Q&A: District 2 City Council Candidate Suzanne Lee

First-time candidate Suzanne Lee has a lengthy background in education and community activism, and an interesting personal story. A first generation immigrant, Lee grew up in the Grove Hall area of Roxbury/Dorchester, the child of garment and restaurant workers. She attended Girls’ Latin School and earned a scholarship to Brandeis University - the first in her family to attend college. A Chinatown resident, Lee holds a Masters degree from Harvard's Graduate School of Education.

Patch sat down with Lee at her campaign office on Beach Street in Chinatown. The interview is below.

After a 35-year teaching career, what motivated you to get into politics? 

My whole life has been about making a difference - for 35 years as a teacher and principal and then as a community organizer. [I] want to bring everyone together to make sure the voices that are not often heard [get brought] into the mix when we make decisions that impact everybody’s lives.

Whose voices do you think need to be heard more?

New residents into the city, families that are often very busy, young professionals that are busy…their voices need to be heard as well as seniors and people who are less tech savvy who might not be able to get information as easily.

What has your campaign strategy been thus far?

I’m on the ground…I talk to people one-on-one in small groups. It’s a responsibility of people who seek to be in office or in a position of authority…to seek out rather than sit there and wait for people to come to you. And that’s the kind of city council office I want to run.

I’m out there so I know what’s going on. You want to deal with problem and issues when they’re small before they become too big. Then it’s much harder. I’ve been very encouraged and very excited about meeting so many people who are so open to my message. People do want to be involved.

What have you heard on the campaign trail?

There are a lot of people who don’t understand. They say, ‘Why are you talking about closing libraries and why are they cutting schools?’

You’re cutting everything on the surface level that means so much to working people and yet you see runaway budgets for other things. That builds mistrust. How come we have money for some things but we don’t have money for libraries and we don’t have money for community centers and we don’t have money for seniors?

What do you see as the major issues facing the South End?

On the overall level every single neighborhood wants the same thing. They want good schools, they want access to sustainable affordable housing that people can stay [in] and they want safe and thriving neighborhoods. 

Is every neighborhood the same? Obviously not, but we need to understand that everybody wants that…so how do we do things in a way that everybody gets what they feel is their fair share? The only way you can do that is to bring people together and see the big picture.

If you’re elected to the City Council, will you continue to advocate for educational issues?

I think the City Council can be the convening voice [on education]. I can help the School Committee by bringing people together to really talk about what makes a good school, do we have that, and what makes people want to invest and participate in their school. Those are things that…not just families but community groups, health clinics, neighborhood libraries, universities and businesses …the whole community needs to be involved.

How would you run your City Council office?

I don’t think having people sit in an office is the answer. My custodians have a joke that if you want to hide from Ms. Lee, go sit in her office, because she’s never there. I’m always out and about.

If I’m out in the street walking around…it’s for a purpose. It’s really observing what’s going on and listening to people. Having an office for me signifies waiting for people to come to you. And I don’t think money is best spent that way. With technology these days if people have your cell phone number they don’t have to go to the office to see you.

I think the key thing is to be accessible, so you have to figure out what that means. It’s not one-size-fits-all.

What surprised you the most as you started your campaign?

It’s surprised me how engaged people can be, how open people are and how hungry people are. Hungry for discussion and how things can be better.

The Preliminary Municipal Election will be held on September 27. The Municipal Election will be held November 8. For more information, visit the city's Election Department website.