Kurtis Lee

I am an economics correspondent for The New York Times, based in Los Angeles.What I Cover I write about the lives and livelihoods of everyday Americans, often focusing on economic inequality and how it shapes almost every facet of life. Whether examining the call for reparations for Black Californians or exploring how Nevadans dealt with the highest unemployment in the nation, I work to tell on-the-ground stories — mostly across the Western United States — through the eyes of those closest to the issue at hand. My Background Before joining The Times, I spent nearly a decade traveling the country writing about gun violence, income inequality and race in America as a national correspondent for The Los Angeles Times. In 2013, I was part of the team at The Denver Post that won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting. Journalistic Ethics As a Times journalist, I support upholding the standards of integrity outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook. With every story, I strive for accuracy, nuance and depth. Contact Me email: kurtis.lee@nytimes.com x: @kurtisalee Featured nCreditJim Wilson/The New York Times nCreditAdam Perez for The New York Times nCreditErnest C. Withers, Sr., via Withers Family Trust nCreditKim Raff for The New York Times nCreditMark Abramson for The New York TimesLatest Newsom Faces Questions Over ‘Sausage Making’ in Wage Law The California governor last year said a fast-food minimum wage law didn’t apply to Panera Bread because of the “nature of negotiation.” He changed course after a scathing report suggested otherwise. By Shawn Hubler and Kurtis Lee ‘My Everything – Gone in a Matter of Moments’ Six months after the Maui wildfire, hundreds of businesses remain closed, and questions linger about how much a local economy should rely on tourism. By Kurtis Lee and Brendan George Ko