On Monday, Oct. 15, Chestnut Hill College welcomed Pearl Kim to campus to share her story and engage with the College community. Kim, who is running for the congressional seat in Pennsylvania's 5th District, led an open forum where students and faculty could ask questions and enjoy informative dialogue on some of the election issues as well as challenges and opportunities affecting the future of politics.

A daughter of first-generation Americans, Kim has spent the last 11 years working in law enforcement as both the assistant district attorney and senior deputy attorney general for Pennsylvania. During her career as a special victims prosecutor, Kim developed a reputation for being a fierce advocate for victims of sex crimes, domestic violence and child abuse. It was a passion that stemmed from her own personal experience of being a survivor of a college sexual assault.

In the DA's office, Kim oversaw the human trafficking unit, expertise which led to her being named to a special state government commission's advisory committee on human trafficking. In her position, Kim secured the first human trafficking conviction in PA history, under both the old and new statutes.

An advocate for criminal justice reform at all levels, Kim's goal is to bring people together from both sides of the aisle in a bipartisan way in order to properly address the issues and challenges our country is faced with, including with regards to immigration reform, human trafficking, campus safety, maintaining a strong and stable economy and increasing opportunities for those who are economically disadvantaged, such as the poor or those facing language barriers. If elected, Kim would be the first woman of color to represent Pennsylvania in Congress in the state's history.

You can read more about Kim's background and personal story by visiting her website.