Mayor Edwin M. Lee Sculpture
ArtCare – Friends of the San Francisco Arts Commission
ArtCare supports the work of the San Francisco Arts Commission, enriching cultural life in our city that is renowned for its artistic vitality, innovation, opportunity and inclusiveness. ArtCare works in conjunction with the Mayor, the Director of Cultural Affairs and the Arts Commissioners to ensure that art is valued and creativity thrives.
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Friends and former staffers are spearheading an effort to honor the late Mayor Edwin M. Lee. This volunteer committee has been formed to raise money for the commissioning of a sculpture of Mayor Lee, to be included in the Civic Art Collection at San Francisco City Hall. This will be the first City-owned sculpture honoring a Chinese American individual. We invite you to join us in this historic effort by making a contribution of any amount.
We are working with Mayor Lee’s family to establish an artist selection process, which will be managed by ArtCare—Friends of the San Francisco Arts Commission--in compliance with policies and procedures of the San Francisco Arts Commission’s gift acceptance policy. ArtCare is a nonprofit whose mission is to support San Francisco public art and the Arts Commission. We are committed to strong administrative management to ensure that the best artwork is created in a fair, balanced, and properly funded manner.
Our volunteer committee needs to raise about $220,000 for the sculpture and related costs. Donations will go toward a special fund established by our fiscal agent, ArtCare. Scheduled for dedication in May 2021, the sculpture will celebrate Mayor Lee’s life story and his many contributions to the City and County of San Francisco. Any funds raised beyond the sculpture costs will go to the Edwin M. Lee Community Fund. We are grateful for the outpouring of support for this effort.
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MAYOR LEE & THE CITY HE LOVED
Edwin M. Lee was the 43rd Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco and the first Asian-American mayor in San
Francisco’s history. Appointed in 2011 and elected and re-elected in 2011 and 2015 respectively, Mayor Lee’s term was a time of unprecedented prosperity in San Francisco and Mayor Lee sought to bring that prosperity and opportunity to all San Franciscans. He focused on balancing the budget, creating jobs, boosting San Francisco’s economy, building housing, housing the homeless, creating a cleaner and safer city and addressing affordability challenges.
Mayor Lee began his city government career as an investigator for the City’s first whistle-blower program in 1989 and also led the Human Rights Commission, the City Purchasing Office, and the Department of Public Works before he was appointed City Administrator in 2005. Mayor Lee was a community organizer and civil rights advocate and from 1979 to 1989, he was a Managing Attorney for the San Francisco Asian Law Caucus. He was born in Seattle, Washington, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in 1974 and from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley in 1978.
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