Connecticut Leaders Launch National Mobilization to Shape America's 250th Anniversary Celebrations

Black Press Media USA

Press Briefing and Town Hall to Elevate Declaration of Interdependence, Anchor Nationwide July 4 Actions, and Position Connecticut at the Center of the Next 250 Conversation 

Press must to RSVP HERE to attend

Hartford, CT—On Wednesday, March 18,  from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, at the Lyceum Center in Hartford, local and national leaders affiliated with the Next 250 initiative will convene a town hall focused on building toward a major national mobilization in the lead up to July 4 and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Hartford gathering is being organized alongside the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Supporting Organizing Work CT, A Better Way Foundation, She Leads Justice, and other regional partners. Organizers will highlight Connecticut’s historic and current role in the national semi-quincentennial conversation while bringing together youth leaders, community organizers, and civic advocates to discuss what the next 250 years of American democracy should look like.

Next250, a national initiative dedicated to uplifting all Americans, unveiled its Declaration of Interdependence on September 3 at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Declaration issues a historic call for all U.S. residents to unite as a nation and community for a better future over the next 250 years. As the initiative moves from city to city, organizers are inviting and encouraging Connecticut organizations, community leaders, and individuals to add their names as signatories to the Declaration as it travels across the country, including at the Hartford town hall event.

Shaped by more than 2,500 voices, the Declaration reflects the full tapestry of the nation's people, histories, and dreams. Next250 intends for this document to be the foundation for mobilizing communities across the country and empowering them to build a promising future where everyone can thrive through policy and collective action

Organizers say the March 18 town hall will highlight Connecticut’s role in this broader civic effort, elevate youth leadership in the conversation, and connect local organizing to the growing national mobilization tied to the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary. 

The gathering will also feature installation artwork on display by labor activist Wyatt Closs, titled “We Be Going”  alongside musical performances and cultural programming. On the arts and visuals side, organizers are calling on local artists and activists to contribute works as part of a broader creative mobilization that will build toward nationwide July 4 events and public actions tied to the Declaration of Interdependence.

The Hartford event follows a recent Next250 town hall in Pittsburgh and is part of a growing series of regional convenings designed to build momentum toward a massive mobilization taking place across the country ahead of July 4.

Event Details:

WHAT: Next250 Connecticut Town Hall and National Mobilization Conversation

WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 2026; 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

WHERE: Lyceum Center (227 Lawrence Street Hartford, CT 06106)

WHO:

• Linda Sarsour, Next250 organizer

• Karen DuBois-Walton, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

• Stephanie Thomas, Secretary of the State

• Shineika Fareus, Connecticut Black and Brown Student Union

• Teresa Quintana, Make the Road Connecticut

• Khloé Lawson, Citywide Action Coalition New Haven

• Niasia Lindsey, Change Can't Wait Fellowship

• Reggy Saint Fortcolin, Fridgeport, Bridgeport Green Space Coalition, Aspetuck Land Trust

• Dr. Justis Lopez

• The event will also feature performances from Hip Hop for the Homeless, Hartford’s Proud Drill, Drum and Dance Company and a community mural by Joey Batts.

MEDIA RSVP: Please  RSVP HERE to attend or request interviews

Visuals: Coalition partners standing alongside Pittsburgh community leaders; discussion of the Declaration of Interdependence framework; preview of national July 4 mobilization plans; organizers outlining next steps for coordinated action; performance art and live music from local creatives; community food offerings; and messaging presenting a counter-vision for how America will mark its 250th anniversary and what the next chapter of the country should look like.

Background: The Next 250 initiative, led nationally by organizers including Linda Sarsour, Saru Jayaraman, and Carmen Pérez, is working to shape the public conversation around the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Through the Declaration of Interdependence, organizers aim to elevate historically excluded voices and build a forward-looking civic agenda rooted in shared responsibility and democratic participation. The Connecticut town hall marks a key step in mobilizing communities ahead of coordinated national actions this summer.