Grace Lee , New York State Assembly District 65

Grace Lee is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly representing the 65th District in Lower Manhattan, including the Financial District, Chinatown, and the Lower East Side. She is the first Korean American woman elected to New York State government, serving since January 1, 2023, after winning election in November 2022.

Born in 1982 or 1983 to immigrant parents, Grace Lee is a first-generation American, community organizer, small-business owner, and mother of three young daughters living in Lower Manhattan with her husband. She founded Nine Naturals, a toxin-free skincare company for pregnant and new mothers in 2008, and has been a prominent voice against anti-Asian hate. Notable achievements include sponsoring and passing the Hate Crimes Modernization Act , leading efforts to secure over $400 million through ERAP for NYCHA developments, advocating for Lunar New Year as a statewide school holiday , introducing the STOP Act to address sexual harassment accountability, and launching a pilot program distributing Ring video doorbells to seniors. She serves as Chair of the Assembly’s Asian Pacific American Task Force and launched the first AAPI Legislative Caucus Weekend.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: B.A. from Columbia University; M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
• Professional Experience: Equities research associate at JPMorgan Chase and UBS; joined FSI Group, LLC in 2007; founded Nine Naturals in 2008.
• Political Experience: Unsuccessful candidate for the 65th District in 2020 ; elected in 2022. Co-founded Children First coalition for environmental cleanup and empowered deaf tenants for housing repairs. Recognized by City & State as a rising star in the Democratic Party.