Nebraskans Invited to Be 'Dear Strangers'

Humanities Nebraska (HN) has announced another round of its letter-exchange program, “Dear Stranger.” Originally conceived by Oregon Humanities, “Dear Stranger” connects people from all over the state by inviting Nebraskans to write a letter to someone they’ve never met.

“Winter is a wonderful time to connect with another Nebraskan by writing a letter,” said Mary Yager, associate director. “We expect participants from across the state and from many different backgrounds, and we look forward to sharing what Nebraskans think about weather and climate.”

The premise is simple: Write a letter, get a letter, and make a new connection. Humanities Nebraska will match each letter received with a counterpart from a different part of the state. After the first anonymous exchange, each pair of letter writers is free to share contact information to continue the conversation.

For letter writers who are interested, HN has offered the following prompt for this round of letters, which must be postmarked by February 15, 2022. Participants are encouraged to address the theme in any way they choose:

There’s been a lot of talk about weather and climate this past year. Share a story about a time when weather impacted you. With a global focus on climate change, how are you feeling about what it might mean for Nebraskans?

Letters can be as short or long as a writer likes (even a postcard) and can take any form and include any enclosures that will fit in a first-class envelope. Participants should send their letters to Humanities Nebraska with a signed participation form, available online at humanitiesnebraska.org. Letters should be addressed to Dear Stranger, c/o Humanities Nebraska, 215 Centennial Mall South Suite 330, Lincoln, NE, 68508.

Questions about the program should be sent to [email protected].

Humanities Nebraska is a private nonprofit with a mission to help Nebraskans explore what connects us and makes us human. HN is funded in part by the NEH, an appropriation from the Nebraska Legislature, private donations, and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, a public-private partnership with state dollars matching private dollars to benefit the arts and humanities in Nebraska. Additional support for Dear Stranger has been provded byPostscript (Ashland, Nebraska).