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Michael K. Woo (born October 8, 1951) is an American politician and academic who was the dean of the College of Environmental Design at
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a Public university, public Institute of Technology (United States)#Polytechnic universities, polytechnic research university in Pomona, California, United States. It is the l ...
. As a member of the
Los Angeles City Council The Los Angeles City Council is the Legislature, lawmaking body for the Government of Los Angeles, city government of Los Angeles, California, the second largest city in the United States. It has 15 members who each represent the 15 city council ...
representing
District 13 ''District B13'' ( French title ''Banlieue 13'' or ''B13''), is a 2004 French action film directed by Pierre Morel, produced by Luc Besson, and written by Besson and Bibi Naceri. It depicts parkour in several action sequences, which was complet ...
from 1985 to 1993, he was that body's first Asian American member and its youngest member upon his election, at 33.


Early life

Woo was born October 8, 1951, in
Los Angeles County, California Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...
, the son of Wilbur and Beth Woo, native Chinese. Wilbur left the family's ancestral village in the city of
Kaiping Kaiping (), postal map romanization, alternately romanization of Chinese, romanized in Cantonese as Hoiping, in local dialect as Hoihen, is a county-level city in Guangdong provinces of China, Province, China. It is located in the western secti ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
in 1940 to study at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
and had to stay in the United States during World War II, while Beth remained in China under Japanese occupation with two young daughters, Pat (later Wong) and Janice (later Chin). The family was reunited after the war, in 1946, and settled in a five-bedroom Monterey Park hillside home. Younger daughter Janice had contracted
polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...
and needed seven operations before she could walk without help. The Woos had three more children born in the United States—Michael, Elaine, a journalist on the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'',Elaine Wo
"Asian identity crisis fades to worries of everyday life"
''Los Angeles Times'', 28 April 2012
and Pamela, who had Down's syndrome. Woo went to Alhambra High School, and at the age of sixteen he attended summer classes at California State College at Los Angeles under a special program for gifted students. When he was a
senior Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to: * Senior (name), a surname ...
, his invitation on behalf of a student group to the editor of the UCLA Daily Bruin to talk at Alhambra High was vetoed by a department chairman who feared the editor "might speak on a controversial subject" that could be misunderstood outside the campus. Young Woo chose to attend the
University of California, Santa Cruz The University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz or UCSC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Cruz, California, United States. It is one of the ten campuses in the University of C ...
, he said, to get away from his family and into an unstructured environment. He graduated with honors in 1973 and earned his master's degree in
city planning Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
two years later from the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
, with a thesis on the origins of
regional government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
in the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
.Judith Michaelson, "Stevenson Ignores Foe but He's Hardly 'in a Corner,' " ''Los Angeles Times,'' April 5, 1981, page C-1
/ref>


Chinese name

Michael Woo's Chinese name is , which is rendered ''Hú Shàojī'' in the
Pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...
orthography and ''Wu4 Siu6 Gei1'' in the
Jyutping The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme, also known as Jyutping, is a romanisation system for Cantonese developed in 1993 by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK). The name ''Jyutping'' (itself the Jyutping ro ...
romanization.


Career


Early career

Wilbur and his father, David Kitman Woo, began a produce business in a spot at the Ninth Street Market vacated by a Japanese man who was interned during the Second World War. After arriving in the United States, Beth Woo became the bookkeeper for the family business. In the 1960s, Wilbur Woo and friends chartered
Cathay Bank Cathay Bank () is a Chinese American bank founded in 1962. Cathay is headquartered in Chinatown, Los Angeles, with a corporate center in nearby El Monte, California. It has branches in California, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Washington, ...
, the first bank in
Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...
. He studied
banking A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...
and later became a vice-president of the organization.Gary Libman, "Woo Family's Road to Success Long and Not Always Smooth," ''Los Angeles Times,'' August 5, 1985, page E-1
/ref>


Volunteering

As the only son in his family, Michael Woo said he was brought up "with the expectation that I would have a leadership role of my own"; he worked in summer 1970 as a volunteer in the office of Assemblyman
David Roberti David A. Roberti (born May 4, 1939) is an American politician who served as a Senator in the California legislature and as President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 1981 to 1993. He co-authored the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Cont ...
and later for Democratic Senator
William Proxmire Edward William Proxmire (November 11, 1915 – December 15, 2005) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senate, United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1957 ...
of Wisconsin and in the presidential primary campaign of New York Mayor
John V. Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, the mayor of New York City, and a candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regu ...
.


Senate staffer

Woo joined the staff of David Roberti after the latter was elected to the
California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature (the lower house being the California State Assembly). The state senate convenes, along with the state assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. ...
in 1973. He took a leave in December 1980 to run for the City Council the next year, and he moved from Alhambra to Silver Lake to do so.


Academia

Woo previously taught at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
and
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
. He was dean of the College of Environmental Design at
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a Public university, public Institute of Technology (United States)#Polytechnic universities, polytechnic research university in Pomona, California, United States. It is the l ...
, retiring in 2019.


