Assemblywoman Grace Meng - Working Hard for You!
BIOGRAPHY
Grace Meng is proud to have been elected to the New York State Assembly on the same historic day as President Barack Obama. She is the youngest Asian-American ever elected to the New York State Legislature, and currently the only Asian-American serving in the entire legislature. A dedicated public interest attorney and a grassroots political activist, Grace’s top priorities are making sure that all children are healthy and are able to receive a quality education, improving the quality of life for senior citizens, and helping small business owners achieve their American dream. As the first-ever Asian-American appointed to hold a Cabinet position in the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Caucus, she initiated New York State's first-ever Asian Pacific American Legislative Advocacy Day. Grace is also a member of the NYS Legislative Women's Caucus.
During her first term in office, Grace has emerged as a fighter for working families, children and senior citizens. 8 of her bills have already passed the Assembly, 6 of them already having been signed into law by the Governor - becoming landmark legislation. These laws include extending unemployment coverage to 56,000 New Yorkers during tough economic times; and providing new incentives for property owners to commit to providing affordable housing. She also authored the historic law that eliminates the offensive word "oriental" which still existed in some government documents. As the author and sponsor of the Reverse Mortgage Act of 2009, her legislation prohibits proceeds received from reverse mortgages from being considered as income for the purpose of senior citizens' partial property tax exemption. As a mom of 2 young children, she is dedicated to protecting babies and families. Her bills include requiring insurance coverage for babies who need special baby formula and making information about dangerous product recalls more easily accessible for families.
Grace graduated from Stuyvesant High School, has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. As an attorney admitted to practice in New York State, her legal career has included being a Partner at Yoon and Kim LLP and volunteering as a pro bono attorney for Sanctuary for Families, a domestic violence legal service provider in New York City. Committed to developing the next generation of leaders, Grace was the founder of a volunteer organization – F.O.C.U.S. (Friends of the Community Unite & Serve) Community Access Center – and president of the Queens Chinese Women’s Association. She has also served on the boards of Flushing Hospital Medical Center, the American Red Cross, Flushing Savings Bank, Flushing YMCA, and was the former chairperson of the New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development’s Neighborhood Advisory Board 7. She currently resides in Flushing with her husband, Wayne, two sons – Tyler and Brandon, and dog – Bounce
