Local Hero: Honoree Marjorie Lee, Archiving AAPI Heroism
Nominee Name: Marjorie Lee
Title: Academic research librarian and archivist
Organization/Business: UCLA Asian American Studies Center
Website: UCLA Asian American Studies Center
"Marjorie Lee is a phenomenal leader in archiving, preserving and honoring history and culture through her volunteer work with the Congressional Gold Medal's Southern California region committee. … Marjorie, often referred to more lovingly in the community as "Marji," has been instrumental in honoring more than 400 Southern California WWII veterans. … Her leadership has been vital due to her meticulous efforts in accurate documentation. Moreover, she is personable and giving of her time to ensure that these Chinese American WWII veterans and their families were honored. … She recounts so many details about each and every veteran that she's much like a walking Rolodex. Through working with her on these events and activities with my husband, I have witnessed firsthand how passionate and considerate she is with the people who interact with her. She has balanced issues and tough circumstances with grace and wit. Marji's humor and mix of acumen and professionalism are all a part of what makes her perfect for this recognition as a Local Hero. She is the unsung hero that does the work behind the scenes who doesn't always get the recognition she deserves."Wenli Jen, nominator
About Marjorie Lee
Marjorie Lee is the library coordinator, information specialist and archivist at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. Her archival and preservation work focuses on documenting neglected histories and expanding the historical and cultural narrative of America's past. Her professional engagements in partnership with the community include a more than 25-year search and archiving of evidentiary records verifying Chinese American veterans' WWII military service. Other accomplishments include serving as a consultant to the Asian Division of the Library of Congress and editing "Duty & Honor a Tribute to Chinese American World War II Veterans of Southern California," a compilation of military records and photos documenting WWII military contributions of Southern California's Chinese Americans.
More recently, she co-chaired an all-volunteer Southern California Regional Committee of Chinese American Citizens Alliance Los Angeles, which confirmed and verified with documentation more than 400 Southern California WWII veterans. Each veteran was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal presented through individual distribution, via YouTube streaming and at several large ceremonial events. The last one occurred in April 2022 on the main deck of the Battleship USS Iowa Museum.