Homework Due May 31: Write a "Dear Stranger" Letter
Join the more than 1,000 Oregonians who have intentionally sought to learn from their neighbors around the state.
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Kevin Frazier edits The Oregon Way between Zoom classes at the UC Berkeley School of Law. He proudly calls Oregon home, having grown up in Washington County and attended UO.
What is an object, trait, knowledge, or belief you possess that has value to you? How did you determine its value? When did you begin to recognize its value?
That’s one of the recommended prompts for Oregon Humanities’ “Dear Stranger” project. It’s a recurring letter exchange that pairs Oregonians together to learn more about the “experiences, beliefs, and ideas” of others.
OH reports that more than 1,000 Oregonians have exchanged letters through the project since 2014. I think we should increase that number by an order of magnitude. Imagine the new relationships, connections, and lessons that would emerge from 1,000,000 Oregonians intentionally seeking out a new friend (most likely one outside of their zip code).
The process is easy: sign a release form, write your letter, and then send it to OH. Return letters will then be mailed to you down the road.
The power of this project is turning “strangers” into “neighbors.” It’s no secret that humans tend to fear or, at a minimum, derive anxiety from the unknown. Oregonians are no exception. I’m convinced that the barriers (real and perceived) dividing our communities can be significantly lowered by simply expanding how familiar Oregonians are with their neighbors of different beliefs, backgrounds, and geographies.
That’s why I’ll be joining the Dear Stranger campaign and I think you should as well. If you’re joining, please leave a comment below saying as much — let’s make sure people see just how many of us are going to take part in this important exchange.
Here’s the letter I’m planning on writing:
This small cardboard stand with an RFK quote is of immense value to me. Initially, I treasured it just because I treasured the message—to never be content, to never rely solely on a single source of motivation, and to always hold myself accountable—and the messenger—RFK was one of the last politicians sincerely interested in improving the lives of others, not for electoral gain but simply for the well-being of his fellow Americans. Sure, RFK had his faults, but you’d struggle to find a public servant more worthy of admiration and emulation.
Over time, this little stand has become even more important because of its giver—my dad. I’ve come to realize how fortunate I am to have grown up in a family, community, and culture that rewards engagement, participation, and innovation. My dad passed his love for politics and policy on to me in numerous ways, including through this small stand. Now, every glance at it not only reminds me of my political role model, but also a more familiar figure from whom I aspire to learn.
Whenever I’m tired, frustrated, or languishing, I look to this stand, which sits on the corner of my desk. RFK reminds me to push ahead. My dad reminds me of my obligation to pay it forward. The cumulative impact is a restoration of my drive to change Oregon—to make it a place where everyone feels like the future holds promise and belongs to them.
I’m participating in this project because I want to learn more about what that future looks like for Oregonians in every corner of the state. I hope you’ll help me out.
What do you hope for in the future with respect to your family, your community, and our state? What are you not content with today? What are you doing to change it? How can I and other Oregonians be of assistance to you?
My hope for my family is grounded in my niece. I think a lot about her future — will she attend good schools? will she have clean air to breathe and water to drink? will she have the same opportunities I did to explore the outdoors, meet other Oregonians, and pursue her projects? will her vote matter? will her representatives fight for her or for themselves?
My hope for my community is for a future where homelessness is a thing of the past and social institutions come back from dormancy. We need “glue” individuals and organizations—folks committed to identifying what connects us, rather than what divides us. That’s why I am so thankful for The Oregon Way community — it’s a blog I help run; it focuses on sharing nonpartisan, pragmatic, and statewide perspectives. I think it’s done a lot of “gluing” but it has the potential to bring even more people together.
My hope for my state is a revelation—that we collectively break free from a political system that has given power to special interests, reduced our thinking to “blue” and “red,” and built up a party industrial complex that benefits from continued gridlock rather than problem solving. Oregon used to have a reputation of strong, visionary leadership capable of bringing the entire state together—connecting us despite differences of ideology and background. I trust that the future will belong to the states capable of identifying and electing such leaders and I think Oregonians are up for the task.
Thanks for being a part of this project and, in advance, for sharing your vision of the future.
To a better Oregon,
Kevin
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