This is a link to my open letter video project on youtube.
Open Letter Text Assignment
Final Draft of Open Letter
Dear Director of the American Museum of Natural History,
You’ve been home to many of my school trips over the course of my academic career, and responsible for me meeting one of the coolest teachers I’ve met. Your exhibits are interesting and pretty diverse, which is something that can be lacking in many other places. There are some things though that can be problematic, the main one being the prices people must pay to see your exhibits.
History is said to be taught so that it may never be repeated. If your museum is about history, why does it cost so much for people to learn it? This hurts those who live in lower class families because it prevents them from possibly learning history they might find intriguing. Don’t you think that the more people learn about history, the better off they can be? You claim on your website that the museum was made for those with a passion of discovery, but if they can’t pay the entrance fee, the only thing they can discover is the front door. Your ticket prices for regular entry without any of the fancier exhibits is $23 for adults and $13 for children. If a family wanted to come and see your butterfly exhibit, the ticket prices go up about $5. If the family wanted to see exhibits other than the butterfly exhibit, the prices go up about $10. Many lower class families already have to find a way to live paycheck to paycheck, and prices like these could really hurt their finances if they try to take out the family in a nice outing. The permanent exhibits are nice to look at, but many children really want to see the big, exciting colorful exhibits, which require an extra fee for entry.
In order to fulfill that idea of having the museum made for discovery, how about making the tickets cheaper so that those people can actually go see your exhibits, including the special shows? If this is a money issue, focus on the bigger picture. If the tickets are cheaper, the more people will want to go because odds are, you’ll be cheaper than many other museums around NYC. The more people want to go, the more tickets they will buy and the more people they will tell about the museum. Word of mouth goes a long way, and could really bring good publicity to the museum. In the end, you will have not only sold more tickets and made the museum look good by looking out for those in the lower class, but you would have accomplished your goal for the museum; to intrigue those with a passion of discovery. In the end, you’re in charge of what goes on, so it’s up to you whether or not you want to start that change. Everything I’m saying is just food for thought anyway.
A person with a passion for discovery,
Kaelah Blanchette
Open Letter Final
Dear MoMA,
The Museum of Modern art is a fantastic cultural outlet. It brings up and coming art forms to the forefront and displays some of the best work. Although all of this art is being displayed for the public, one concern of mine is that it cannot be appreciated. The efforts to enhance our culture can be overlooked.
The MoMA does a good job at displaying lots of art; however, the modern and often abstract art displayed cannot be understood. Personally, I cannot understand, for example, a simple black rectangle. I don’t know why it has to be displayed in a selective museum that carefully curates each exhibit. I know that this is due to my naivety. An artist would not be praised for the mere simplicity of a rectangle. Any person can make the same outcome. Although I strive to understand, no matter how long I stare at the same piece of artwork I can only see so much. I will perhaps never fully understand certain artwork. Although artwork is to be interpreted, I cannot interpret a solid shape; that is all I see. I know this is not the artist’s fault, but at the same time I want to appreciate their works.
A resolution that I propose is a simple explanation, or discussion. Often times art pieces will have a short blurb, but this can be limited to the artist’s name, date and artwork name. Particularly abstract pieces need a more detailed breakdown. This explanation could consist of the artist’s mindset or reasoning when creating the piece. This is very easy to implement with the technology of the modern age. If museums do not want to have physical plaque, they can publish the information on a website or app. Essentially, this would be costless since most museums already have a website. With this knowledge, I would be able to appreciate the artwork and value. I would be admiring it for its meaning, not for the fact that it is displayed in a prestigious museum. This would open the museum to the common people, those who do not study art. The populous would be able to respect the artist and his or her work, rather than ignore, or even mock it.
Sincerely,
Dylan Senkiw
Open Letter to Guggenheim- final
Dear Guggenheim Museum,
Art is up to interpretation, but when would it then become too immoral to sought after a certain message? In terms of the piece named, “Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other”, where is the art in suffering? Yes, there are the priceless pieces of art work from history depicting the suffering of humans, however is there a comparison? Bringing this into perspective, the purpose for the art of history is to learn what is best not to be repeated. In terms of the video, these dogs were placed onto treadmills under the mentality of fighting for survival, what would further be the purpose?
