By Jason Cruz
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Hong Chhuor. Courtesy of Hong Chhuor.
Hong Chhuor loves his mother.
It was one of the reasons why he decided to seek the open District 2 seat on the Seattle City Council. Alongside Edward Lin, Chhuor is one of the two Asian American candidates for the open seat, which represents the Chinatown International District (CID), Downtown Seattle, and much of South Seattle.
“I think about folks like my mom,” Chhuor said in a recent telephone interview. “She poured so much into our family business.”
Chhuor and his family run King Donuts in the Rainier Valley, a staple business in the area for many years. A Chinese Cambodian American born into civil war in his country, Chhuor moved with his family to the United States, when he was a young boy. Chhuor earned an undergraduate degree in History and Business Economics at Seattle University.
Chhuor’s family bought King Donuts in 2017, and have since poured time, money, and energy into the business. Over the years, they have dealt with vandalism, break-ins, and the pandemic, which forced many businesses to close.
Like most small business owners, Chhuor and his family navigated ways to deal with rising costs, but with an eye towards fairness for their small band of loyal employees.
“She doesn’t feel that anyone in the city is batting for her,” he remarked of his mother. “There are so many people in the city that are like her. They work hard and wonder who is thinking about them, who is listening to them.”
Chhuor spoke with his family before he decided to apply for the open seat. He also spoke with leaders in the community, including a former city council member, who advised him to think about how his actions may impact his family or business. Thrust into the spotlight of public scrutiny might mean opponents, media, or anyone could attack him.
“When deciding, I spoke about those things with my family and loved ones, and thought about how it might impact the family business,” Chhuor said. “But I was really lucky that my family members supported me, no matter what.”
He was also advised to focus on his “why”—as in, why is he putting himself in this position—to be put under a microscope by the media, the community, and other council members.
On Tuesday night, as he spoke at the public forum for candidates for the open District 2 seat, he looked out at the audience and found his mother—one of his major “whys” as to his decision to embark on this path to public office.
Although he has not worked in politics, Chhuor has spent time on the Capitol Hill Community Council, which addresses various neighborhood issues, including traffic, parking crime and Sound Transit’s hotly-contested plans to build a station in the Chinatown-International District (CID).
Recalling his experience when small businesses on Capitol Hill were shuttered due to the expansion, Chhuor hopes to facilitate dialogue with Sound Transit and stakeholders in the CID, particularly Little Saigon, to mitigate impact on businesses and residents of the area as Sound Transit builds an extension of the light rail through the neighborhood.
One of Chhuor’s main objectives is to advance public safety.
Chhuor recalls a recent trip to Little Saigon with his mother for groceries to prepare for Tèt, the Vietnamese New Year. He said he was disturbed, when he saw the area, which should have been filled with enjoyment and decorations for the upcoming celebration. Instead, he said, it was replete with trash, human waste, and homelessness.
“I had to guide her to avoid the blockade of human bodies and avoid stepping into urine and feces.” He was “saddened” and felt it “heartbreaking” to see the area in such shape. He also thought of the residents of the CID and Little Saigon who have to navigate the situation on a daily basis.
“I want people to feel safe,” Chhuor said. “If we fear for our safety and our property, we cannot pursue economic opportunities and thrive as a city.”
He stressed the need for economic vitality in the city and areas like the CID.
“I think if we continue this track of squeezing [out] small business, we will lose our identity,” he said, adding that, “[w]hoever comes into this role will have to hold the [CID] and Little Saigon close to their hearts.”
Another issue he champions is addressing affordable housing and homelessness.
Chhuor worked at Plymouth Housing, a local nonprofit with a mission to eliminate homelessness. There, he saw the reality of how complicated it is to house people.
“It should not be controversial to give people a home,” he said.
Chhuor has worked for various nonprofits throughout his career and is currently Chief Development and Communications officer for Friends of the Children.
The Seattle City Council will appoint the District 2 open seat at a special meeting on Jan. 27, 2025.
Jason can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.