Changemaker Speaker Series: Stephen Wilkes – America at 250

Few photographers have documented the American experience quite like Stephen Wilkes.
Over the course of a remarkable five-decade career, Wilkes has captured some of the nation’s most defining moments, from cultural milestones and historic tragedies to sweeping landscapes and everyday scenes that reveal the spirit of the country itself. His work has appeared in National Geographic, TIME, Vanity Fair, and countless major publications, earning international acclaim for its scale, artistry, and emotional depth.
Now, as America approaches its 250th anniversary, Wilkes brings those experiences together in a powerful visual retrospective. America at 250 is a sweeping celebration of the people, places, and moments that have shaped the nation across generations. Through stunning imagery and firsthand stories from behind the lens, Wilkes reflects on resilience, innovation, division, unity, and the enduring character of America itself.
Blending photography, storytelling, and history, this presentation offers audiences a rare opportunity to see America through the eyes of one of its great visual chroniclers. Timely, emotional, and visually unforgettable, America at 250 invites audiences to reflect not only on where the country has been, but where it may be headed next.
𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟒-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞. 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫.