Marpheen Chann, a Portland Democrat and Maine delegate to the Democratic National Convention later this month, said he is “incredibly excited” and “not surprised” about Walz being Harris’ vice presidential candidate.

One of the reasons Chann got into politics was because he wants to use his personal experience to help more people who disagree work together. “The world is not so black and white and we need to be comfortable working in the gray,” Chann said.

Chann was one of the state’s 32 delegates who voted unanimously to back Harris on Monday.

“We’re going into this united, and we’re rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris," delegate Marpheen Chann said.

“I think that she can beat Donald Trump,” said delegate Marpheen Chann of Portland. “The polls show that she performs better than most against Donald Trump, and I’m excited to get to work for her.”

For AANHPI Mainers, we believe this choice is clear: We must reelect Biden and Harris and reject Trump once and for all — for our community, for our country and for our state.

“I think that that’s the other thing we as Democrats cannot forget,” Chann said, “is that this is about Democrats up and down the ballot and building up the momentum to elect Democrats all over the country.”

Chann, who serves on Portland’s planning board and is a former city charter commission member, said he also worries it is too late for Democrats to effectively organize around another candidate.

Read ME is the Maine Humanities Council’s annual statewide community reading program, offered in partnership with Maine State Libraryand Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance. The program encourages people to read two books selected by a well-known Maine author.

Marpheen Chann, 31, is a Portland activist and the author of a biography called “Moon in Full: A Modern Day Coming-of-Age Story.” He works as the community impact manager of the Good Shepherd Food Bank and serves on a number of local boards and organizations, including the Portland Planning Board.

Portland author Marpheen Chann’s debut book, “Moon in Full,” is much more than just a coming-of-age story; it is a remarkably open and honest story of a young man’s triumph over adversities most people would refuse to face.

Marpheen Chann, president of Khmer Maine, recently published his memoir, “Moon in Full,” available at local book stores and online from Islandport Press.

Being gay and Asian-American, Marpheen Chann felt like an alien on two levels. His new memoir is titled "Moon in Full: A Modern-Day Coming-of-Age Story."

Chann, a writer and activist, is an Asian-American gay man who was adopted into a white Christian family in rural Maine.

Our panel of authors and book lovers share what they’re reading and hope to read this summer, and offer recommendations for favorite novels, non-fiction, children’s and young adult books and other genres.

The son of a Cambodian refugee, the Portland activist-turned-author spent time in foster homes before being adopted by a family in Naples whose beliefs were at odds with his sexuality.

“It’s that extra step we can take in Portland to remove barriers to participation in our local politics and allows ordinary folks, workers and teachers, to run for office,” Chann said.

Chann’s proposal would keep the mayor as a member of the council, keep a city manager instead of a chief operating officer and eliminate the executive committee to nominate key officials.

“As the first Cambodian American-elected official in Maine, Marpheen Chann has overcome many obstacles in his life. This week, we’re excited to have a healthy conversation about his new memoir, Moon in Full, out next month.”