Each year, Barnard College observes Constitution Day (September 17), which commemorates the formation and signing of the United States Constitution in 1787.
To mark the occasion, the Office of Community Engagement and Inclusion (CEI) and President Laura Rosenbury will host the event "We All Belong in the Preamble" on September 19, with a screening of the film What the Constitution Means to Me.
Directed by Marielle Heller, the 2020 film captures a performance of the hit Broadway show of the same name, which stars playwright and actor Heidi Schreck. In the show, Schreck revisits her teenage years, during which she earned her entire college tuition by giving speeches about the Constitution at American Legion halls for prize money. The film traces the profound ways in which the document impacted four generations of women in her family and grapples with social issues such as domestic abuse, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and abortion.
The screening will be followed by a talk with President Rosenbury, who will discuss the different themes addressed by the film, what the Constitution means to her, the impact of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, and more. President Rosenbury will conclude her talk with a Q&A with students.