In 2018 Daniel Lee became the first African-American Council Member in Culver City California. Daniel has master’s degree in social welfare from UCLA and is a Doctoral candidate at USC. He credits his grandmother, who participated with Dr. Martin Luther King in the Montgomery bus boycott, for his desire to be of service and his own social justice perspective. He has served on the Culver City Martin Luther King Celebration Committee for 7 years, planning its citywide celebration of the iconic Civil Rights leader.
Much of Mr. Lee’s local effort has been with youth. A filmmaker and actor, he has volunteered with El Rincon Elementary School students in an artists and communication program for 15 years. He also developed a Civil Rights curriculum that he implemented at the Teen Center to increase young people’s understanding of their country’s history.
Daniel Lee has been a key grassroots organizer in Los Angeles' Move to Amend Los Angeles helping direct a campaign calling for a constitutional amendment get a resolution through the LA City Council in December 2011. He was asked to join Move to Amend’s national board and has served since 2012. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Backbone Campaign and the Clean Power Alliance.