1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I write to you with deep admiration for the Kennedy Center’s unparalleled commitment to the arts and to urge you to preserve its name as an enduring tribute to President John F. Kennedy. For more than half a century, this institution has carried forward the spirit of a leader whose vision for culture, creativity, and civic engagement inspired a nation. To rename this beacon after a figure whose connection to the performing arts is neither historic nor transformative risks severing that profound link and diluting the center’s legacy. The Kennedy Center is more than a venue for performances—it is a living memorial. It embodies our collective promise to champion artistic expression, to elevate voices across disciplines, and to foster cross-cultural dialogue. President Kennedy believed that the arts are an essential bridge between peoples and ideas. When we remove his name, we erase a cornerstone of American cultural diplomacy and weaken the narrative that great leadership and creative innovation walk hand in hand. Renaming the center for Melania Trump would inject partisan politics into a space meant to transcend political divides. While every first lady brings her own interests to the White House, none have left a comparably lasting impact on the national arts scene. Melania Trump’s initiatives, however well-intentioned, have focused on issues quite distinct from theatrical and musical patronage. To retroactively crown this grand institution in her honor would blur the line between public service as art’s champion and public office as a platform for personal branding. Moreover, this proposal overlooks the profound contributions of the Kennedy family, not only in inaugurating the center but in sustaining its mission through countless philanthropic and civic endeavors. Jacqueline Kennedy’s hands-on dedication to its design and opening ceremonies stands in stark contrast to a gesture that would be purely nominal. The choice of name is not a mere label; it is a reflection of values, history, and the promise of inspiration. We owe it to future generations of artists, scholars, and audiences to safeguard that symbolic integrity. If you wish to recognize contemporary champions of public service, I implore you to consider an alternative path. Establish a new program, gallery, or fellowship in Melania Trump’s name, one dedicated to causes she truly advanced, such as anti-bullying initiatives or children’s well-being. This approach allows us to honor her contributions without dismantling a foundational tribute to a presidency that placed the arts at America’s cultural forefront. In preserving the Kennedy Center’s name, you reaffirm a timeless pact: that creativity transcends politics, that art unites rather than divides, and that we honor those who have genuinely shaped our cultural landscape. Let us keep the Kennedy name as a beacon for all who believe in the transformative power of performance and the enduring promise of public service.