Sharon Lee (politician)

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name =

| office = 20th Borough President of Queens

| termstart = January 1, 2020

| termend = December 2, 2020

| order =

| predecessor = Melinda Katz

| successor = Donovan Richards

| image =

| education = University of Wisconsin, Madison

| party = Democratic

}}

Sharon Lee is an American Democratic politician from New York City. From January 2020 until December 2020, she served as the borough president of Queens through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=Acting Queens Borough President in an unexpected battle due to COVID-19 crisis|url=https://qns.com/story/2020/04/06/acting-queens-borough-president-in-an-unexpected-battle-due-to-covid-19-crisis/|access-date=2020-08-18|website=QNS.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Sharon Lee's Unlikely Path to Interim Queens Borough President|url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/01/16/sharon-lee-s-unlikely-path-to-interim-queens-borough-president|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.ny1.com|language=en}} Lee is the first person of Asian descent to serve as a borough president in the City of New York.

As the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the borough, Lee managed{{cite news |last1=Brand |first1=David |title=Queens’ acting borough president Lee concludes unlikely 11-month run |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/queens-acting-borough-president-sharon-lee-concludes-unlikely-11-month-run}} the distribution of tons of pounds of food and support for small businesses,{{cite news |last1=Queens |first1=News Team |title=‘Fuel the Frontlines’ initiative will support Queens hospital workers |url=https://qns.com/2020/03/fuel-the-frontlines-initiative-will-support-queens-hospital-workers/}} a dozen virtual job fairs{{cite news |last1=Acevedo |first1=Angelica |title=Queens Virtual Recruitment Fair will connect job seekers with essential industries |url=https://qns.com/2020/04/queens-virtual-recruitment-fair-will-connect-job-seekers-with-essential-industries/}} for out-of-work New Yorkers, 2020 presidential election amidst the pandemic, funding for hospital services including doubling the number of SANE nurses across Queens hospitals,{{cite news |last1=Vick |first1=Rachel |title=Queens hospitals will increase number of nurses specializing in sex assault care, with funding from Lee |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/queens-hospitals-will-hire-more-nurses-specializing-in-sex-assault-care-with-funding-from-lee?rq=sharon%20lee}} championed racial justice{{cite news |last1=Vick |first1=Rachel |title=Queens leaders call on state to repeal 50-a at Borough Hall rally |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/queens-leaders-call-on-state-to-repeal-50-a-borough-hall-rally}} in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, and helped boost Queens County's count in the 2020 United States Census.{{cite news |last1=Parry |first1=Bill |title=The 2020 Census begins March 12, and every Queens resident needs to be counted |url=https://qns.com/2020/03/the-2020-census-begins-march-12-and-every-queens-resident-needs-to-be-counted/}}

Some of her signature public investments included a $1 million allocation to fully fund the FDNY's Decontamination Specialization Unit{{cite news |last1=Kaye |first1=Jacob |title=Acting borough president allocates $1 million towards FDNY decontamination unit |url=https://qns.com/2020/03/acting-borough-president-allocates-1-million-towards-fdny-decontamination-unit/}} in Corona, Queens to purchase and install new equipment necessary for cleaning firefighters' equipment, and a $5.4 million allocation to fully fund cutting-edge cancer treatment technology at the oncology unit of Elmhurst Hospital, one of Queens' two public hospitals.{{cite news |last1=Parry |first1=Bill |title=Elmhurst Hospital receives full funding for cutting-edge cancer treatment technology |url=https://qns.com/2020/11/elmhurst-hospital-receives-full-funding-for-cutting-edge-cancer-treatment-technology/}} Lee also weighed in on key land use issues—including a recommendation opposing the 2020 Flushing Waterfront rezoning plan.{{cite news |last1=Brand |first1=David |title=Acting Queens BP rejects Flushing Creek rezoning in advisory role |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/acting-queens-bp-rejects-flushing-creek-rezoning#:~:text=Acting%20Queens%20Borough%20President%20Sharon,use%20development%20in%20Downtown%20Flushing.}}

Lee was an early outspoken leader amidst the scourge in anti-Asian hate,{{cite news |last1=ABC |title=New Yorkers rally to support Asian American community |url=https://abc7ny.com/new-york-city-hate-crime-vigil-asian-american/10437096/}} especially in the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings.{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=CeFaan |title=Queens vigil mourns victims of Atlanta spa shootings, Asian hate crimes |url=https://abc7ny.com/georgia-spa-shooting-asian-atlanta-robert-aaron-long/10431050/}}{{cite news |last1=Yensi |first1=Amy |title=Growing Number of Violent Attacks Against Asian Americans Sparks Community Concern and Action from NYPD |url=https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2021/03/25/growing-number-of-violent-attacks-against-asian-americans-sparks-community-concern-and-action-from-nypd}}

Previously, she served as Deputy Queens Borough President from November 2018 through December 2019.{{cite news |last1=Brand |first1=David |title=Katz Names Spokesperson Lee New Deputy Borough President |url=https://queenseagle.com/all/2018/11/14/katz-names-spokesperson-lee-new-deputy-borough-president#:~:text=Queens%20Borough%20President%20Melinda%20Katz%20announced%20the%20appointment,longtime%20communications%20director%2C%20succeeds%20current%20deputy%20Melva%20Miller.}}