Mary Soo Hoo (1937-2005) was a Chinatown activist. When she was still in her twenties, she opened Mai Mai Coiffeurs on Tyler Street, the first hair salon in Chinatown as well as the first woman-owned one. She soon realized the need for services and became active in the business community as a founding member of the Asian American Civic Association, a member and co-moderator of the Chinatown Neighborhood Council, a founding member of the Asian Community Development Corporation and an important part of the movement to eliminate the “combat zone” near Chinatown. She helped begin Sampan, the English-Chinese newspaper. Soo Hoo received many awards for her work, including the Red Cross Clara Barton Human Service Humanity Award. This park near the Chinatown Gate was dedicated in her honor in 2005.
