05/22/2026
Thursday brought together a lot of the themes of politics, culture, and art we’d been talking about all semester.
The day began at the Turkish Ambassador’s Residence, where Ambassador Sedat Önal welcomed the group and spoke about the importance of international diplomacy and cultural connection. The residence itself reflects a long history of cultural exchange, as it was designed by an American architect who worked in the Ottoman Empire and later became the home of the Ertegün family. The Ertegün brothers, who loved jazz and frequently hosted parties at the residence, went on to found Atlantic Records!
In the afternoon, we visited the Mexican Cultural Institute. Our guide at the institute took us through the history of the murals that Roberto Cueva del Río painted there, and the building itself. This was a great opportunity to connect course discussions of the Mexican muralist movement with works we viewed in person.
The program concluded with a farewell dinner at El Rey in the Navy Yard, where we gathered alongside the alumna and donor whose support helped make the experience possible. Thank you, Karen, and thank you to all the amazing people that have taken time to meet with us in DC. 💙💛
