2023 Chicago Runoff Election Voter Guide

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

Born and raised in Chicago’s Chinatown community, I’m a proud product of Chicago Public Schools and equally proud that my two sons are following in my footsteps as both are now attending my alma mater, Whitney Young. I’m raising a fourth generation of Lees in the building that my grandparents bought, where my parents first lived when they got married. I’m passionate about serving the people of the community that made me who I am and I’m prepared to keep my sleeves rolled up to fight for safer neighborhoods, better schools, and strong communities in the 11th Ward.

I’m running to continue serving as the alderman of the 11th Ward because there is still so much to do. I’ve brought a fresh perspective to the office and have shown residents the kind of alderman I am and will continue to be if elected – one that is committed to transparency, open communication and community engagement.

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

First and foremost, my office is transparent. I have a community meeting for every zoning change request that comes through the office, and I work with my constituents and owners to find a solution that is agreeable to the majority. I take great pride in the weekly newsletter we publish to constituents - it’s full of information about things happening in the ward, citywide programs, and filming notices, among other useful information. After City Council meetings, I provide a summary of my rationale for every major vote because it is important to me that I explain my votes to those I represent. I recently started quarterly meetings throughout the ward to update residents on public safety, large projects happening in the community, and how funds allotted to the ward are being spent. Second, my office is succeeding with our community engagement. The 11th Ward is diverse, and to this end, I have purposely hired culturally competent staff who can speak Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish because everyone should be able to communicate with their alderman.

During my first months in office I had to learn what the job of an alderman is, and I focused on making our office open and accessible to all residents. Moving forward, I would like to start introducing legislation that helps all Chicagoans because I know we can make real progress towards making Chicago better for everyone.

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

Public safety remains the number one issue in my ward and across the city. I am committed to ensuring officers in our districts have the resources, training and equipment they need to safely protect our community. It means taking on gangs that have been terrorizing our neighbors for too long–and it also means continuing the hard work that our officers do everyday to get illegal guns off our streets. CPD has made great progress on both of these fronts in unimaginable circumstances, but there is more work to do. Finally, we must address root causes of violence by investing in historically neglected communities and by generating jobs and economic opportunity in areas where options have been limited for too long.

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?

During my time as alderman, I have worked to ensure constituents have access to a transparent, accessible ward office. We have extended hours so constituents can reach us on certain evenings and weekends. I believe open lines of communication are the best way to ensure we are engaged with constituents and able to help. Our team is culturally competent, with staff who speak Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish to help all residents make their voices heard. I’ve made it my mission to broaden the umbrella and welcome more opinions, voices, and individuals into ward discussions and I will continue that important work if elected.

Do you believe in the tradition of aldermanic prerogative, which gives each City Council member the final say on issues in their ward?

Aldermanic prerogative is a double-edged sword. Past actions have made it an unsavory tool. However, removing aldermanic prerogative does not eliminate that power. It just shifts it out of the ward and to the hands of the corresponding department and its commissioner. I believe aldermanic prerogative is a tradition worth keeping, but there needs to be mechanisms of accountability to prevent the abuse of this power.

Should the $1.9 billion budget for the Chicago Police Department increase, stay the same or decrease?

Crime is a major problem in our city, and the police are an important part of the solution. However, we must also fund methods that are proven to reduce crime, including violence interrupters, after school programming, and workforce development. At this time, we do not have the luxury to decrease the police budget, but I believe any additional funding should go to programs and services that are crime deterrents. We need to include more proactive solutions and stop thinking that the only answer to crime is being reactive.

Should the city raise the Real Estate Transfer Tax on properties sold for more than $1 million to fund programs to help unhoused Chicagoans?

I’m not in favor of a blanket increase for all properties. Throughout Chicago, there are many homeowners who bought property in areas well before the neighborhoods became desirable. The story of homes being passed on from parents to children is not unique to the 11th Ward; it happens everywhere. I could not support an increase that does not take into consideration all of the families who made their neighborhoods what they are today.

Should the city open and operate mental health clinics to provide free care to Chicagoans?

I have seen first hand the need for additional mental health resources for some of our most vulnerable residents, and I believe there is more we could be doing with helping those struggling with mental health in our city. I am open to all discussions on how we can achieve better mental health services for our residents, including the city opening and operating mental health clinics to provide free care for Chicagoans. My biggest concern with owning and operating clinics is the availability of qualified clinicians to staff any new facilities given the scarcity of providers that already exists.

How should Chicago build the 120,000 homes it needs for low- and moderate-income Chicagoans?

I favor a mixed-income model. We have seen how segregation has decreased investment in low-income neighborhoods. There are whole swaths of land in Chicago that do not have the services necessary to help a community thrive. Having to travel outside of your community to purchase groceries, go to a laundromat, or even take your family out to dinner, not only increases the price of those services, but also increases the opportunity costs.

Funding can be achieved through public-private partnerships. We have already partnered to build a 100-unit building with 100% of the units affordable to families making 80% of the area median income. The City can continue using Tax Increment Finance(TIF)-funding and increase the amount the Chicago Housing Authority spends on new housing.

What do you see as potential solutions to address the number of shootings in Chicago?

The number one thing we can do to limit the number of shootings in Chicago is get guns off of our streets. This includes stopping the flow of illegal guns that come in from surrounding states and getting weapons of war that are designed to kill as many people as possible as quickly as possible out of our neighborhoods. We also need to invest in violence prevention methods that prevent people from turning to crime in the first place, including workforce development and after school programming.

Should a new high school be built at 24th and State streets, on land owned by the Chicago Housing Authority?

Yes it should. For decades, our communities have called for a new high school on the near south side and we are closer than ever before to making that a reality. This school would allow students and families from throughout the greater near south communities to have a neighborhood school that they can call their own. It would also serve a very diverse population of children from racial, ethnic, demographic and economic backgrounds including African-American, Latino, Caucasian and Asian American students. The proposed site at 24th and State is centrally located, and is the right option for our neighborhoods. For some, the location raised questions about the Chicago Housing Authority’s commitments to public and affordable housing in connection with the site. These remain intact, and as alderman, I am prepared to hold CHA accountable to ensure they come through on those commitments in full.

What steps should the city take to help Chinatown continue to grow?

Chicago’s Chinatown is the only one in the United States that has continued growing, and the City is taking positive steps to continue that growth, including by choosing the near south side to open a new high school. Good schools are a pillar of any community and if families don’t have viable options at both the elementary and high school levels in our community, they will move to neighborhoods that do offer good public schools. Affordable housing is also a challenge in Chinatown given the limited amount of open land that must be addressed to help our neighborhoods continue to thrive.