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Online Program: The Many Lives of Kal Penn

Kal Penn is an actor, writer, producer and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He's known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the Christmas comedy The Santa Clauses for Disney+. His first book You Can’t Be Serious was released on November 2, 2021, from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books. 

Penn was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first-ever US Government arts delegation to Cuba. He taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from New Jersey, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology, theater, film and television at the University of California, Los Angeles, and received a graduate certificate in international security from Stanford University. He's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Earlier in the year, Penn wrapped production on the Bloomberg Green climate change docu-series Getting Warmer and the Viacom/Paramount+ comedy Surina & Mel. Following the departure of Trevor Noah from The Daily Show, Penn was named as a guest host.

Kal Penn will be joined in conversation with Bridget Petrites of Evanston Public Library.

This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com.

This event will be recorded.

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