HONORING MARY CHAN SEID

On 2026-08-03, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING MARY CHAN SEID" in the House.

HONORING MARY CHAN SEID

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 126 (Monday, August 3, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 126 (Monday, August 3, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E768] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING MARY CHAN SEID ______ HON. ZOE LOFGREN of california in the house of representatives Monday, August 3, 2026 Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Mary Chan Seid, who devoted her life to advancing justice and equality in the Bay Area and beyond. Mary was born in Walnut Grove, California, on September 3, 1936, to What Lum Chan and Anna Louie. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work. Together with her husband of 67 years, Allan Seid, Mary helped found Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), a non-profit group which has worked for decades to serve the health and well-being of marginalized Asian American communities. She served AACI in multiple leadership roles, and in 1981, Mary and Allan formed a statewide group, Asian Pacific American Advocates of California. This organization expanded nationwide in 1986 to become Asian Pacific American Advocates, USA--National Alliance with representatives in 34 states. Mrs. Seid also played a key role in removing racial and gender bias from California public school textbooks and taught Asian American studies at local universities. In addition, Mary led efforts in 1990 to establish a safe house for women and children fleeing abuse and was a founding member of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Commission in 1993. Mrs. Seid's advocacy earned numerous honors, including Santa Clara County Woman of the Year, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Avenidas, and the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce's Tall Tree Award for Outstanding Citizen Volunteer. Mary and Allan had three children, Arline, Marcine, and Marc, and nine grandchildren. I have known Mary and Allan since 1980, and I will greatly miss her joy, her humor, and her compassion. Mary's love for her neighbors will always be remembered, and her impact will live on in the communities she dedicated her life to serving. ____________________