Hope and Opportunity:
The Future and Possibility of the American Dream

The last 30 months have been tumultuous as America has faced a series of crises — a global pandemic that brought the economies of the world to a standstill, a bitterly contested presidential election that ended with baseless claims of election fraud and left the nation as divided as ever, and a rise in politically motivated violence and extremism that culminated with an attack on the Capitol itself.We believe that this conference provides an occasion to refocus our attention on the future — on how social justice can be promoted in the areas of health care, education and culture, and how the idea of the American Dream can sustain us with a new vision of hope and opportunity.

The American Dream Reconsidered Conference is a free conference that invites scholars, activists and leaders to explore the modern American dream. Sessions delve into immigration, health care, politics and more in America today. With optimism and hope, our panelists share visions for the future of our democracy.

Roosevelt University president Ali Malekzadeh founded the annual conference in 2016.
Past speakers include:

  • U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • Musician, actor and activist Common
  • Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.
  • Political analyst David Axelrod
  • Best-selling author Imbolo Mbue

Learn more about Roosevelt University at roosevelt.edu.

Conference co-chairs:

Stuart Warner, Professor of Philosophy

Andy Trees, Visiting Professor of Political Science

2022 American Dream Conference Steering Committee

Nicole Barron, Vice President, University Advancement, Chief Development Officer

Keturah Brown, Director of Conference Services

Kathy Bliss, Executive Assistant to the President

Amanda DePalma, Director of Brand Marketing

Michael Ford, Vice President, Chief of Staff

Mike Kaluzny, Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications

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