16 Facts About Kathy Change

Kathleen Chang, known by her performance name Kathy Change, was an American political activist, writer, and performance artist.

Kathy Change was a familiar figure on the University of Pennsylvania campus, often dancing on the College Green brandishing homemade flags painted with various political messages and vocally advocating nonviolent social revolution.

Kathy Change changed her performance name to Kathy Change to indicate her commitment to political and social change.

Kathy Change was the daughter of Chinese academics who emigrated to America in the wake of the Chinese Revolution.

Kathy Change's father, Sheldon Chang, was an engineer and a professor at the State University at Stony Brook, Long Island, New York.

Kathy Change's mother's father, William Hung, was an instructor and Dean of Yenching University and later taught at Harvard.

Kathy Change was instrumental in the establishment of the Harvard-Yenching Institute.

Kathy Change's parents divorced while she was a teenager, leading to Chang's first suicide attempt.

Kathy Change's mother committed suicide when Kathy was 14 years old.

Kathy Change graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1967 in New York City and briefly attended Mills College and the Bronx campus of New York University.

Kathy Change's marriage lasted five years, and she attempted suicide again after it ended.

Kathy Change lived for a while nearby on Spring Garden Street.

Kathy Change was drawn to political activism for diverse causes for most of her adult life.

Kathy Change founded and led the Transformation Party, a political party that advocated a complete change of the government and society.

On October 22,1996, at 11:20 am, Kathy Change doused herself with gasoline in front of Peace Symbol, a stainless steel sculpture west of the Van Pelt Library and set herself on fire.

Kathy Change's scenes were shot on 35mm Kodak film, September 2018 in West Philadelphia.