Stephen Chan

Stephen Chan 

Vice President of Strategy and Operation, The Boston Foundation 

Stephen Chan serves as Vice President of Strategy and Operations, and has held a number of strategic management roles at the Foundation since 2004. He has served as an Advisor to Mayor Thomas M. Menino at the City of Boston where he launched the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives to advance citywide efforts on farmers markets, urban agriculture, food trucks, and healthy school food.  At the Mayor’s Office, he also helped design and support public-private initiatives to grow financial empowerment, boost college completion, foster school-community partnerships, and build family economic security. Stephen received his MBA from Harvard Business School, MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and BA with Honors in Public Policy from Stanford University.  He is a board member of the ACLU of Massachusetts Foundation Board, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Associated Grant Makers, and Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy. 

Discussion Content

“The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” by Audre Lorde  

Brief Intro:

As a result of my identity as a queer person of color, I have endured layers of micro-aggressions and traumas over the course of my life that have deeply affected my sense of agency and well-being. Audre Lorde’s writings have always been a go-to source for healing and empowerment.  Reading this particular piece has always reminded me of my agency and that, in the end, the only person who loses is each of us if we choose not to speak my truth. 

Chan’s Discussion Questions (PDF for Print)