The Dream We Were Promised: The U.S. Constitution and the Struggle Toward Belonging

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, this program invites audiences into a public conversation reflecting on the ideas that have shaped the nation since its founding and how they continue to be interpreted today.

This event features a panel of artists, scholars, organizers, and public thinkers who will engage in dialogue about the U.S. Constitution, civic ideals, and the evolving meaning of belonging in American life. The conversation will explore how foundational principles such as liberty, rights, and participation have been understood across different historical periods and social contexts.

The evening will also engage with Bill, a new theatrical work by Roger Q. Mason developed for our 2026 New Play Development Conference (July 17 to August 2), as a creative lens for examining how national narratives are formed, challenged, and reimagined through storytelling and performance.

Rather than offering a single perspective, the panel creates space for discussion, reflection, and exchange. Through history, scholarship, and creative practice, the conversation opens up ways of understanding civic life and its continued evolution. Audience members are invited to listen, reflect, and consider how these ideas continue to shape contemporary experiences and future possibilities.