Military family members and their communities came together last night to help shape the America250 commemoration with its Community Conversations: Military Families online event co-moderated by America250 staffers Dr. Megan Springate and Dr. Carleen Carey. Panelists included Major General Peggy Combs (Ret.), U.S. Army; Kathy Roth-Douquet, co-founder and CEO of Blue Star Families; Jennifer Dane, executive director of the Modern Military Association of America; and Emily Dixon, military spouse and former U.S. Air Force weather officer.

Designed to create engaging conversations around how America250 can support military families, the 90-minute discussion illuminated the sacrifice of military members and their families, the need for a diversity and inclusion lens applied to the program’s creation process, and their hopes for America’s future.

“America250 gives us an opportunity to tell not only the story of what we do for the country, but the story of what all of us can do for this country,” said Roth-Douquet. “We all built this country, everyone who has ever been part of it. It is a DIY (do-it-yourself) project. The more we can share that spirit of self-creation, I think the closer that brings us to our neighbors.”

Dane emphasized the importance of bringing awareness to the untold and, “hidden figures in our history” by suggesting efforts focus on, “recognizing the trials and tribulations that were faced and looking at what we have done to rectify those situations and the progress we have done as a country and as a culture to change those experiences.”

America250 will be hosting Community Conversations regularly through 2026. Stay tuned for the next two conversations with members of LGBTQ+ communities in September 2021 and representatives from U.S. territories in November 2021.

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