Speaker

Marpheen Chann is an award-winning author of Moon in Full: A Modern Coming-of-Age Story (Islandport Press, June 2022) and a Maine politician, speaker, community organizer, and gay man of color.

As a gay, first-generation Asian American born in California to a Cambodian refugee family and later adopted by an evangelical, white working-class family in Maine, Marpheen uses a mix of humor and storytelling to help people view topics such as identity, belonging, equity, and inclusion through an intersectional lens.

Marpheen Chann is an authentic and engaging speaker for groups large and small and is a featured speaker through the Maine Humanities Council’s Maine Speaks program.

 

Talks & Topics

  • Life is complicated and full of twists and turns. In “Welcome Home,” Marpheen shares his insights, lessons learned, and maybe a few laughs as he shares his story as a second-generation Cambodian American who went through foster care and adoption, struggled with fitting in and adapting to a white-majority community, and coming out as gay to his devoutly religious family.

  • In a time of great division and anger nationwide, how do we go about changing hearts and minds when it comes to issues like diversity, inclusion, and equity? In a 40 minute presentation followed by Q+A discussion, Maine politician, author and civil rights advocate Marpheen Chann shares his personal story of growing up in Maine, coming out to his religious adoptive family, and the lessons he’s learned about how change can happen.

 

Speaking Rates & Fees

Due to High Demand, Please Contact Marpheen.

Maine Schools & Libraries are encouraged to reach out to Maine Humanities Council.

Reviews & Testimonials

“The audience loved this presentation. They were visibly moved as Marpheen was speaking… I was impressed with Marpheen’s eloquence. Most importantly I have gotten rave reviews from the participants. It’s clear that this was not just a fun talk, but a really special evening for them.”
— Mia Boynton, Monhegan Public Library
“Marpheen is warm and clear. He connects with his audience and helps them expand their understanding and gain empathy and awareness they didn’t have when they entered the space.”
— Clara Porter, Director, Prevention. Action. Change.
 

Past Engagements

Keynotes, Guest Lectures, and More

    • Guest Speaker at Washington County Community College, Calais, ME, December 4, 2024

    • Book Talk at Rice Public Library, Kittery, ME, October 16, 2024

    • Book Talk at Bangor Public Library, Bangor, ME, October 10, 2024

    • Book Talk at Bridgton Public Library, Bridgton, ME, October 2, 2024

    • Book Talk at Baxter Memorial Library, Gorham, ME, September 18, 2024

    • Book Signing at National Book Festival, Washington, D.C., August, 26, 2024

    • Keynote at Fernbrook Family Center Equity Conference, Rochester, MN, August, 15, 2024

    • Virtual Book Event with Maine Humanities Council, Zoom, July 18, 2024

    • Speaker for OMNICOM Asian Leaders Council and Open Pride, Virtual, June 26, 2024

    • Guest on Maine Public All Books Considered with Bill Nemitz, June 19, 2024

    • Guest on Maine Calling Episode for Read Me 2024, May 30, 2024

    • Panelist at Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor, ME, April 4, 2024

    • Guest Speaker at Gorham High School, Gorham, ME, March 29, 2024

    • Guest Speaker at Maine Coast Waldorf School, Freeport, ME, March 25, 2024

    • Casco Bay High School (September 2023)

    • Bangor High School (May 2023)

    • NE Youth Identity Summit (Keynote)(April 2023)

    • Bowdoin College (April 2023)

    • Eastern Maine Community College (April 2023)

    • Southern Maine Community College (March 2023)

    • Piper Shores (Scarborough, Maine)(2022)

    • First Parish Church (Brunswick, Maine) (Watch) (2022)

    • Meeting House Arts (Freeport, Maine)(2022)

    • Bates College, Office of Intercultural Education (Lewiston, Maine)(2022)

    • University of Southern Maine (Portland, Maine)(2022)

    • York County Community College (Wells, Maine)(2022)

    • Curtis Memorial Library (Brunswick, Maine)(2022)

    • Jesup Memorial Library (Bar Harbor, Maine)(2022)

  • Stonington Public Library (Stonington, Maine) (WATCH) (2021)

    Monhegan Public Library (Monhegan Island, Maine)(2021)

    Pittsfield Public Library (2021)

    Jesup Memorial Library (Mount Desert Island, Maine)(2019)

    First Parish Universalist Church (Portland, Maine)(2019)

    Kinship Conference (Baltimore, Maryland)

    University of New England, School of Social Work(Portland, Maine)

    University of Southern Maine, Rainbow Graduation (Portland, Maine)

    University of Southern Maine, Multicultural Graduation (Portland, Maine)

    Pride Portland! (Portland, Maine) (WATCH)

Panelist

Maine LitFest (Portland, Maine)(2022)

Maine New Leaders Youth Camp, hosted by EqualityMaine

Maine Hate Crimes Forum, hosted by Department of Justice, Community Relations Service and EqualityMaine

A Conversation on Anti-Asian American Pacific Islander Discrimination, hosted by Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce

Workshops

The First Gen XP at the University of Southern Maine (November 2023)

Centering Equity Conference, hosted by Maine Philanthropy Center

In The Stillness Immersion Experience, Bangor Theological Seminary Convocation 2023

Rallies & Protests

#StopAsianHate Rally for Multiracial Solidarity, organizer and speaker (Portland Maine City Hall)

Families Belong Together Rally to end Trump Zero Tolerance Policy, emcee and speaker (Portland Maine City Hall)

#SaveSCOTUS Rally, hosted by Maine Women’s Lobby