Political strategist Symone Sanders joining Earlham, IU East, NAACP for MLK Day event

RICHMOND, Ind. — She's an author. She's the face of her own TV show. She's a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration.

Her name is Symone Sanders, and while there's a whole lot more that she is, most recently, she's coming to Richmond.

Sanders, a renowned political strategist, commentator and author, will visit Richmond virtually at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, for an event reflecting on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., according to an Earlham College release. The free 90-minute virtual event will be hosted by Earlham, IU East and the Richmond chapter of the NAACP and moderated by Joe Green, director of Earlham’s Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.

“Symone Sanders is a trailblazer in the world of politics, a powerful voice in the pursuit of equality and a fierce advocate for juvenile justice reform,” Green said in the release. “As we prepare to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, I am honored to join Symone for an evening of reflection in the context of the challenges we still face today.”

In 2016, at 25 years old, Sanders had already made a name for herself as the national press secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders' then-presidential campaign, making her the youngest presidential press secretary on record. She was also named to Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 16 young Americans shaping the 2016 election.

At 29, Sanders published her first book, "No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America," and served as a senior advisor for President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. Two years later, she became a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration, serving as deputy assistant to the president and senior advisor and chief spokesperson to the vice president.

Now 32, Sanders is a seasoned democratic strategist and host of MSNBC's "SYMONE," where she provides "essential context on the most pressing issues facing Americans today," according to her website biography.

“I am motivated by the simple fact that someone fought, marched, cried, prayed and spoke up so that one day I would be able to do the same for the next generation," Sanders states on her website. "I also know that when I show up — whether it’s on TV, to a meeting or at my fellowship at Harvard — no one is going to bring the same perspective. So, it’s my duty to show up as my authentic self every single time.”

Sanders is "a communicator with a passion for problem solving and social justice," and her actions show it. Before joining Bernie Sanders' campaign, she served as the national chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee and a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice. There, she helped give more prominence to younger voices fighting for juvenile justice reform. She also brought millennial perspectives to policy conversations. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, Sanders helped people find solutions to political and social problems through her own consulting firm.

Sanders is a former CNN political commentator and a resident fellow of both Harvard’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the University of Southern California’s Center for the Political Future.

To register for Sunday's free virtual event with Sanders, visit Eventbrite.

Zach Piatt is a reporter for The Palladium-Item. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Symone Sanders joining Earlham, IU East, NAACP for MLK Day event