Andy Kim Meets with Fort Lee Leaders and Advocates to Help Community Heal, Make Positive Change 

FORT LEE N.J. –  As the Fort Lee and Korean-American community looks to heal from the recent tragic shooting of Victoria Lee, Congressman Andy Kim convened a roundtable discussion in Fort Lee this morning to ensure community members’ voices are heard and to explore federal, state, and local solutions to address public safety and mental health. After the roundtable discussion, Congressman Kim met privately with the family of Victoria Lee.

Participants of the roundtable included:

• Sungkwan Jang, Lee Family spokesperson
• Amber Reed, Co-Executive Director of AAPI NJ
• Joon Chung, Harrington Park Councilmember
• Yannick Wood, Director of Criminal Justice Reform, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
• Michael Nam, President, Korean Culture Center New Jersey
• Danielle Iwata, Director of Coalition Outreach and Organizing, AAPI New Jersey
• Jeff Chang, Policy and Advocacy Adviser, AAPI NJ
• Asia E. Marche, Advocacy and Policy Liaison, Black Lives Matter, Paterson

“Today was a somber, but important conversation for the Fort Lee community to remember and grieve Victoria Lee’s tragic death, to heal and make progress to ensure a shooting like this never happens again,” said Congressman Andy Kim. “The discussion today highlights the need for thorough investigation and real and meaningful change and investment to address mental health challenges as well as the way our communities, including first responders, handle and address mental health related crises. We need real change.”

“No family should ever have to suffer the way Victoria Lee’s family has,” said Amber Reed, Co-Executive Director of AAPI New Jersey. “The work ahead of us to ensure anyone in New Jersey can access the help they need safely, especially during a mental health crisis, will be complex and multilayered, requiring the highest level of attention from our leaders at every level. We are grateful Congressman Kim could join us today to discuss issues ranging from building out an infrastructure for community crisis response, to investing in mental health, to holding police accountable, and for his commitment to building a future together where tragedies like this never occur.”

As a son of immigrants and a graduate from New Jersey public schools, Congressman Andy Kim has been proud to represent his home community in Congress. Andy is a young father of two little boys and represents a new generation of leadership stepping up to fix our broken politics. As a former national security official, Andy previously advised President Obama on counterterrorism and worked for four-star generals in Afghanistan.

Andy went on to win a congressional district that Trump won twice by defeating three consecutive self-funding republican millionaires. In his three terms in Congress, Andy has worked hard to lower costs for New Jersey families, help support small businesses through challenging times, and has battled House Republicans in the fight to restore protections for women in the aftermath of the 2022 Dobbs decision. Andy is now stepping up to run for senate to fight against corruption and restore integrity to public service.

###