The relatives of Christina Yuna Lee, along with members of the New York City Asian community, urged lawmakers on Tuesday to name a homeless shelter in memory of the late creative producer. Christina was tragically murdered by a vagrant in her Chinatown apartment in 2022. Her father, Sungkon Lee, said he wanted the “Christina Yuna Lee Memorial Shelter” established in honor of his 35-year-old daughter.
Sungkon Lee believes that naming a homeless shelter after Christina would contribute to preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future and would serve as a way to honor and remember her. He also expressed hope that homeless people who see his daughter’s name on the shelter would be reminded of the tragic event.
Charles Yoon, the attorney for the Lee family, argued that having a shelter named after Christina would make people never forget about her death. In the wake of Christina’s murder, community leaders demanded action from the city as attacks against Asian American Pacific Islander New Yorkers increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022.
Gene Kang, a member of the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York, expressed hope that the city would honor the family’s request for a homeless shelter in the Chinatown area. He also emphasized the importance of law enforcement remaining vigilant in addressing attacks against Asian Americans.
Sungkon Lee criticized the NYPD, accusing them of failing to help his daughter even as she screamed for help from inside her apartment – an allegation that he has made in a pending lawsuit against the department. Despite this, the father’s primary goal is not compensation but rather ensuring that Christina’s memory lives on and serves to prevent future tragedies.
