Former NI assembly member dies
The Alliance Party has paid tribute to its “ground-breaking” former assembly member Anna Lo, who has died at the age of 74.
Ms Lo was the first ethnic-minority politician elected to Stormont, and the first person from the Chinese community to take a seat in a UK parliament.
Alliance leader Naomi Long described her as a “great friend” and paid tribute to her “dedication and passion for serving her constituents”.
She added that Ms Lo had been brave in confronting the “appalling racism” she faced during her political career.
Born in Hong Kong, Anna Lo moved to Northern Ireland in 1974.
She became the director of the Chinese Welfare Association in Belfast in 1997.
A decade later she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly, representing South Belfast for the Alliance Party.
She was re-elected in 2011 and served until her retirement in 2016.
In a statement, the Alliance Party confirmed that the 74-year-old died on Wednesday following an illness.
“Anna will forever be remembered as a ground-breaker in local politics,” said Ms Long.
“Her service to the Chinese community, to good relations and to the city of Belfast, much of which went unseen by most, was transformational,” she said.
She added that her friend had “a number of causes close to her heart, including protection of the environment and human rights, and was a strong voice on women’s rights and equality”.
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