For 12 years听Sheryl Oring听has served as America鈥檚 personal secretary, crisscrossing the country with a vintage typewriter and inviting thousands of Americans to sit at her pop-up desk and dictate a message to the next president of the United States.
This time, Oring (Jour'87)听will bring her typewriter to 彩民宝典's Trumbo Fountain on Sept 23, from noon to听2 p.m. The University Libraries and the听departments of Art & Art History听and Theatre & Dance sponsored this event in听support of Theatre & Dance鈥檚 opening night performance of .
Oring uses carbon paper to make two copies: one to send to the White House and one to keep for her ever-growing collection of America鈥檚 hopes and dreams, which is now showcased in her new book,听Activating Democracy: The 'I听Wish To Say'听Project, (University of Chicago Press, October 11, 2016). The book, which captures Oring鈥檚 travels from New York City鈥檚 Bryant Park to a laundromat on the Navajo Nation in Arizona to Los Angeles鈥� Skid Row, features photographs of Americans of all ages and walks of life alongside images of their manually听typed messages to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump (2016), President Barack Obama (2012 and 2008), and President George W. Bush (2004). The book also features essays by historians, artists and scholars on the role that art plays in advancing public discourse, free speech, civic participation听and democracy.听
