Michigan Senator Stephanie Chang, the first Asian-American woman elected to the Michigan legislature, will present a lecture titled “Identity, Activism and Advancing Change for Women and Girls,” during Hope College’s annual Women’s History Month lecture. Sen. Chang will address audiences on Monday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. in the recital hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. The public is invited and admission is free.
Hope College is honored to host Sen. Chang for a compelling lecture that will focus on how women of color play a unique role in activism, leadership and community change. How does identity shape the ongoing work to impact issues facing women and girls? Sen. Chang will talk about her own journey as an organizer-turned-public servant-and-mom, and how one can address problems like gender violence and the impact of immigration enforcement on women and families.
Doors will open at 3:15 p.m. and there will also be a Q&A panel discussion following the presentation.
About Senator Stephanie Chang
Opportunity, access, equity, justice and service are the core values driving Senator Stephanie Chang, the first Asian-American woman elected to the Michigan legislature. She worked as a community organizer in Detroit for nearly a decade before serving two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives and then as the Democratic Floor Leader for her first term in the Senate. She is currently serving her second term in the Michigan Senate and is the Senate Democratic Policy and Steering Chair.
She served as state director for NextGen Climate Michigan, alumni engagement and evaluation coordinator for the Center for Progressive Leadership in Michigan, deputy director for the Campaign for Justice and as an organizer for Michigan United/One United Michigan. She also worked as a community engagement coordinator for the James and Grace Lee Boggs School and assistant to Grace Lee Boggs, an activist, writer and speaker. The senator is a co-founder of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote-Michigan and Rising Voices; she also serves on the board of the Southwest Detroit Community Justice Center.
Chang earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in public policy and social work from the University of Michigan. She lives in Detroit with her husband, Sean Gray, and two young daughters.
About Women’s History Month
With March designated as Women’s History Month, Hope’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion is presenting this March 16 lecture in collaboration with the: Women of Color United, Asian Student Union, and the Hope Democrats student organizations; women's and gender studies, history, and the political science departments; and the office of Culture and Inclusive Excellence.
To inquire about accessibility or accommodations needed to fully participate in the event, please email accommodations@hope.edu. Updates related to events are posted when available at hope.edu/calendar in the individual listings.
The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets.