The Storyteller's Role in the Next 250 Years
What are we keeping in mind after America's 250th anniversary?
The 4th of July is traditionally a day of celebration, where we hang with loved ones, throw something on the grill, and maybe even take a dip in the pool (assuming there isn’t a torrential downpour outside).
But the landmark nature of America’s most recent birthday made it one filled with particularly deep reflection. Here’s what we’re thinking in the aftermath — hope you enjoy!
- Cailin and Dillon of Team DSB
A NATION OF CONTRADICTIONS
America turned 250 years old this past weekend, sparking widespread reflection on our nation’s past, and highlighting the ever-growing need for us to strategize towards a better, more just future.
You might recall that President Trump preemptively celebrated the nation’s 250th anniversary with the extravagant UFC Freedom 250 — an invite-only, mixed martial arts event staged on a $60 million cage named “The Claw” on the South Lawn of the White House on Trump’s June 14th birthday.
On the actual 4th of July, Washington, D.C. celebrated with “Salute to America”, a landmark Independence Day event featuring a fireworks show, military flyover, and presidential address on the National Mall.
On the same day, 18-year-old Nolan Wells went missing, and was later found dead after a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, Mississippi, inciting public outcry for answers, a thorough investigation into Nolan’s death, and call-to-action to support local and independent media who are covering the story.
The following day, National Guard troops shot and killed 20-year old Tyrin Johnson in Memphis, Tennessee, and just this past Tuesday, ICE agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant and father picking up his coworkers on the way to his construction job.
As we reflect on the nation’s 250th anniversary, it is irrefutably clear that the traditional promise of the American dream only applies to a select few. Each passing day in America is marked by maddening contradictions, and now more than ever, it is crucial to interrogate exactly what stories are being amplified, and what stories are being suppressed.
In a time where truth is often overshadowed by extravagance, we must ask ourselves: what should we keep in mind as creators, consumers, and changemakers as we move into this 250th year of America’s existence?
PICK YOUR MEDIA LIKE YOU PICK YOUR FRUIT
This week on the Create for Change Podcast, we sat down with author, political journalist, and White House correspondent Nii-Quartelai Quartey and discussed the intersection of media and politics. Dr. Quartey shared his concerns about rampant mis- and disinformation, and talked about how both independent creators and seasoned journalists alike must work together to push for greater accuracy, media literacy, and meaningful communication that meets people where they’re at.
“People celebrate the rigor of journalism, and there are folks who celebrate the reach of content creators. We need all of the above.” — Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey.
Dr. Quartey further remarked on the importance of consciously curating the media we trust and consume. We’re in the midst of an independent media revolution, which means we have to leverage our patronage and support strategically. Are we following and uplifting local voices? Are we, as creators, truly active and embedded in the communities we seek to uplift?
LISTEN TO YOUNG VOICES
“We’re living in the real-life Hunger Games.” It can’t be more precisely said than Yeganeh Mafaher, a guest recently featured on America, Listen! — a Team DSB series where we’re putting the mic in the hands of everyday Americans and asking them: “If you could address the entire country, what would you say?”
Young people across the country are recognizing the jarring, deep-rooted contradictions that mark our nation’s current reality. They’re critically interrogating what is and isn’t serving the vast majority of the American people, as they imagine a better future that truly includes “liberty and justice for all.”
“If the status quo involves cutting us out of the promise of the American dream, how much longer can we lie to ourselves that this is the way forward?” - Yeganeh Mafaher, An Introduction to Team DSB
In our love letter to young creators who are too often told that their dreams for the future are too big, naïve, or radical, we make one thing clear: America’s future is young people’s inheritance, and they are not waiting for permission to claim it.
Young people have been clamoring for leaders, institutions, and culture to meet us where we are, and we can no longer afford a blind patriotism that glosses over our nation’s most pressing and pervasive issues. This week, after Independence Day, we’re remembering that to love America is to fight for its ideal version to truly extend to all.
As we move forward, let’s make sure we’re asking: Are we making room for young voices? Are we allowing ourselves to radically imagine and redefine what’s possible? We can’t build a better nation by sticking with the same, 250-year old ideas; we’re going to have to be bold, strategic, and dare to dream.
Thanks for reading Create for Change, a newsletter curated by Dillon St. Bernard covering the intersection of content creation and activism.