Chanel Miller, the victim in a high-profile sexual assault case at Stanford University whose anonymous victim statement changed the public conversation about sexual violence, will share her journey from anonymity to advocacy, her experience with the criminal justice system and how her current work as a writer and artist gives a voice to survivor experiences as the speaker of the 2026 Ida B. Wells lecture.

Miller was assaulted and left unconscious behind a dumpster in 2015. Her attacker was found guilty but sentenced to only six months in jail. Miller, known only as Emily Doe at the time, wrote a statement that went viral. Her letter was read by millions, prompting changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Miller reclaimed her identity in her 2019 memoir, Know My Name, and became an award-winning writer and artist.

Registration for the event will open in February 2026.

The Ida B. Wells lecture is hosted by the Department of Women and Gender Studies and supported by the College of Arts and Sciences, UD’s Committee on Cultural Activities and Public Events (CAPE) and a grant from the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities program.