Name: Civic Futures | Reflecting on the Past, Imagining the Future: American Democracy at 250
Start: 2025-04-16T09:10:00-0400
End: 2025-04-16T10:00:00-0400

Wednesday April 16, 2025 9:10am - 10:00am EDT

CODE Building

As the United States gears up to hit its 250th birthday, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the bumpy road that got us here and, more importantly, the road ahead. This conversation will explore the foundations of American democracy with a local twist—looking at Monticello’s unique role in shaping our history—and a national lens, thanks to the Karsh Institute’s broader perspective. The aim? To dig into how the lessons we’ve learned can guide the next 250 years of democracy. Let’s dive into how we can build a more representative future while celebrating a bit of the past.

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Note: This Conference session is ticketed.

Please purchase your tickets on Eventbrite. You will then receive an email from Sched with login information that allows you to make your personal schedule.

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A special thank you to our sponsors: The 13th Annual Tom Tom Festival is presented with the University of Virginia, UVA Innovates, Virginia Tourism, RL Beyer Custom Homes, and Ludwig Kuttner.

Speakers

Jane Kamensky

President, Monticello

Jane Kamensky is President and CEO of Monticello/The Thomas Jefferson Foundation. A leading historian of early America and the United States, she earned her BA (1985) and PhD (1993) in history from Yale University. For thirty years, she worked as a professor and higher education leader... Read More →

Melody Barnes

Executive Director, UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy

As the founding executive director of the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, Melody Barnes guides the organization on an action-oriented path to realizing democracy in both principle and practice.Barnes is a dedicated public servant with more than 25 years of... Read More →

Sponsors