America Me: 250 Years of Promise and Prejudice

On Monday, July 27, 2026, Rhizome DC hosts “America Me: 250 years of Promise & Prejudice,” a seminar presented by activist and author Pelumi Olatinpo. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the program holds a critical mirror up to the nation’s founding ideology, examining the 19th-century doctrine of Manifest Destiny and its lasting legacy of violence and oppression. Drawing on his own experience as an American-Nigerian immigrant, Olatinpo confronts the tension between the promise of equality and unalienable rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the historical realities of empire. The evening incorporates live readings from his social commentary *Manifest Destiny* as well as his earlier poetry collection *Poeta: Sonetas and Sonnets*, blending political analysis with personal reflection.

When: Monday, July 27, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Tickets: Free admission; RSVP requested

Lineup: Pelumi Olatinpo — activist, author of *Manifest Destiny* and *Poeta: Sonetas and Sonnets*

Run time: 3 hours (7:00–10:00 PM)

Ages: Not specified; likely all ages, but no explicit age restriction is given

Venue: Rhizome DC

Note: The seminar includes readings from Olatinpo’s works and a critical examination of American history and identity in the context of the nation’s 250th anniversary