Politics & Government
Chinatown’s First Asian-American Representative Assumes Office
Yuh-Line Niou, a Democrat, will represent Assembly District 65.
CHINATOWN, NY — Today marks the beginning of the 240th New York State legislative session. And for the first time, an Asian-American will represent Lower Manhattan's 65th Assembly District, which includes Chinatown. It is the first time an Asian-American has represented any district in Manhattan.
On Tuesday, 33-year-old Democrat Yuh-Line Niou's staff set up temporary offices at 250 Broadway. On Wednesday, she was sworn in and assumed office in Albany.
Niou, who came to the United State from Taiwan with her parents as an infant, campaigned on a progressive agenda, prioritizing affordable housing and a higher minimum wage. She has been an activist for immigrants and those living in poverty.
Find out what's happening in Lower East Side-Chinatownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Niou seems to be settling nicely into her new role. State Rep. Brian Kavanagh tweeted a picture of her surrounded by enthusiastic constituents:
My (popular!) new colleague and neighbor @Yuhline on opening day of the new session with her constituents… pic.twitter.com/p2W3QWXmTJ
— NYS A/M Kavanagh (@BrianKavanaghNY) January 4, 2017
According to her website, Niou lives on Broad Street with her dog, Mr. Puds.
Find out what's happening in Lower East Side-Chinatownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Image via http://www.nioufornewyork.com
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.