The American Dream Reconsidered Conference, 2023
Mind, Body and the American Dream
Mind and body are such fundamental concepts that we often take them for granted, but recent events have served as a reminder of how central they are to the American Dream. For example, the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade served as a stark example about the body itself as a site of political contestation. Roosevelt University is uniquely suited to explore this theme. As an educational institution, one of the University’s central missions is promoting and celebrating the life of the mind. The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt is centrally focused on education that brings together mind and body in music, theater, and dance. In addition, as a participant in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and potentially Division II of the National Association of Collegiate Athletics (NCAA), the University is home to more than two dozen sports teams that encourage students to hone their physical development.
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:
Andy Trees, Visiting Professor of Political Science
2023 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
