Keynote Speaker: 

Karen Young

Karen is a cultural organizer, artist, and educator living in Boston, MA. Her primary art is the Japanese drum (taiko). Influenced by Japanese-American taiko activists of the 1970s, Karen is most interested in the intersection of art, grassroots organizing, and policy. She first saw taiko as a student at HSU and used the values and skills she developed while volunteering at Y.E.S. to launch her career in public service. In 2018, Karen was selected as one of seven Boston AIRs (Artists in Residence) by the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. She is the founder of the Asian women's group, The Genki Spark, and co-founder of the Brookline Cherry Blossom Festival and and a 2021 Brother Thomas Fellow.