EP 1: A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHANIE MARONEY AND ERICA KOHL-ARENAS
In the first episode of Gathering Whispers for this season, we talk to IA Managing Director, Stephanie Maroney (left) and IA Faculty Director Erica Kohl-Arenas (right), who give us a sneak-peek at what we can expect to experience and learn at the 2026 IA National Gathering. Stephanie shares hightlights from the Call for Participation, and Erica gives us some insight about this moment of transition for IA (which is moving to Penn State on July 1, 2027) and how it will be celebrated at this year’s gathering.
Special thanks to Phontoniq for providing original music for this series. This episode was edited and produced by Anuj Vaidya.
More Information About the 2026 IA National Gathering
Register by August 14, 2026 for Early Bird Rates!
Registration is your ticket to full participation in this three-day immersive experience.
IA members receive one free and discounted registration rates for the IA National Gathering.
If you’re not already a member, reach out to connect@imaginingamerica.org to get started!
Opening Plenary Speaker: Alexis Pauline Gumbs
The 2026 IA National Gathering opening plenary features Queer Black Feminist Love Evangelist Alexis Pauline Gumbs speaking on “Every Night”: June Jordan and the Orbit of Freedom.
Gumbs is a former PAGE fellow and the inaugural recipient of the IA Julie Ellison Vision Award; she is/they are the author of several books, most recently Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde and the award-winning Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals.
Learn More About Our Community Partners
Thank You Sponsors
Sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 Imagining America National Gathering are designed to help promote and advance your organization’s priorities while deepening engagement with the IA National Gathering theme. Options are customizable by contacting IA Managing Director Stephanie Maroney at srmaroney@ucdavis.edu.
Funding has been provided by California Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
