The Democracy Center Invites the Community to Share Their “Wish for America” Ahead of Nation’s 250th Birthday

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) invites the community to view wishes for America in the Historic Building display window next to the Democracy Center. As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, community members can view this exhibit and reflect on the nation’s future. They can also add their own wishes and explore wishes from across the nation at OnOur250th.org. The wishes that follow are a part of the Democracy Center’s Wish Wall.

“I wish for Americans to rediscover the vision of our founders to create a democracy that allows all of us to fulfill our right to LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS... while respecting and honoring people of all cultures, religion, and background. CELEBRATE our beautiful diversity.” —R.T. 2025

“Happy 250th! I hope our country will open its eyes and see citizens and people of our nation as one. I love the diversity of my community and I pray and hope everyday that will continue to grow and strengthen.” —Juna

“My wish is for greater national unity and for us to return to standing as a country united in serving all its citizens.” —Phyllis 

Coordinated by Made By Us, the initiative rolled out nationwide across dozens of museums, libraries, parks, community hubs and gatherings, and has created a powerful experience for individuals to participate in envisioning—and then shaping—the future. Since the summer of 2025, more than thirty Wish Walls have been held and seventy more are planned, from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and The New York Historical to smaller, local hosts. 

“The Wish Wall gives everyone a voice in imagining what comes next,” said James E. Herr, the director of the Democracy Center. “It’s a simple act of hope—and a collective snapshot of what we value most as a nation.”

“We are so glad to have people from so many different backgrounds and perspectives participate in the Wish Wall experience,” said Caroline Klibanoff, the executive director at Made By Us. “We all have a role to play in shaping history, and these installations offer everyone an easy way to get started.”

Wish Walls across the country are accompanied by civic dialogue programs, volunteering opportunities, creative performances and educational events. Find a Wish Wall at tinyurl.com/wishwalls and visit OnOur250th.org for more information.

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About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over one hundred exhibitions onsite while traveling forty exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @jamuseum.

About the Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center)

The Democracy Center is a place where visitors can examine the Asian American experience, past and present, and talk about race, identity, social justice, and the shaping of democracy. It convenes and educates people of all ages about democracy to transform attitudes, celebrate culture, and promote civic engagement; educates and informs the public and public officials about important issues; creates strength within and among communities to advocate for positive change; and explores the values that shape American democracy. The Democracy Center looks for solutions that engage communities in self-advocacy, explore the evolving idea of what it means to be an American, and result in actions that bring everyone together. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; Democracy Center programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @democracyjanm.