Los Angeles City Council


Elections


1981

Woo first ran for
District 13 ''District B13'' ( French title ''Banlieue 13'' or ''B13''), is a 2004 French action film directed by Pierre Morel, produced by Luc Besson, and written by Besson and Bibi Naceri. It depicts parkour in several action sequences, which was complet ...
on the council in 1981, against incumbent
Peggy Stevenson Peggy Stevenson (January 29, 1924 – October 16, 2014) was an American politician who served on the Los Angeles City Council for the District 13 from 1975 to 1985. The wife of Robert J. Stevenson, she was elected after her husband's death in 197 ...
. The aggressive race was controversial for the supposedly racialized rhetoric used by Stevenson against Woo. Her primary campaign sent out fliers which asked Republican voters if they wanted the candidate supported by the
Mexican American Political Association The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) is an organization based in California that promotes the interests of Mexican-Americans, Mexicans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latinos, Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latino economic refugees in the U ...
and the Asian Democratic Caucus "or Councilwoman Peggy Stevenson". She denied they were meant to raise racial questions but simply to point up Woo's "ultraliberal" support. Stevenson was also endorsed by controversial police chief
Daryl Gates Daryl Francis Gates (born Darrel Francis Gates; August 30, 1926 – April 16, 2010) was an American police officer who served as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1978 to 1992. His length of tenure in this position was second only t ...
, which has been debated as being either an asset or a liability. Stevenson won the election with 20,162 votes to Woo's 13,018.


1985

The 1985 race in District 13, again between Councilwoman Peggy Stevenson and Woo, was notoriously expensive and cost a reported one million dollars. Stevenson was supported by "some of the city's most prominent political fund-raisers" and the " real estate industry," while Woo's Republican banker father provided about half of the $437,000 raised for his campaign.
Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky (born December 21, 1948) is a politician from Los Angeles County, California. He was a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from District 3, an affluent district which includes the San Fernando Valley, the Westsi ...
and Marvin Braude, Los Angeles City Councilmembers expected to endorse Stevenson, endorsed Woo. Woo was victorious in the race, with 16,417 votes to Stevenson's 12,052. The Los Angeles times credited the win to "family wealth, ethnic pride, younger voters and festering discontent with an incumbent officeholder". Stevenson blamed a "Westside political organization" headed by U.S. Representatives
Henry Waxman Henry Arnold Waxman (born September 12, 1939) is an American politician and lobbyist who was a U.S. representative from California from 1975 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His district included much of the western part of the ...
and
Howard Berman Howard Lawrence Berman (born April 15, 1941) is an American attorney and retired politician who served as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from California from 1983 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party (United St ...
for her loss.


Tenure

* Film, 1985. Woo publicly censured the MGM-UA film '' Year of the Dragon,'' a graphic movie about a crime war and violent youth gangs in New York's Chinatown. He was reported to be negotiating a public disclaimer that would be issued by the studio concerning the picture. * Sanctuary, 1986. In his first major triumph, he succeeded in maneuvering the City Council into declaring that Los Angeles would be considered a " city of sanctuary" for political refugees, but the resulting public outcry forced the council to reverse itself and repeal the entire resolution. * Light rail, 1988. Woo and Mayor Tom Bradley wrote the June referendum ballot arguments in favor of establishing a light-rail line into the San Fernando Valley. Councilman Ernani Bernardi of the Valley was opposed. * Rodney King, 1991. He was the City Council leader in a fight to oust Police Chief
Daryl Gates Daryl Francis Gates (born Darrel Francis Gates; August 30, 1926 – April 16, 2010) was an American police officer who served as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1978 to 1992. His length of tenure in this position was second only t ...
in the wake of the beating of Rodney G. King by police officers.


Later campaigns


1993 Los Angeles mayoral campaign

Woo left his council seat in 1993 to run for mayor that year against
Richard Riordan Richard Joseph Riordan (May 1, 1930 – April 19, 2023) was an American businessman, investor, military commander, philanthropist, and politician. A decorated Korean War veteran and a member of the Republican Party, Riordan served as the 39th ...
. Woo was endorsed by
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
, who was running for president at the time. Riordan garnered 54 percent of votes to Woo's 46 percent.


1994 California Secretary of State campaign

Woo ran for
California Secretary of State The secretary of state of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The Secretary of state (U.S. state government), secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's o ...
in 1994. He lost to Tony Miller.


2001 Los Angeles City Council campaign

Woo attempted a comeback to his old City Council seat in 2001, but was defeated by
Eric Garcetti Eric Michael Garcetti (born February 4, 1971) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to India, United States ambassador to India from 2023 to 2025. He was the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles f ...
by 1,000 votes, as Woo garnered 48% of the vote.Patrick McGreevey and Sue Fox, "Garcetti Defeats Woo," ''Los Angeles Times,'' June 6, 2001
/ref>


References


External links


Archinect interview with Michael Woo

Peggy Stevenson mailers from her 1981 campaign


* * ttp://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/08/518396.pdf Anti-Woo election flier by Riordan for Mayor Committee
Second anti-Woo election flier by Riordan for Mayor Committee

Streetsblog interview, May 21, 2009
With photo
Interview with Michael Woo
about the
Chinese massacre of 1871 The Los Angeles Chinese massacre of 1871 was a racial massacre targeting Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles, California, United States that occurred on October 24, 1871. Approximately 500 white and Latino Americans attacked, harassed, robbed, ...
,
KPFA KPFA (94.1 FM) is a public, listener-funded talk radio and music radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KPFA airs public news, public affairs, talk, and music programming. The station signed o ...
, Oct 27, 2021 ---- {{DEFAULTSORT:Woo, Michael 1951 births California Democrats California politicians of Chinese descent Harvard University faculty Living people Los Angeles City Council members University of California, Los Angeles alumni University of Southern California faculty California State Polytechnic University, Pomona faculty UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design alumni Candidates in the 1993 United States elections Alhambra High School (Alhambra, California) alumni