Co-presented by Stanford Institute for Advancing Just Societies (IAJS) and Zócalo Public Square

Generation to generation, Americans pass down cherished stories. In rumor and ritual, document and dance, these myths sustain a sense of continuity—unearthing meaning and maintaining identity as we move through history, step by step. But the personal, familial, and community tales we tell can also perpetuate harmful ideas and marginalize others. Competing stories of America that have always danced side-by-side, often contentiously, now seem in a state of battle. Can we find a shared narrative?

In this series, we’ve hosted events in the U.S. South, North, and East. For our final program, we head to the West—built on myths of frontier freedom and golden excess. Amid great technological, political, and cultural shifts, who choreographs the great dance of America? Which tales have we inherited, which will we pass down, and what will future generations do with them? And, as this series aims to answer: What can become of us?

This program is inspired by Durga’s Daughters, an original performance created and directed by Indian American Bharatanatyam choreographer and dancer Mythili Prakash.

Join IAJS and Zócalo Public Square at Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall to experience Durga’s Daughters with Mythili Prakash. A panel moderated by IAJS faculty director Tomás Jiménez and featuring musician, poet, and visual artist Camae Ayewa aka Moor Mother; author, poet, and social entrepreneur Ahmed Badr; and writer, filmmaker, and powwow dancer Julian Brave NoiseCat will follow, exploring how the stories we tell shape our perspectives on movement and migration, and the legacy of America.

We invite our in-person audience to continue the conversation with the artist, speakers, and each other at a post-event reception with complimentary refreshments and entertainment.

“What Can Become of Us?” is a collaboration between the Stanford Institute for Advancing Just Societies (IAJS) and Zócalo Public Square, envisioning new perspectives on migration, America’s diverse communities, and how people come together across differences. The year-long series activates four regions of the United States and highlights newly commissioned works of art—visual, textile, and dance—to inspire a national conversation through exhibitions, public programs, and essays, and to work toward a better future.