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The India Center at UCF welcomed actor, writer, producer and public servant Kal Penn for a book reading and discussion on Sept. 26, 2022.\u00a0 Associate Dean Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., interim director of the India Center, and Leila Chacko, director of public affairs of the India Center, welcomed the speaker and the audience of approximately 300 attendees. Penn read an excerpt from his national bestseller You Can\u2019t Be Serious, <\/em>in which he shared his experiences while pursuing a nontraditional career in the arts and battling the stereotypes that come with being the son of Indian immigrants. Following the book reading, David Dumke, executive director of UCF Global Perspectives and International Initiatives, and Sonia Arellano, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, moderated questions submitted by the audience.<\/p>\n Known for his lead role as Kumar in the Harold and Kumar<\/em> films and his roles on TV shows such as House<\/em> and Designated Survivor,<\/em> Penn shared the challenges he faced as he started his acting career, including battling racism and racial stereotypes. He also discussed changing his given name, Kalpen Modi, to his professional name, Kal Penn, to land more auditions.\u00a0 Penn shared several anecdotes in a humorous way, remembering how his family pressured him to succeed academically especially in areas where he was less strong.\u00a0 Penn struggled with science and math and his parents nudged him to do better than achieving a \u201cB\u201d grade.\u00a0 A \u201csolid B is an Indian F,\u201d he told the audience, laughing.<\/p>\n Penn also touched on his time as an associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement under the Obama administration, where he worked as a liaison for Asian Americans, young Americans and the arts community.\u00a0 He worked for the administration for two years, while taking a leave from acting.\u00a0 He felt it was important to be involved in public service in an area in which he believed.\u00a0 Penn encouraged young people to vote to make an impact on the community.<\/p>\n