NAAAP Expresses Condolences at Passing of Mayor Ed Lee
First Asian-American To Hold SF Mayor Office Passes Away at Age 65
San Francisco, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2017) – The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) mourns the loss of San Francisco’s first Asian-American mayor Edwin Mah Lee (李孟賢), 65, and extends its condolences to his family and friends. Lee passed away early Tuesday morning at Zuckerburg San Francisco General Hospital. He was San Francisco’s 43rd mayor.
“Mayor Lee was a pioneering trailblazer for the Asian American Pacific Islander community,” said NAAAP National President Elizabeth Yang. “He was a champion for major issues in the city such as housing, homelessness, and minimum wage. His unwavering leadership will extend beyond the city and will be a timeless example for many generations to come.”
Lee served as the chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Technology and Innovation Task Force. He began his career as a law clerk at the Asian Law Caucus representing low-income immigrants in San Francisco’s Chinatown. He eventually became the organization’s managing civil rights attorney before finding work within local government. Lee also held the position of executive director for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission from 1991-1996. He was appointed mayor in January 2011, following then-Mayor Gavin Newsom’s election as lieutenant governor. Lee was re-elected in 2015. He was a graduate of Bowdoin College and Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.
About NAAAP
The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) is the premier leadership organization for Asian professionals in North America, with nearly 30 chapters including one in San Francisco, several thousand active members, and a reach of more than 20,000 professionals. Since 1982, NAAAP has operated as a nonprofit to inspire, develop, and connect leaders in all major industries and countless communities through professional development and community service. For more information, please visit www.naaap.org.
Media Contact
Ann Chen, Chief Marketing Officer, ann.chen@naaap.org