Part of the Wheeler’s ongoing Changemaker Speaker Series, A250 Portrait of a Nation features Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Deanne Fitzmaurice in an illustrated talk marking America’s 250th anniversary and Colorado’s 150th. Offered free to the public with advance RSVP required, the program reflects a shared commitment to access, civic dialogue, and storytelling that sparks reflection and connection. 

Drawing from nearly forty years as a photojournalist—including her tenure at the San Francisco Chronicle and assignments for National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and ESPN—Fitzmaurice revisits defining chapters of recent American history. Her work spans the AIDS crisis, the Loma Prieta earthquake, marriage‑equality rulings, climate events, and cultural touchstones from professional sports to Route 66. 

Central to the presentation is her Pulitzer Prize–winning photographic essay chronicling the recovery of a wounded Iraqi boy, anchoring a broader meditation on resilience, humanity, and the role of visual journalism in shaping national memory. As part of the Changemaker Speaker Series, A250 Portrait of a Nation highlights the power of storytelling to deepen understanding during moments of historic significance. 

This is a free, but ticketed, community event; advance RSVP is encouraged to secure reservations.