I grew up in an extremely religious, conservative home. I know exactly what “art” through a conservative lens looks like—everything is off limits unless it serves the sole purpose of “glorifying God.” There’s no room for nuance, no room for the messiness of being human. The result? Soulless works that cannot touch the depths of our shared humanity.

The ousting of Deborah Rutter and Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center terrifies me. What incredible works of art will be snuffed out because they don’t fit into the narrow, sanitized box demanded by Christian Nationalism and MAGA? Art that challenges, that reveals, that connects us in our rawest, truest selves—is it doomed to wither under this oppressive vision?

This is more than just one person being ousted or one board being overtaken. This is a symptom of a broader movement to control and weaponize culture, to suppress anything that doesn’t align with their worldview. It makes me sick. It makes me furious. I am so angry that my daughter will grow up in a world where beauty, thought, and self-expression could be stripped away by the very people entrusted to protect them.

I can’t even talk to my parents right now—they voted for this. Not once, but three times. They voted for a world that robs their granddaughter of art, of freedom, of a future that embraces difference. I feel so much bitterness and rage, and it’s not just personal—it’s existential.

The arts are a reflection of who we are as a people. What does it say when we let power-hungry leaders dictate which stories are “acceptable”? Art deserves to be bold, messy, brave, and unafraid. It deserves to be human. We can’t let this assault on our culture stand.

Go here to read the NPR article: Former Kennedy Center president speaks out in first interview since her firing