The cover art for Late-Stage American Empire? brings the conference’s themes into vivid focus through a digital collage set in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

At its heart are three murals by Puerto Rican artists—Cristian J. Roldán Aponte’s Taino Staircase, and two works from Colectivo Moriviví, ¡Borinquen me llama! and Freshpaint Springfield 2022—each layered onto colonial-era (and beyond) architecture to evoke a striking dialogue between historical legacy and contemporary resistance.

These powerful works also appear throughout our conference materials, including the printed program and on-site signage. While originally created in different community contexts, the artists generously gave their blessing for these pieces to be incorporated into the conference’s visual identity. The final assemblage was composed by our in-house graphic artist, and reflects an interpretive remix—one that honors the spirit and impact of the original murals while inviting reflection on the layered dynamics of empire, place, and protest.

We are deeply grateful to Cristian Roldán (also appearing in the conference program) and Colectivo Moriviví for their generosity and trust. Their art continues to inspire dialogue and collective imagination—an ethos that sits at the core of this gathering. The recurring image of the monarch butterfly, symbolizing migration, transformation, and endurance across borders, weaves through the collage as a shared emblem of survival and possibility.