resolve your issues and that’s why we were able to handle tens of thousands constituent cases.

One of the biggest controversies during your reelection campaign was the planned construction of the Bensonhurst homeless shelter. What is your stance on the planned construction?

I think it’s first a city issue. And what I did and what I do is to represent people’s voices. So what I did was I put out a request (for) a meeting between the city administration and the community members. We were asking for a community hearing, a presentation. People’s voices need to be heard instead of asking and yelling and shouting on the street protests every day when the city didn’t see us, didn’t hear us. We need to conduct a dialogue, two-way conversation, and that was what I did to request this community meeting, which we had and the city administration said during the meeting, that was the first time they finally heard (why) the community doesn’t want this. And I can only say how my approach is to make sure I amplify peoples’ voices and we can build a two-way  dialogue, because that’s the only way to actually make sure people’s voices (are) being heard, they are considered, being addressed on the city level, and to find a solution actually for the people how they want to see this shelter issue being resolved. They were hopeless standing on the street protests (for) over 100 days. As a political leader, for me, that is very irresponsible. We are people’s voices. We as political leaders, we have the office and platform and we’re in the system. We need to build those conversations with the city administration, however they can, they should do that, and my opponent campaigned on this issue and became the center of this issue, but I haven’t heard anything productive other than shouting on the street to have a solution for the people. I don’t know why he’s writing an open letter. That’s why on a local level, he had an interview after the election, (and) one of the Chinese media asked him what he intended to do, that he would write it to the mayor. I’m like, if you want to campaign on this issue, please deliver, make sure people’s voices (are) being heard, because for me, (the) shelter issue is not a campaign topic. It’s a policy on the city level, they need to address those homeless populations.

What do you make of your departure during a tumultuous time in New York City politics?

It’s hard to say “depart.” I still feel I have the social responsibility, I have the knowledge, I have the experience. I have the background serving the people 20 years in (the) southern Brooklyn community. I didn’t just start two years ago, I started 20 years ago. That’s why I still feel I have a social responsibility to pass on my knowledge, my background, my experience. I need to continue engaging with the community, with the younger generation, with the AAPI population; they should still benefit from this, not serving in the office does not end the civic engagement. I still hold some value to pass to (the) younger generation, to the AAPI community, to southern Brooklyn community, or beyond this, for a lot of engagement, education, how your government can work for you, how a government can change policy if we know where to go, how to tackle the issues, like the school lunch issues. I was able to hold the city accountable and change the lunch menu; that brings hope to the next generation. They sent me a text message of a photo; I will do my job to amplify and make sure the city’s system changes for them. That was the interaction here, so when I’m trying to figure out what’s next, I still hold that social responsibility. I have this background knowledge experience, it’s something I would like to still pass on to someone. As I say, I’m the first generation. I’m the first Asian woman guide like this, but I’m not going to be the last one. No, the story doesn’t end here. I will try to identify, I will try to raise, I will try to educate.

Do you hope to run for office again?

I don’t have that answer yet. Running for office requires a lot of commitment, which I really enjoy the impact and changes as an official (that I) brought to the society, brought to the AAPI community, brought to southern Brooklyn, brought to immigrant communities. I enjoyed that, but also I lost a lot of family priorities because I prioritize differently. I put the community first. I put my work first. My family sacrificed a lot. I don’t have an answer for that question yet because two or three years ago, when I put my name down to consider to run, the first person I consulted is my family, my husband, my daughter. I need to consult with them if I will consider again; it’s not just a me question, it’s a family decision.