A post office in Chinatown in Lower Manhattan, New York City, is to be renamed in memory of Mabel Lee, a steadfast advocate for women's rights.
The post office at 6 Doyers Street in Manhattan's Chinatown will be renamed "Mabel Lee Memorial Post Office," as the U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY) this week.
"I'm proud my colleagues have approved my bill that would honor Mabel Lee's legacy," Velazquez noted in a press release. "Mabel Lee was a steadfast advocate for women's rights and for the greater Asian American community. Her hard work and activism empowered many, bringing more Chinese-American women into the electoral process and helping them to secure voting rights."
Lee, who died in 1966, was the first Chinese woman to receive a PhD from Columbia University. She is known for organizing classes for Chinatown's residents to build skills in areas like carpentry, radio and typewriting. At just the age of 22, Lee led Chinese and Chinese-American women in a May 1917 pro-suffrage parade in New York City.
"Mabel Lee's life is the story of breaking down countless barriers at a time when women had few opportunities," said Velazquez. "All New Yorkers and especially women in public service owe her a debt of gratitude. Renaming this post office in her honor is a fitting tribute to such an inspiring figure."
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