MOCA x New York Archives Magazine: A Conversation with Virginia Kee and May Ying Chen
May 8, 2025, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and New York Archives Magazine invite you to a special conversation honoring two trailblazing Chinese American women Virginia Kee and May Ying Chen. This inspiring dialogue will highlight their groundbreaking contributions from advancing education and social services in Chinatown to championing immigrant rights across New York City. Kee and Chen will reflect on decades of civic engagement and activism, and explore the vital role of personal archives in preserving community history.
Virginia Kee’s story is featured in the Spring issue of New York Archives Magazine in the article Chinese American Women Pioneers: Theodora Chan Wang and Virginia Kee. All attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the magazine.
Following the conversation, Yue Ma, MOCA’s Director of Collections and Research, will lead a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum’s archives. A recording of the program will be made available for on-demand viewing one week after the event.
About Virginia Kee
Virginia Kee has been a longtime teacher at Junior High School 65 and co-founded the Chinatown Planning Council (CPC) with other Chinese American professionals in 1965 to provide much needed programs and resources for Chinese immigrant youth and families. Today, CPC has grown to become one of the city’s and nation’s largest Asian American social service organizations. Kee has also been a trailblazer in Chinatown and New York Democratic politics, founding the United Democratic Organization to register and mobilize Chinese American voters and becoming one of the first Chinese Americans in New York to achieve elected office. In 1974, Kee was appointed to Manhattan Community Board 3. In 1976, she was elected as delegate to the Democratic First Judicial District Convention, and in 1978, she was elected to the New York Democratic State Committee. In 1985, she made a historic run for New York City Council. Though she lost, her campaign helped platform Chinatown and Chinese American issues, and her pathbreaking example and advocacy has continued to inspire later generations of Asian Americans in politics.
About May Ying Chen
May Ying Chen devoted a long career to NYC’s garment workers. Until her retirement in 2009, she was Manager of Local 23-25 Workers United (formerly ILGWU) and Vice President of the International Union–working on union contracts, worker benefits, worker education programs and political action campaigns. She has lived in Manhattan’s Lower East Side with her family since 1980. As a retiree, she continues to support projects related to organizing and educating workers with CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, LaborArts, Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, Tenement Museum, Museum of Chinese in America, and The W.O.W. (Wing on Wo) Project.
About New York Archives
New York Archives is a quarterly educational publication that shares compelling stories drawn from historical records from the State Archives and other organizations across the state that hold historical records. The magazine is produced by New York Archives Partnership Trust and funded through subscription support, grants, and donors. Each issue features engaging articles on New York’s rich and diverse history, from lesser-known stories to new perspectives on familiar events. Whether you’re a historian, educator, student, or just someone who loves learning about the past, our magazine offers something for everyone. Subscribe to read more compelling stories of New York!