This program is a co-presentation with the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago as part of the MCA’s fall Dialogue series, which explores the key questions of our time.

In her latest book The Trayvon Generation, Elizabeth Alexander (award-winning poet, New York Times bestselling author of The Light of the World, and President of the Mellon Foundation) tenderly writes about the young people whose worldview has been indelibly shaped by persistent and visible racially-motivated violence and asserts the unresolved problem of the color line at the center of the American experience. Join Alexander for a wide-ranging discussion about the power of art and culture to understand and confront issues of race, class, and injustice and the ways in which Black artists, scholars, and activists have always revealed the “problem, the hope, and the possibility of America.” Moderated by Romi Crawford, Professor of Visual and Critical Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Major support is provided by Julie and Larry Bernstein, the Zell Family Foundation, and Carol Prins and John Hart/The Jessica Fund. Generous support is provided by Lois and Steve Eisen and The Eisen Family Foundation, Caryn and King Harris, and D. Elizabeth Price. The Festival's Social Justice & Equity Series is generously underwritten by The Allstate Insurance Company. This program has also been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

• The Chicago Humanities Festival is pleased to partner with the Seminary Co-op Bookstores, a Chicago not-for-profit bookstore whose mission is bookselling. Pre-order your copy of The Trayvon Generation through the CHF Box Office and save 20% while supporting local, independent bookselling. Add books to your cart when adding tickets. Your receipt will contain a book voucher, which you will show to the bookseller on site to pick up your book(s).
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