Our country is torn apart by ideology, and this question lies at the heart of the division. We ask you to consider this question through the lens of a people living through a pandemic, looking for solutions that we can use to rebuild a united normal.

We invite you to send your reflections, essays, artwork and creative writing to let us know: In the face of pandemic, what does it mean to be an American?

Please stay on point and  refrain from criticizing other belief systems. Send writings and artwork with your name and town of residence to copyeditor@riverreporter.com or call our response line at 845/252-7414, ext 137.

We’ll curate and publish your responses online and inprint. The deadline is Friday, June 26.

This is the first prompt of our monthly conversation experiment.