We are building a new Democratic club around Grand Street and the Lower East Side — inclusive, progressive, and active. Our focus is on both neighborhood issues like transportation and development, as well as national priorities that affect our community, such as immigration rights. Grand Street Democrats holds regular open meetings, neighborhood events, and forums with elected officials for the entire community.
Lee Berman is a lifelong resident of East River Co-op. With two daughters in downtown public schools, Lee has been a tireless advocate for increased school funding, academically rigorous middle school programs, and more opportunities for English language learners and children with IEPs and special needs. He has served on Community Education Council 1 and has been a member of school leadership teams and PTAs for nine years.
As a director of East River Co-op, Lee fought for cost savings and budget reform, encouraged greater transparency and communication with cooperators, and was accessible and as helpful as possible to his neighbors. When appropriate, he has stood up to board members and management who have run the co-op for decades with little opposition.
Lee attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has a Law Degree from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and works for the City of New York.
Caroline has lived in Seward Park since 2003 with her husband Ian Rosenberg. Their two children attend NYC public schools.
Caroline graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Communication. She now makes documentary films, including “Ashtanga, NY,” about a yoga community coming together around the events of September 11th; and “Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Catskills Resort,” about the historic end of the Borscht Belt hotel era. She is also co-author of The Soup Club Cookbook, collaboratively written with three other Seward Park moms.
The 2016 election cycle was a turning point for Caroline as for many of us. In the aftermath of Trump’s inauguration, Caroline marched in D.C. with other women from Grand Street. When executive orders blocked refugees from entering the U.S., Caroline joined the Jewish Rally for Refugees downtown, and the I’m a Muslim Too rally in Times Square. She is determined to remain engaged in the protection of civil liberties, starting with a more active Democratic Party in our neighborhood.
Join us for the Downtown Democratic Primary 2022 Congressional District 10 Candidate Forum
Grand Street Dems Endorse Ana María Archila for Lieutenant Governor
 The Executive Committee of the Grand Street Dems have signed on to a Resolution No New Jails in Chinatown Dear GSD community, The demolition of the Manhattan Detention Center (aka The Tombs) is imminent – to make way for an $8.3 billion borough-based jail project across four boroughs. To the best of our knowledge, $8.3 billion is only for the buildings to be built by 2028 and not for services needed now by the inmates and those who work on Rikers Island. In the interest of time, the Executive Committee drafted the letter below to be sent to Mayor Eric Adams for his attention via email, postal mail, social media, and this video. https://youtu.be/XNF7V-A3l6A Please help circulate this message. We will vote on this as a club resolution at the next GSD meeting on March 21st. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, The Executive Committee of Grand Street Democrats Marion Riedel, President Sandra Strother-Ribeiro, Vice President Julie Huang, Vice President Melissa Shiffman, Secretary Kenny Wind, Treasurer Lee Berman, District Leader Caroline Laskow, District Leader |
| Please click on this link for the video that accompanies this letter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNF7V-A3l6A. |
