Spotlight: Gigi Li

Bio

As Chief of Staff for Council Member Margaret S. Chin, Gigi Li steers the Council Member’s work on behalf of Lower Manhattan constituents and seniors across the city.

Prior to joining the Council office, Gigi served as a social worker and local Community Board Chair. As Director of Neighborhood Family Services Coalition (NFSC), Gigi advocated on behalf of service providers committed to providing quality services for children and families. There, she directed the Coalition’s work in youth development/afterschool services, the Campaign for Summer Jobs, and school/CBO partnerships. She also worked on the implementation of Mayor De Blasio’s UPKNYC and Community Schools initiative. Prior to her time at NFSC, Gigi worked at Womankind as a counselor and advocate for families impacted by domestic violence.

In 2009, Gigi Li was appointed to Manhattan’s Community Board 3 (CB 3), and became the first Asian American in New York City to be elected to serve as board chair in June 2012. In her four years as chair of CB 3, representing Chinatown, the Lower East Side, and East Village, Gigi has focused on a diverse range of community and quality of life issues around improving civic engagement, expanding affordable housing, and addressing recovery and resiliency challenges after Superstorm Sandy.

She holds a Master of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College. Gigi, her husband and their grumpy pug, Vito, are proud residents of downtown Manhattan.

1) What made you want to go into public service?

Working on the ground to connect families and at-risk children to care and services for 13 years, I learned quickly that community advocacy and social work are inseparable. Soon, I became more involved in the Lower Manhattan community, and actively sought out opportunities to improve access and secure funding for youth services. I am lucky to continue applying this lens and experience in Council Member Chin’s office, where every day we gain a deeper sense of the connection between constituent services and policy.

2) What does your heritage mean to you or what makes you proud to be Asian/Pacific American?

While there is no one way to be a Chinese American, I was taught from a young age about the value of preserving my mother language. I didn’t fully grasp its importance until I started my advocacy and public service work. Being able to speak in Cantonese has allowed me to create strong connections with my neighbors of all generations — and when it comes to constituent services — meet them where they’re at to better help them navigate through the intricate web of City government