MARGARET CHO

Margaret Cho is a comedian, actor, musician, advocate, entrepreneur and artist born and raised in San Francisco, an experience that she can say with all sincerity helped to shape her worldview. Margaret is known for her groundbreaking Off-Broadway one-woman show, I'm The One That I Want, and has served as an entertainment pioneer for several sold-out national tours such as Revolution. With so much success in her creative life, Cho still finds time to support the causes that are important to her including anti-racism, anti-bullying, and gay rights campaigns. Margaret’ freethinking spirit and unapologetic advocacy have led her to be honored by organizations such as the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the National Organization for Women (NOW). It's only fitting that Margaret should serve as the keynote speaker at this year's Empowerment Summit given her robust experience and activism.

Wenzhi Pan

Wenzhi Pan (she/her/她) is a pre-licensed counselor working at Vanderbilt University Counseling Center as a Social Justice and Inclusion Counselor. Born and raised in Wenzhou, China, Wenzhi came to U.S. at 17 for undergraduate studies. From a family with multiple generations of immigration and return migration, Wenzhi has witnessed and experienced the complexity of immigration and being a kid of immigrants. Wenzhi aims to offer culturally responsive and trauma-informed care to her clients at work Outside of work, she enjoys playing video games, working on writing and translating project, and chilling with her cat, Yibu.

Laura Cheifetz

Laura Mariko Cheifetz, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Student Life at the Vanderbilt Divinity School, is Yonsei (fourthgeneration) multiracial Asian American of Japanese and white Jewish descent. She is an ordained Presbyterian Church (USA) minister from a multireligious family, namely Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, and Christian. She graduated with a B.A. in sociology from Western Washington University with a minor in Spanish, a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary and an MBA from North Park University, both in Chicago After graduating from her first master’s program, she directed a program on vocational discernment and identity development for Asian American young adults.

1:30 – 2:00 PM CHECK IN AND LUNCH PICK UP

Location: SLC Hallway

Lunch Pick Up and head to Pre Summit Workshop

2:00 – 2:45 PM PRE SUMMIT WORKSHOP A

CARING FOR YOURSELVES AND OTHERS:

MENTAL HEALTH IN IMMIGRANT FAMILIES

BY: WENZHI PAN

PRE SUMMIT WORKSHOP B

IMPACTS OF RELIGION BY: LAURA CHEIFETZ

Location: SLC MEETING ROOM 2

3:00-3:30 PM SLC DOORS OPEN

Location: SLC MEETING ROOM 1 3:30 – 4:30 PM

Location: SLC BALLROOM FOYER

MODERATED CONVERSATION W/ MARGARET CHO

Location: SLC BALLROOM ABC

This will be moderated by Fiona Wu and Lina Waseem

The Empowerment Summit Planning Committee would like to extend a big thank you to all our speakers, vendors and co-sponsors who have contributed to this event. Without them, our Empowerment Summit would not have been possible. And thank you to our participants who are participating in this developmental opportunity!

Vanderbilt Student Affairs

Vanderbilt Student Centers Staff

Student Center for Social Justice and Identity Staff

Rohit Kataria

Nina Yao

Fiona Wu

Anna Jo

Lohitha Basa

Lina Waseem

Margaret Cho

Wenzhi Pan

Laura Chefeitz

Thai Kitchen

Yin Yang Tea

Sindoore