Lee grew up in Oakland Gardens, Queens. She received her B.A. from Barnard CollegeofColumbia University and her Master's of Social Work from Columbia.[2] Before running in the council elections aged 42, she had never previously sought office.[3] She campaigned for election on a platform of increasing services for senior citizens, improving the accountability of police to citizens, and workforce training to help recover the economy in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
After winning the November 2021 general election, she became the first Asian American woman to represent the district, along with a wave of previously unrepresented minorities on the City Council.[1] She succeeded fellow Democrat Barry Grodenchik; her term is intended to run for two years instead of the usual four because of planned redistricting.[5]
