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Jason Lee has made a name for himself as a leading figure in the multi-media landscape. Born in Stockton, California, he first came to prominence as a cast member on “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” and “Wild 'N Out”.

A successful content creator, he is the founder of Hollywood Unlocked. In 2023, he premiered his television show, The Jason Lee Show, one of the most popular talk shows on YouTube, with each episode pulling in millions of views. 

With all of his success, Lee felt compelled to make a difference in his hometown. Since relocating to Stockton, Lee has been using his voice on the local political scene. He is the favorite in the Stockton City Council race to represent District 6 after winning his primary in March. His platform includes youth empowerment, community engagement, and economic development.

After years of being in the media, Lee spoke about his transition to the political world.

“It’s very different from being in the media and covering pop culture to being in politics. When I talk on Hollywood Unlocked, people are going to like my opinion or not,” Lee told BET.com. “But when you're in the streets trying to tackle homelessness, trying to make the streets safer for kids, making sure people live in market-rate housing, and have a community that can thrive again, it’s a very different experience.”

Before finding success in the media, Lee worked as a probation officer and with a labor union for more than a decade. These experiences and overcoming a difficult childhood helped to shape his social and political perspective.

“Running for office took me back to my days of working for the Union which I did for 11 years at SEIU. This is real purposeful work. I'm not saying the work I do at Hollywood Unlocked isn't purpose-driven,” Lee explained. “But being able to help people in my community where I grew up, where my family still lives, where I've moved back to, is where the heart is. It’s my passion.”

After moving away from his hometown and building one of the most recognizable brands in media, Lee was inspired to return to Stockton to help transform his community by Christina Fugazi, who is currently running for Mayor of Stockton.

“Christina Fugazi was the Vice Mayor when I returned home years ago and she supported me as a philanthropist to return to the community. As she transitioned back to her work as an educator and when the new City Council came in, they were very much more business and politics-focused youth and community focused,” Lee explained.

“I tried to find somebody to run to help change the landscape of what the city council looked like because there was so much apathy in the community, I reorganized my whole life, moved back home, and now I'm the frontrunner to win District Six,” he added.

“As an educator in the inner city, I have kids of all backgrounds from highly disadvantaged communities, and I have to ask myself, ‘Is the Council thinking about them?’” 

“Are they thinking about their futures, or are they thinking about themselves? Because if we're not willing to hold ourselves accountable and hold those who are in a position of power accountable, then our kids won’t get what they deserve,” he added. “We need to do better. We can do better, and we have an obligation.”

Mirroring the Presidential Election, issues such as healthcare are important to the more than 320,000 Stockton residents.

“Healthcare is one of the biggest issues for me. Living in LA, Miami, and New York, the biggest crisis for me at the end of the day is, ‘What restaurant do I want to go to?’ There are so many clinics to go to for medical help,” Lee said. “In Stockton, kids can find more vape shops or liquor stores than they can find healthy food options. There's no healthy grocery store or direct access to mental health services that a family can walk to.  And public transportation is always a challenge.”

If elected, Lee has vowed to be a voice for justice and change in the city of his birth. 

“Christina and I are focused on building a more inclusive, cohesive community, in general, made up of all ethnic groups, business leaders, community leaders, and community partners, so that way we can be more collaborative as a solution,” Lee shared. “That’s not going to happen by doing things in silos that don't end up in a solution that's good for everybody.”