Ald. Nicole Lee Aims to Chart New Course for 11th Ward
A month ago, Nicole Lee was appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to finish the term of former 11th Ward Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, following his conviction for tax fraud. An alderperson’s responsibilities include voting on legislation, constituent services, allocating resources to the ward, and more. Lee is a third-generation Chinatown resident, Whitney Young alumna, and she most recently led community engagement at United Airlines. Lee is Chicago’s first Chinese American alderperson, in a city where Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group. Her appointment comes at a critical time as the ward remapping process continues. The two proposed maps each redraw the 11th ward as the city’s first Asian American–majority ward. We visited Ald. Lee at her Bridgeport office ahead of her first full City Council meeting Wednesday.
Some Good News:
Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastChicago
Sign up for our newsletter: chicago.citycast.fm
Call or Text Us: (773) 780-0246
Want to know what's happening in Chicago? Sign up for our free newsletter, Hey Chicago. Packed with local news, curated event recs, local life hacks, and more, it's your daily toolkit for getting the most out of the city you love.
Latest Episodes
Migrant 'Base Camps,' Future of Tipping, and Soccer at Soldier Field
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is defending the decision to sign a one-year, nearly $30 million contract with controversial private ...
'Do You Remember' Why It's Earth, Wind & Fire Day?
Today is Earth, Wind & Fire Day. Founded in Chicago by the late band leader Maurice White in 1969, the legendary group has sold over 100...
‘Young Love’ Is TV’s Newest Chicago Love Letter
Matthew Cherry’s short film “Hair Love” won an Oscar and became a New York Times bestselling children’s book. Now the writer, director, and ...
Obama Center Housing Protections, Your Fav Chi Dates, Say Goodbye to Summer
Last week, Fifth Ward Ald. Desmon Yancy introduced the South Shore Housing Preservation Ordinance to City Council. The measure would provide...
How Will Mayor Johnson Close Chicago’s Budget Gap?
Budget season has officially begun! Mayor Brandon Johnson released his first budget forecast last week, kicking off his first budget process...
New Migrant Shelter Plan, Riot Fest Weekend, and Celebrating Mexican Independence Day
Mayor Brandon Johnson has outlined a plan to relocate nearly 1,600 migrants and asylum-seekers from Chicago police stations to what he calls...
Who Can Plan The Best Chicago Alphabet Dates?
In a twist on the “alphabet dating” TikTok trend, host Jacoby Cochran and City Cast marketing coordinator Jermaine Thomas faced off last wee...
How One Pilsen Home Became a Butterfly Sanctuary
Been seeing more monarch butterflies lately? Now is the time when Illinois’ state insect migrates south toward Mexico. Along the way, many w...
911 Response Times, Student Loan Questions, and Foxes vs. Plovers
Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg reports police failed to accurately track 911 response times nearly half time. The lack of data m...
What Do Local School Councils Do?
Next week, Chicago Public Schools will kick off election season for local school councils. The councils help drive big decisions across Chic...