The announcement of the Democracy & Debate Theme Semester marks the first session for artist Sheryl Oring’s I Wish to Say, curated by Stamps Gallery and co-presented by the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. Individuals using typewriters invite participants, via Zoom, to dictate a postcard to the future president. These cards—which will be mailed to the new president after the inauguration in January 2021—will form a virtual exhibit at Stamps Gallery, part of Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design.

In a related initiative of the theme semester, composer Lisa Bielawa’s musical work “Voters’ Broadcast” will weave together selected texts collected through I Wish to Say. The piece, launching in September, will be performed in installments as it is created throughout fall 2020.