How do we build belonging in place?
Places shape our memories, identities, relationships, and sense of community. How can we create places where people feel seen, connected, and invested in one another and their shared futures?
Moderated by writer Wright Thompson, this interdisciplinary exchange brings artists, community leaders, and cultural practitioners together to explore how communities create, preserve, and reinterpret meaning through place, and how the built environment can support connection, civic participation, and community well-being.
The event celebrates the 45th anniversary of MacArthur’s Fellows Program and its spirit of “Defying Boundaries."
Program Schedule
5 pm: Doors open & reception
6 pm: Program begins
8 pm: Program ends
Conversation featuring:
Wright Thompson Writer and journalist exploring the ties between place, history, and legacy.
Carol Coletta Urbanist and civic leader transforming public spaces through community-driven approaches.
Chris Cornelius Architect whose work draws on Indigenous knowledge and traditions to reimagine contemporary architecture.
Ted Jojola Educator and practitioner working on culturally informed approaches to indigenous regional planning.
Glenn LaRue Smith Landscape architect whose work centers on cultural landscapes and the spatial histories of Black communities.
Tonika Lewis Johnson* Photographer and social justice artist documenting Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Carol Mockbee Designer, daughter, and steward of architect Samuel Mockbee’s legacy.
Kate Orff* Landscape architect connecting public space, ecology, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship.
Damon Rich* Landscape architect connecting public space, ecology, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship.
Lily Song Activist-scholar and planner advancing reparative planning, spatial justice, and community-led practices.
Amber Wiley Scholar advancing the work of historic preservation and design narratives in Black communities.
Camilo Jose Vergara* Photographer-ethnographer who chronicles the transformation of urban landscapes across America.
*MacArthur Fellow.
Defying Boundaries: MacArthur Fellows at 45
This moment calls for creative courage. For 45 years, MacArthur Fellows have expanded the boundaries of possibility by questioning conventions, crossing disciplines, and driving collective progress. Throughout 2026, the Foundation is celebrating the groundbreaking work of the Fellows and inspiring public dialogue through a series of nationwide events and conversations. Learn more at macfound.org/fellows-45.