Inspires Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through the power of storytelling, uses photography, travel, and creative expression to help people share their experiences and connect with one another. Through its programs and exhibitions, the foundation creates welcoming spaces where people from different backgrounds can learn from other perspectives, celebrate their unique stories, and create opportunities to build meaningful connections.
Created in recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary, I Dream America is the foundation’s inaugural traveling storytelling exhibition. I Dream America is a community engagement experience that brings together 20 different storytellers that encourages conversation, celebrates individuality, and reminds visitors how every story contributes to the American narrative.
A signature element of the exhibition is the Story Mandala™, a creative storytelling tool designed and created by Inspires Foundation founder, Alysia Dempsey. Each Story Mandala™ provides a visual representation of a storyteller’s experiences, values, and dreams through a combination of images, words, and personal reflections, offering visitors a deeper look into the person behind each story and the moments that have shaped who they are.
Through storytelling and creative expression, I Dream America reflects Inspires Foundation’s mission to create spaces where people feel seen and heard, that celebrates diversity and continues to shape our nation’s story.