Whose Dream is It?

press release:

Perspectives on the American Dream

The American Dream is a shared dream of our own creation. The phrase implies the inclusion of all who live here and embrace the promise of a democracy that represents its diverse citizens and communities. Yet rapid, even erratic, policy changes surrounding immigration and American influence abroad are having an effect on people who share this dream across the United States. At the same time, the Seventh Generation philosophy that guides sovereign Indian nations often collides with dreams that center on short-term economic success.

Artist Terese Agnew will host a panel discussion with journalist and Academy Fellow Patty Loew and community organizer Jesus Salas exploring what it means to be an American today and how different perspectives on Americanism contribute to—or detract from—our shared identity. 

The panel will open with a short performance by Blanche Brown about Caroline Quarlls, the first person known to have escaped slavery through Wisconsin’s Underground Railroad. Quarlls and panelist Jesus Salas are both featured in the Writing in Stone exhibition, on view in the James Watrous Gallery.