But on a recent sunny afternoon at Lincoln Square Recreation Center, a park in Oaklands Chinatown, she stood ready to jump in the middle of a fight about to break out between two dozen Asian-American teenagers.

The teenagers, uniformed in hip-hop style clothing, gathered around a wooden, life-size replica of a pirate ship, anchored in the sand.

Before a punch is thrown, the altercation is stopped by Lee, an Oakland Parks and Recreation employee, who runs between the feuding teens and diffuses the brawl.

They come here and they really dont want to fight, but they have to, Lee said. And so by putting on this big show and by having us scream at them Get out of here, theyll leave.

Such is the unwritten code when working with these teens, said Lee. The kids dont want to lose face and they know she will stop the fight

Park mother for 20 years

For more than 20 years, Lee has been the park mother for the youth who hang out at Lincoln Square Recreation on 10th and Harrison streets in the heart of Oaklands Chinatown.

She is a part-time recreation leader, expected to teach sports and arts and crafts to community members who use the park.

But Lee goes beyond the call of duty, said Gilbert Gong, director of recreation at Lincoln Square. She also acts as an informal social worker (and) parole officer, checking on the kids to make sure they are straight, he said.

Lees coworkers instinctively turn to her when a fight breaks out; they see how the teenagers are highly protective of her, and will not risk injuring her.

Gong said, The guys (teens) always warn her, You need to stay away from this stuff, let us take care of business. Mrs. Lees comment to them is Im there looking out for you guys; I dont want anything to happen.

As a life-long resident of Oaklands Chinatown, Lee grew up in an isolated community that was almost exclusively Chinese.

Shes an unofficial Chinatown historian, and shares her stories.

I just like being with people. I like talking. I look forward to coming to work and helping out wherever I can.

New generation

The teens she works with today represent a new generation of Asian-American immigrants living in Oakland; they are Chinese, but also Cambodian, Laotian, Mien and Vietnamese.

Some are high school dropouts and have difficulty holding jobs. Wannabee gang members, Lee says, who she finds special.

Were hella comfortable with her, said Aaron, a tall, confident 18-year-old. She can talk to us. Tell us about life. How things are.

Lee and the boys are a study in contrasts. She wears an Oakland Parks and Recreation baseball cap, plain brown sneakers and wraparound sunglasses.

They wear baggy pants sagging to their knees, big gold jewelry and baseball caps turned to the side.

She crochets and obsesses over her collection of Beanie Babies and Happy Meal toys. The boys are obsessed with hip-hop, and their favorite toys are their Lexuses and SUVs parked in front of the park.

Fights are rare at Lincoln Square these days, said Gong, but the surrounding Chinatown business owners have long disapproved of the teenagers who hang out at the park. They see it as harboring fugitives, said Gong.

Gong said the community often fails to recognize the centers role as a surrogate family to these teens, who confront cultural clashes with their immigrant parents who hold on to traditions from their home countries.

Just think where these kids will be if we werent out here working with them, giving them a chance, helping them through the court system, helping them get their GEDs, helping them get into colleges, added Gong.

Lee has that special gift, said Gong, in working with the community. She memorizes all their names and knows where they go to school.

I try to put trust between my kids and myself, said Lee. I dont want them to think every time Im just going to call the cops on them. So its a different kind of rapport Im trying to build with these kids.

Lynduh, 15, a petite teenager with shoulder-length black hair, wearing a belt buckle with her name spelled in large letters, said, Even though Im bad and all, Im on probation, she helped me do my community service. Every time we come here she tries to give us extra hours, if we pick up trash.

Lee explained you have to be flexible when working with teenagers, otherwise they would be disciplined constantly. What good does it do every time they go to jail? Lee asked. They are only locked up a few hours and then theyre out. They just cause more problems for their parents.

Lee remembers the Oakland Chinatown of her childhood when community ties were strong. If we got into trouble everybody heard about it because they knew who your kids were.

Today, the teenagers who hang out at the park come from all over, she said, and their parents dont know the staff.

Broke a window

As a kid, Lee said, the worst trouble she got into was when she was playing kick ball in the street with friends and broke a neighbors window. My father was so mad at us he took the ball and popped it, said Lee.

She attended Chinatowns Lincoln Elementary School (next to Lincoln Square), and rarely ventured outside of Oakland Chinatown. She played on an Asian-only basketball league and attended dances on weekends at the community center.

Lees husband Paul, a retired U.S. Postal employee, grew up in the same circles as his wife. We stayed there, did our own things, had our own groups and activities at Lincoln Recreations, said Paul, who is bald and wears suspenders.

Life is different now, she said. As first-generation immigrants, todays Chinatown teens are often forced to take on a parental role because theyre better English speakers than their parents.

Willie Davis Jr. a recreation leader at Lincoln Square said, The teens come around just to get her attention. They dont get enough at home.

On most afternoons Lee can be found floating around the center greeting children, and handing out candy and Band Aids.

A master multitasker, Lee can handle rapid-fire questions from the parks kids.

Mrs. Lee, are there any snacks?

Mrs. Lee, do you have change for a twenty?

And much of Lees job is to listen to the teens stories.

Mrs. Lee, I shook hands with the Presidents wife, boasted Tony, a teenager wearing aviator sunglasses and baggy jeans, who can often be found leaning on Lees shoulder. First lady Laura Bush recently visited his school, Chapman Middle School in Alameda.

Sang, 21, had been in trouble in the past, but earlier this year he and a friend ran to the aid of an elderly woman being mugged in Chinatown. They are not afraid to save someone in distress, Lee said. Basically they are really nice kids. They have a heart of gold.

Lee said she takes great pride when the kids who used to hang out at the park come back and visit her as adults. I think thats the biggest kick I get out of it, (is) the kids still remembering me. They have something positive to share with me.

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