Schedule
Wednesday, October 15
Join the Conversation: Democracy in Action
Kat Calvin, Reed Howard, Sally Hudson, Dreama Montrief Johnson, Sam Pressler
Meet a diverse group of changemakers who are building and strengthening democracy from the ground up—in neighborhoods, community organizations, polling places, and even on the ballot.
Join the Conversation: Common Ground, Common Sound
Mike Ellison
Across cultures and throughout history, music has brought people together to communicate, reflect, and connect. Part community concert and part participatory rhythm session, this event welcomes everyone—no experience required—to join in a shared civic act through sound.
Becoming America: Past, Promise, and the Path Ahead at 250
Kathleen DuVal, Jane Kamensky, Vann R. Newkirk II, Jayme Swain, Alan Taylor
An exclusive advance screening from Ken Burns’ upcoming documentary series, The American Revolution, followed by a conversation reflecting on the nation’s founding and what it means today.
Thursday, October 16
Join the Conversation: A ‘Braver Angels’ Debate
Bryan Paul
In this highly participatory Democracy360 session, you’re invited to take part in a Braver Angels debate—a structured dialogue in which students and community members explore opposing views with respect, curiosity, and a spirit of shared learning.
Building the American Dream: Work, Tech, and Community in a Shifting Economy
Yoni Appelbaum, Jamelle Bouie, Oren Cass, Annie Lowrey
Through contrasting perspectives, speakers explore what opportunity means in 21st-century America—examining economic mobility, the changing nature of work, the rise of new technologies, and the evolving foundations of our social contract.
Washington Week with The Atlantic @D360
Jeffrey Goldberg, Tom Nichols, Vivian Salama, Nancy Youssef
PBS News’ weekly news analysis series comes to The Paramount! Moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, is joined at the roundtable by Atlantic staff writers Tom Nichols, Vivian Salama, and Nancy Youssef to provide analysis of the week’s major news stories.
Friday, October 17
Join the Conversation: ‘Feast of Reason’
Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner parties—where spirited conversation flowed alongside food and drink—this unique session invites participants to gather over lunch for meaningful dialogue about civic identity, democratic values, and the legacy of 1776.
Guardrails of Democracy: The Law, Institutions, and the American Experiment
Norman Eisen, Sarah Isgur, Evan Smith
A timely conversation exploring the rule of law and the democratic institutions that uphold it as cornerstones of democratic life and defining forces in the 250-year-old American experiment.
Stories That Bind Us: A Conversation with Beth Macy
Melody Barnes, Beth Macy
Join Beth Macy, the acclaimed author of Dopesick and the newly released memoir, Paper Girl, for a powerful conversation about the forces shaping America’s rural and urban communities and the stories that bind us.
