She was raised initially in the suburb of Firhouse, South Dublin, where up to 9 members of the extended family shared a 3-bedroom house, and, from age 6, lived in Celbridge, County Kildare.

[27][25] During a parliamentary party meeting on 24 March, a motion of no confidence was tabled against Chu by senators Pippa Hackett, Pauline O'Reilly and Róisín Garvey.

[30] Chu ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 Seanad by-election, receiving 13.2% of the first preference votes, and was commended by the party for "championing climate action and inclusion".

[36] Chu has stated she is in favour of increasing diversity in Irish politics, emphasising the importance of representation to normalise public office for people of colour.

She has acknowledged the abuse faced by herself and others, such as Yemi Adenuga and Uruemu Adejinmi, and stressed the need for political parties to actively recruit candidates from diverse backgrounds.

While highlighting the strength of allyship, she has criticised the slow pace of change and called for systemic action, urging all parties to reject discriminatory behaviour and prioritise inclusion.

She has described the Green Party as a broad church but noted tensions between its activist roots and the compromises of coalition government, which have caused friction among members.

Chu has stated that these compromises, such as policy shifts on issues like CETA, have alienated some supporters who initially joined the party for its progressive social agenda.

[37] Chu has supported ending the Direct Provision system, describing it as a societal stain akin to the Magdalene Laundries and the Mother and Baby Homes.

She has highlighted the damaging effects of Direct Provision on children and adults alike, calling for its complete abolition and expressing confidence in the efforts of Minister Roderic O'Gorman and his team to deliver on this goal.

She has also criticised Dublin’s urban planning, advocating for increased residential zoning in the city centre and the repurposing of empty student accommodation to address homelessness.

Justin Barrett, leader of the far-right fringe group the National Party, publicly indicated that if he ever got into power, he would attempt to strip Chu of her citizenship, despite her Irish birth.

[5][9][40][41] In January 2021 Chu described having been racially abused by a group of far-right protestors who had gathered outside the Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor.