Life in the Box: America 250 Visualized
March 29, 2026
After decades of writing for television, I have lots of confidence in my writing skills, especially in simplifying complex problems into “edible” essays. However, this past year’s high-speed devolution of America’s institutions, checks and balances, and underlying principals has knocked me off my feed (and my feet!)
At the 250th anniversary of America, I have a lot to say, none of it short and pithy. Ouch. Thank goodness that Escape into Life has the essays and insights from Basel Al-Aswad. But even he has to make summaries, as there is not room to list all the individual excesses of anti-liberalism, federalism, and fascism taking place in our country.
In the past year, I’ve turned my creativity towards non-verbal outlets, like photo-art. I belong to a camera club and share various visuals through this club and a few other ways.
Now I’m contemplating an assignment from them: visualize “America 250.”
Is there a way to visualize 2026 in a positive, flag-waving way? Not for me. Long-standing American ideals are being rejected by the current government, and all the images I can think of creating are sad, angry, black and white with a drop of blood.
A KKK hood with a sword? A stack of protest signs being shot or burned? The flag in sad shape? Billionaires stuffing ballot boxes while the rest of us watch in chains? People standing on a cliff with no guard rail?
At the recent No Kings rally, I took note of the non-verbal signs. One online photo showed the Statue of Liberty crying. That would work for my project, but I don’t live in New York. I have been looking for an Iowa angle. A cow or pig crying? Corn flopping over? 250 years ago, this entire area was a nature preserve featuring buffalo, prairies, forests, wetlands, and, oh, yes, native people. They could be crying, for sure!
Sometimes I wish I could think of a way to visually encapsulate a major truth that would make a difference; that would pierce the Maga bubble. No ideas come to my mind.
Or, I could visualize 250 reasons for hope. Maybe just my photos from the No Kings rally? There were hundreds of people there.
I think these protesters represent the real American majority, but we need to work hard to gain back our power. The visual for that? I’m still working on it.
Nancy Heather Brown is a retired, Emmy Award-winning television producer whose career has included interviewing, writing, narrating and editing for a span of four decades. Today, she enjoys learning new things and reflecting upon the creative process and life issues, both inside and outside the box. Her opinions are her own, and are not necessarily those of this web site. She’s now showing photos on Smug Mug: https://nancybrown.smugmug.com/
Via Basel: Could This Be My Last Column?
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