Practical talks for libraries, educators, and cultural organizations on facilitating conversations about American narratives.

LET'S DO MORE THAN CELEBRATE AMERICA'S BIRTHDAY

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JANE AWESOME, ACME CO.

About Michelle's Approach

Michelle's talks are practical, not theoretical. She doesn't lecture about what's wrong with America; she shows audiences how to facilitate better conversations about it.

Her speaking draws from In Dialogue with America, a year-long reading project that pairs novels with history books to explore American narratives. She demonstrates this "dialogue pairing" method live, walks through facilitation techniques, and gives audiences actionable frameworks they can use immediately.

Whether speaking to librarians, educators, or cultural programmers, she focuses on how to hold complexity without creating conflict, and how to design programs that invite genuine reflection rather than performative debate.

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JANE AWESOME, ACME CO.

Jane Awesome Speaking Topics

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Speaking Topics

America at 250: Rethinking Our Story

Best for: Cultural institutions, humanities councils, museums, civic organizations

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, what does it mean to celebrate with honesty rather than nostalgia? This talk explores how we can use this milestone to revisit founding narratives, center marginalized voices, and imagine a more inclusive future.

Michelle introduces In Dialogue with America as a model for public humanities programming that engages communities in reflection without falling into partisan battles.

Institutions learn how to frame America's semiquincentennial as an opportunity for cultural reckoning, not just celebration.

Pairing Fiction and History: A Method for Deeper Learning

Best for: Educators, academic conferences, teaching & learning programs

What happens when we pair a novel with a historical work and ask students to explore them in dialogue? This talk demonstrates how the "dialogue pairing methodology" creates layered understanding—using story to build empathy and history to provide context.

Michelle shares the framework behind In Dialogue with America and how it can be adapted for classrooms, seminars, and humanities programs.

Educators leave with a clear structure for building curriculum that balances rigor with accessibility.

Beyond the Book Club: Hosting Conversations That Go Deeper

Best for: Public libraries, book clubs, community reading programs

How do you move a book discussion beyond opinions and plot summary into genuine exploration? This talk introduces the "dialogue pairing" method—reading fiction and history in conversation—and offers practical facilitation techniques that help groups hold complexity, explore multiple perspectives, and build understanding rather than just debate positions.

Audiences learn how to design discussions that invite reflection, not just reaction.