{"id":11160,"date":"2011-11-11T18:11:33","date_gmt":"2011-11-11T18:11:33","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-11-11T18:11:33","modified_gmt":"2011-11-11T18:11:33","slug":"High-hopes-for-first-Chinese-American-mayor-in-SF","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=11160","title":{"rendered":"High hopes for first Chinese-American mayor in SF"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though Asians comprise a third of the city’s population, they have traditionally been underrepresented in politics and economics. Beyond the kitsch and chaos of touristy Chinatown, look deeper down the alleys of one of the nation’s mostly densely populated neighborhoods and you’ll find tenement housing, elderly poor and struggling family businesses.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lee<\/strong>, who as interim mayor closed a $380 million deficit to balance the city budget this year, pledged during his campaign to invest $5 million in the coming year to help small businesses like those scattered across Chinatown and other distressed neighborhoods. He’s also vowed to keep on track the first subway line through the heart of congested Chinatown.<\/p>\n

Sandy Tan, owner of An An Hair Salon on Stockton Street, is one of those counting on Lee to keep his promises.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We think he’s the one to revitalize the entire city,” she said. “Business is very slow; we are putting all our hopes on him.”<\/p>\n

She was thrilled when Lee ducked into her beauty salon to wave at astonished women in their curlers and concoctions.<\/strong> “We’re so very proud,” said Tan. “It’s like he’s part of the family; one of our own.”<\/p>\n

Lee is part of the family. <\/strong>He is a member of the politically powerful Lee Family Association, the largest benevolent society in Chinatown, established in the mid-1800s to help other immigrant Lees from China’s southern Guangdong province.<\/p>\n

And that family helped to seal Lee’s victory with high voter turnout last Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lee, 59, came from humble beginnings.<\/strong> Both parents emigrated from southern China; his father was a cook and restaurant manager and his mother a waitress and seamstress. A law graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, he went to work for the San Francisco Asian Law Caucus to advocate for affordable housing and immigrant and tenant rights.<\/p>\n

He would then go to City Hall, working for four mayors for 22 years.<\/strong> He was the city administrator when appointed interim mayor in January when then-Mayor Gavin Newsom became California’s lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n

He has ambitious plans to invest $9 billion over 10 years to improve infrastructure and create thousands of jobs and to attract more new media and clean energy jobs to an innovation corridor.<\/p>\n

Gloria Chan, president and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, notes that Lee’s election is incentive for civic-minded Asians nationwide.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Source Associated Press<\/em>
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