So here lies the issue. For seven straight minutes, these dogs were attempting their hardest to attack one another. The depicted scenario acts as a double edged blade whereas these dogs also were depicted to be extremely likable to Pit-bulls, a breed of which already has a stained credibility of dog fighting. The breed is already facing legislative bans in several states and nations where they are to be euthanized or deemed illegal to breed for fear of public aggression. That general aspect aside, the eight dogs used in this demonstration of dare I say cruelty underwent high levels of stress that could further contribute to fatigue, disease, and early death. However, I digress.
The art exhibit does bring out two portions of human nature, as do most art forms. It shows the cruelty of some who are willing to subjugate other species to mistreatment for the “betterment” of human kind and the individuals who are willing to look past hubris and attempt to assist the voiceless. Not only was this art exhibit a strain for the animals involved, but it also acted as a media that showed the “acceptability” of animal mistreatment. Younger generations will hold onto the message depicted and continue this complex of false superiority over other species on the planet. So not only are children less likely to access this exhibit due to the needlessly graphic video, but individuals who appreciate, care, and love animals to any degree would show a greater hesitation in visiting such an exhibit. Not only will the museum lose business, but it will also have a tarnished reputation with the community it serves to enlighten.
A possible solution would be to single out the purpose. If this was to show a portion of “Art and China After 1989: Theater of the World”, then depict that time period. Rather than attempting to make new art based on the suffering of another species, focus the finances and purpose towards better understanding the time period and the reasons behind each piece of art. If dog fighting was in fact a pass time or source of entertainment during this time period, show other forms of art that depict the brutality without inflicting the cruelty to actual animals present day.
What would be the purpose of studying art and history if we are dooming ourselves to repeating the mistakes we learned not to make? The future of our species and that of others remains intertwined to the fate of the planet. In order to preserve our livelihoods, we must look past selflessness as go further towards equitable treatment of all living things as a community.
Best Regards,
Isaac Paredes
Open Letter Final Draft
Dear Metropolitan Museum of Art,
You are one of the most iconic art museums in the world, one that boasts having the largest collection of Asian artifacts. However,
I remember visiting you with my mother one day when I was little.
I remember seeing the huge exhibits focused on ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, the Renaissance era, etc.
I remember reading the lengthy and detailed descriptions about each ceramic button, each broken water jug.
I don’t remember seeing artwork with people who looked like me.
I remembered seeing only a few old paintings with Asians, with vague descriptions.
I remember visiting you again when I got older
We all noted that the exhibits that weren’t Eurocentric, were presented as “featured exhibits” that were separate from the main portion of the museum. The more permanent exhibits were mainly by white people, of white people, and really, for white people. Ancient hairpins didn’t necessarily thrill me; what significance did it have for me, how could I relate to this? This perpetuates the fame and praise of predominantly white art, and obscures the scope of art from which we learn and appreciate. I learned all about Renaissance techniques and Impressionism, Expressionism, etc, but what about ancient calligraphy that Korean letters were beautifully written in? The few “diverse” artworks that I have seen were vastly outnumbered, and the descriptions were painfully inaccurate, as if the handcrafted, beaded dress was not as significant to my own culture in comparison to the multiple shards of Greek pottery. I understand the value of European artwork, and its prominence throughout history, but history didn’t only happen in one place. We see the progression of history through the looking glass of large statues of the Renaissance world to the stained glass windows of the Medieval times. The world closer to my own, is frozen in the time of the Goryeo and the Joseon.
Sincerely,
Emily Suh
Teen Night at the Museum
Dear NYC Art Museums,
There are many museums that have attempted to reach out to children and families. While these platforms have helped and encouraged more families to come teens are still a less than welcomed group. Many museums have turned off younger audiences, middle school, and high school-aged students, in a number of ways. Hours are often difficult for students to manage with after school events and homework. And the typical museum’s attendants are not welcoming to younger crowds. Not to mention often times art is complex and difficult to digest.
