Kal Penn went from late-night fast food runs in the film Harold & Kumar to policy meetings in the White House, and now he’s bringing that unlikely journey to Cal Poly.
The Emmy-nominated actor, author and former associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement will speak at the Performing Arts Center SLO on February 26.
His presentation, “From White Castle to the White House,” will serve as the keynote event for the Cal Poly Center for Service in Action’s 24th annual Change the Status Quo Social Justice & Service Speaker Series. For the first time, the Center and Cal Poly Arts are partnering to present the event.
“Through this new partnership, we can have a bigger impact than we could apart,” says Coralee Macias, programming and development manager for Cal Poly Arts. “We selected Kal Penn as the keynote speaker because of his unique perspective on service coming from the entertainment industry and transitioning into public service.”
Penn will trace his career from growing up as a South Asian American who rarely saw people who looked like him on screen, to becoming a breakout comedy star and ultimately an official in the White House.”
Penn is widely recognized for his roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise and the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses. But in 2009, at the height of his acting career, Penn stepped away from Hollywood to serve in the Obama administration.
From 2009 to 2011, he worked as associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, serving as a liaison to young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the arts community. During his time in Washington, he worked on outreach surrounding major policy initiatives and national issues.
Penn later served as a national co-chair for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign and sat on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, which focused on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first U.S. government arts delegation to Cuba.
Penn will trace his career from growing up as a South Asian American who rarely saw people who looked like him on screen, to becoming a breakout comedy star and ultimately an official in the White House.
“Having Kal Penn on campus now allows students to engage directly with a highly accomplished individual in person,” Macias says. “His example can encourage students to think about how they can apply their skills and passions to effect change.”
Macias hopes people leave feeling both inspired and empowered. “I hope attendees walk away ready to make positive change in the community, empowered to challenge expectations others may place on them.”