Former Clinton adviser to speak at KU Asian American leadership conference

LAWRENCE Ð A renowned author, political pundit and former adviser to President Clinton will present the keynote address at this week's Asian American Student Union's Student Leadership Conference at the University of Kansas.

Eric Liu will present "An Asian American Perspective" at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the Jayhawk Room of the Kansas Union. A book-signing will follow from 12:30 to 1 p.m.

"In bringing in Eric Liu and having a leadership conference, AASU hopes to inspire students to become leaders in their communities and to make them proud of their Asian American identities," said Anna Kowalewski, president of the AASU at KU.

Liu served as Clinton's global policy speech-writer and director for legislative affairs during the president's first term. During Clinton's second term, Liu served as the president's deputy domestic policy adviser.

Liu was named one of the 25 most influential Asian Americans in the United States in "A. Magazine: Inside Asian America."

Currently an instructor at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy, Liu also is the founder of the acclaimed grassroots journal "The Next Progressive" and is the author of 1994's Norton Anthology "Next: Young American Writers on the New Generation." He also has published a collection of essays titled "The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker."

Liu is on of the founding group of on-air commentators for MSNBC and also is a contributor to "Slate" magazine.

The event is co-sponsored by AASU, KU Student Senate, the Coca-Cola committee and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

For more information call the KU Office of Multicultural Affairs at (785) 864-4351.