America is Hard to See: What Art Can Teach Us About Being American

At our nonprofit, we’ve always believed in the power of diverse voices and experiences. Our mission is to foster inclusivity by providing spaces where different perspectives are not just welcomed but celebrated. This commitment to equity and diversity is at the core of everything we do, especially when it comes to engaging with difficult and complex issues.

With the election now behind us and the results in, many students have come to us with challenging questions. They’re grappling with the outcome, trying to understand what it means for the future of our country. These are tough questions, but they’re an important part of growing up in America. As we listen to their concerns, we’re reminded of the second-ever issue of Outside the Lines, titled "America is Hard to See."

Preview of our Outside The Line Issue 2: America Is Hard To See.

This issue, aimed specifically at American students, encouraged readers to confront the complexity of defining America. The title itself captures the difficulty of truly understanding the country’s ethos: America is vast, diverse, and continually evolving, making it hard to neatly categorize. In that issue, we invited students to reflect on their own experiences and to consider how others perceive the country. We emphasized that America is not a single story, but many stories interwoven into one national narrative.

At the heart of that conversation lies art. Art has always served as a lens through which we can explore and express our identity. Whether through painting, literature, music, or performance, art allows individuals to reflect on and communicate their personal understanding of the world. In the context of the election and the current political climate, art offers a unique opportunity to examine the varied experiences of Americans and how they relate to the larger questions of justice, identity, and belonging.

Much like art, the difficult questions our students are asking don’t come with easy answers. But art teaches us to sit with ambiguity, to challenge our assumptions, and to look at the world from different angles. As we discuss issues like the election’s results, identity, or the future of democracy, we should encourage young people to see the full spectrum of perspectives. Just as art can capture multiple truths and interpretations, so too can the conversation about what it means to be American.

Talking about tough subjects—whether it’s the results of an election or the deeper questions of race, class, and justice—requires a willingness to listen, reflect, and engage thoughtfully. It’s not about providing simple solutions, but about helping students develop the skills to think critically, empathetically, and independently.

So, we invite you, whether you're a student, educator, or supporter, to reflect with us. What does it mean to be American? What do the varied perspectives that make up our country reveal about who we are and who we aspire to be? Through art and conversation, we can begin to see America more clearly, not as a monolith, but as a collection of diverse stories and experiences.

Let's continue to reflect, engage, and create—because through these conversations, much like the act of creating art itself, we can uncover new ways to understand what it means to live in this complex, beautiful country we call home.