The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present Maine-based writer and nonprofit director Marpheen Chann as the next speaker in its 2025-2026 Libra Distinguished Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Campus Center and via Zoom. Chann will read from his memoir, Moon in Full: A Modern Day Coming-of-Age Story. The public is encouraged to attend this free event as well as enjoy a reception with light refreshments at 5:30 p.m. and a book signing after the talk.
An award-winning author and powerful storyteller, Chann shares a unique and layered perspective on finding an authentic voice and identity. A contemporary coming-of-age story, Moon in Full shines a light on one young man’s search for truth and compassion during a complicated era of his life.
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, Chann uses a mix of humor and storytelling to help people view topics such as racism, xenophobia, and homophobia through an intersectional lens.
His heart-warming journey weaves through housing projects and foster homes; into houses of worship and across college campuses; and plays out in working-class Maine where he struggles to find his place. Adopted into in a majority white community, Chann shares his journey toward reconciling his fears and secret longings as a young gay man with the devoutly religious beliefs of his new family.
Chann, a second-generation Asian American, recounts what he has learned, what he has lost, and what he has found during his evolution from a hungry refugee’s son to religious youth to advocate for acceptance and equality. Moon in Full, won the bronze IPPY Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction and was a finalist for the Maine Literary Awards and The Eric Hoffer Book Award.
In addition to his work as a published author, Chann is a speaker and the executive director and founder of Khmer Maine, a Cambodian community organization located in Portland that emphasizes ethics, civic duty, responsibility, transparency, and accountability. He became the first Cambodian American-elected official in Maine in 2021 when he was elected as an At-Large Charter Commissioner for the City of Portland, Maine. Chann holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern Maine, a law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, and a certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School.
The University’s Libra Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 1999. Each year, the LDLS Committee sponsors four to six speakers who come from Maine and beyond, representing a range of disciplines and viewpoints. While the emphasis tends to be on featuring visiting academics, it is not exclusively so. The speakers typically spend two days at the University meeting with classes and presenting a community lecture.
UMPI welcomes the campus and community to hear Chann speak on Oct. 9. Neighborhood Books will offer copies of Moon in Full for purchase after the talk. For more information, about Chann, visit www.marpheenchann.com. For more information about this event, contact Emma McNally at 207-768-9520 or email emma.mcnally@maine.edu.