Primary Day is June 23 and there’s a ton on the ballot, including our US Rep seat, state senate and assembly seat and state comptroller. Follow along to see mini profiles of each of the candidates. This is Grace Lee for Senate District 27; her TCQ&A, the politics version, is below. Brian Kavanagh, who held the seat for a decade, will not seek reelection.

Grace Lee did not set out to become an elected official. Following business school at the University of Chicago (she went to Columbia for undergrad — she’s 46 now), she founded an all-natural line of hair and skin care products for pregnant women. But then there was the first election of Donald Trump, which triggered an involvement in electoral politics. A few of her Columbia classmates founded Swing Left, which aimed to flip house seats in the 2018 midterms, and she joined as an event coordinator to raise money and get out the vote.

And then there was impending development of 250 Water, where the Howard Hughes Corporation was digging deep into what was a block-square brownfield site contaminated with mercury. In 2019, she co-founded Children First, the parent-led organization that made sure the site was properly cleaned and monitored, while she had a child at the Blue School, which was across the street until it closed in 2022. (Her three children now go to private school uptown.)

“That was my Erin Brockovich moment,” Grace said. “I had been doing so much work as a small business owner understanding how toxins affect the health and development of children. Having this site there — that was really in my wheelhouse. The developer was saying, ‘it’s fine, we will take care of it’ – but we were the ones who discovered it had been a thermometer factory.”

All that set the stage for a run for office. She became the assemblywoman for District 65 — the district just east of ours — in 2022; she also ran in 2020. (Her predecessor, Yuh-Line Niou, is also running now for the senate seat.)

“A lot of people were activated to fight back against Trump and protect our democracy,” she said, “and that inspired me to run, especially as a woman and as the mother of three daughters. I never planned on doing this, ever. I really just wanted to help my community.”

In Albany, she’s part of the Mom Squad, a loose coalition of assemblywomen and senators who advocate for policies that serve the needs of children and families. They have fought for universal free childcare, and got $2 billion for the city to expand to 2K; universal free breakfast across the state; and the bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools, among other policies.

The jump to senator will give her a larger presence — a bigger voice — in Albany, as one of 63 versus one of 150, as well as a lot more resources across the board: more tools, a much bigger staff and a much bigger budget.

“Serving in the Assembly has been an incredible honor and privilege – I’ve loved every minute of my time there,” she said. “The person who represents Lower Manhattan should have a record of serving the community. That’s what this community deserves. What does representation mean? It means being on the ground and being able to deliver for people. That’s why I love this job so much. Seeing the things that are impacting people and working to find legislative solutions for them.”

The TCQ&A:

How long have you lived in the district? Where are you originally from?
I grew up in Ohio. I attended Columbia University for undergrad and fell in love with the city. Lower Manhattan is where I put down my roots — I’ve lived here for decades, including for some time in Tribeca and the Financial District. I currently live in Nolita, where my husband and I are raising our three daughters. I’m proud to be raising my family in the same neighborhood I fight for every day.

Married? Partnered?
I’ve been married to my husband Kim for over 15 years. He works in asset management.

Kids? Pets?
I have three daughters, ages 8, 10, and 14 years old.

Where do you live?
Nolita

What do you do for a living?
I’m the current State Assemblymember for District 65, representing Lower Manhattan, including the Lower East Side, Chinatown, SoHo, NoHo, Little Italy, and the Financial District. Before taking office, I was a small business owner and community organizer. Long before I went to Albany, I spent over a decade building my career in public service right here in Lower Manhattan. I co-founded Children First, a parent-led coalition that successfully pushed for the safe cleanup of a mercury-contaminated brownfield site near the South Street Seaport, protecting school children and nearby families. I organized with deaf tenants living in unsafe conditions on the Lower East Side, helping them build power, stand up to building management, and secure long-overdue repairs.

In both cases, I didn’t just protest — I helped the community organize, and we won. Those experiences taught me that the most vulnerable people in our community are too often left without the resources they need, even when those resources exist — and that government processes are not always transparent or accountable. That’s what led me to first run for office.

What are the first three issues you will tackle if you win the election?
I will be focused on major quality of life issues and concerns that are impacting the neighborhood, including:
1. Dealing with illegal vending on Canal Street. I am currently working with City agencies and elected officials on this issue;
2. Traffic and safety concerns–especially near the Holland Tunnel. I have a bill to allow for camera enforcement when cars “block the box” at intersections;
3. General concerns around affordability – fighting increases in rent, utility costs, childcare, and groceries to provide support to seniors and families who want to stay in the neighborhood.

Who is the first person you will hire?
Strong, consistent community outreach and constituent services have always been one of my top priorities. Because the West side of the district will be a new part of Lower Manhattan that I will represent, one of my first priorities will be hiring dedicated outreach staff focused specifically on these neighborhoods. I’ll be bringing an experienced team with me from my Assembly office when I win, so I am confident we’ll be able to make an impact in the district immediately with little startup time.

What are the three most important issues for New Yorkers right now?
Affordability is the top issue facing New Yorkers right now. Working families are doing everything right and still falling behind — squeezed by rising rents, high utility bills, expensive childcare, and grocery prices that keep climbing. I’m fighting to stabilize rents, lower utility costs, deliver universal childcare, and take on corporate price gouging so New Yorkers can stay and build their lives here.

The second is protecting our communities from Trump’s attacks. Immigrant families are living in fear, reproductive rights are under assault, and Washington is slashing the services New Yorkers depend on. New York must be a firewall — and I’m fighting every day to make that real through legislation that limits ICE overreach, protects abortion access, and ensures the state steps up when the federal government steps back.

The third is delivering a government that actually works. New Yorkers are frustrated by inaction and dysfunction, and they deserve better. That means the big fights, but it also means improving quality of life — cracking down on scaffolding, getting trash off the street, cleaning up graffiti, and making sure that when a constituent calls, someone answers. In three years, my office has closed over 800 constituent cases — because quality of life matters just as much as the big legislation.

Why are you running for office? What do you hope to change, or do better?
Government should be firmly on the side of working people – using every tool to make life more affordable, secure, and fair. As an organizer, I saw how often vulnerable communities are left without the support they need. In office, I’ve taken that on directly—delivering results, securing resources, and making government work for the people it’s supposed to serve. I’m running to make New York more affordable, protect communities, and make government more responsive to New Yorkers.

Most-frequented restaurants: In Tribeca, Serafina is a go-to for my family. Easy to get a table, kid-friendly food, and paper and crayons to keep the kids entertained make for a relatively stress-free meal with three kids. Outside of the neighborhood, I love Uncle Lou’s in Chinatown!

For special occasions, I go to: Words on Warren for kids’ birthday gifts. My kids are voracious readers, and the store has a great selection of books across all age ranges. My friend Jean owns the store!

Sweet-tooth satisfaction: The strawberry shortcake cup at Takahachi Bakery

The last non-essential item I bought: A New York Knicks jacket — though it has now become an essential item.

I’m so glad HRPMamas is in the district, because without it I wouldn’t have had an incredible network of supportive moms in the community or made lifelong friendships for me and my kids .

What’s the district’s best-kept secret?
The Playscape at the Battery Conservancy. Warrie Price, the founder of the Battery Conservancy, is an incredible visionary who painstakingly designed what I believe to be the most beautiful playground in New York City.

My most memorable celebrity sighting: Tom Cruise walking out of the Greenwich Hotel. He had undeniable charisma and one of those truly megawatt smiles that somehow feels even more intense in person.