Most museums are open during the workday. Unfortunately, this is means museums close only a few hours after school gets out. Students have difficulty making it to museums in this allotted time. Students have after-school obligations or simply must get their homework done before doing something else. There isn’t enough time on school afternoons for students to attend.
Obviously, there are weekends, and while this would solve the issue if the only conflict was the time, there are more factors that off put students. Teenagers are often seen as terrors or dangers, but believe it or not, many high school students opting to go to a museum in their free time are not there to wreak havoc. I personally have experienced judging glances and hushed whispers, side eyes and just general disapproval of my presence at more serious museums. This often isn’t because teenagers are trying to be disruptive, but more likely because it is just part of how they experience things. Teenagers are more social, and when trying to understand the complex works of art in sophisticated museums, head nods and long stares just won’t suffice.
Museums often put small one to two paragraph blurbs beside a piece of art. While for frequent attendants and well-versed art enthusiasts this is sufficient, for a teenager those blurbs just don’t cut it. The young adult brain has been trained to learn through lecture and lesson, and extensive reading, lots of facts and the ability to discuss the topic at hand. But art museums do not facilitate this and expect attendants to do it on their own. Younger audiences on the other hand normally won’t. Venturing into something by one’s self is a learned skill for things we have decided we love and need more of. However, teenagers are more likely to become frustrated or uninterested and decide to move on from it.
I propose night events that reach out to teens. Mainly focusing on high school students. These events could occur once a month on Friday nights during the school year. Where they can browse the museums but there is a portion to have a discussion about featured pieces and or a media presentation they could watch. Adding a discussion or analytical level has increased my own appreciation for art and could do wonders for many teens. Having an opportunity to discuss a piece adds more depth to something two-dimensional. And with the event open only to teenage students, the normal older crowd will not be in attendance. This would shift the mood of the museum, from tense and unwelcoming, to friendly and inviting. In addition, a food component would also be a huge draw. Either something simple like pizza available with the entrance fee or a snack bar that is open during the event. And of course, a sanctioned area for eating, as to keep the museum clean. But overall Fridays are a great time where young people don’t have school the next morning and are often looking for fun things to go out and do. An evening browsing the museum could not only be fun but extremely beneficial.
A young interest in art provides for a lifetime of more passionate interest in arts and culture generally. Gaining cultural interest and understanding adds to a person’s intellect. And if more kids gain knowledge about the surrounding world, more than just what social media and the news regurgitate, they will be better for it. And so, will this entire planet. Creating later visiting hours, and giving more digestible information will help teens get interested in art, and be more capable of applying what they’ve learned. The mind of a high school student is impressionable and waiting for the right people to imprint on it. The art museums of New York city should jump at the opportunity to do so.
Sincerely,
Elisa
Open Letter to the New York Times
Open Letter to the New York Times
Dear New York Times,
Where are the women? The journalism profession has been overwhelmingly dominated by men as long as it has existed. As the second biggest newspaper in the country with almost 10 million readers (not to mention the endless quoting and partial reprinting in other publications), it is time for you to take action. How is it that 69 percent of the articles that you publish are written by men? How is it that women make up two thirds of journalism graduates but men make up two thirds of newsrooms? Women in journalism go to the same schools as men, get the same grades, but have to yell twice as loud just to be heard. Not only that, but the stories that women do end up getting published are more likely to be health and lifestyle, whereas their male counterparts are more likely to get articles published on crime, justice, and world politics.
Women’s opinions matter. Out of your thirteen regular op-ed columnists, only two are women. Women make up 52 percent of New York City and 48.6 percent of its workforce, and your paper doesn’t reflect that. To expand your readership to the next generation, you need to pay more attention to your internal structure. The readership of the future will want to hear stories from diverse groups. Women’s perspectives and stories need to be told and women need to tell them.
Diversity of thought is necessary for articles to resonate. Take, for instance, your Frugal Traveler column. He travels the world on a tight budget, often suggesting staying in hostels and walking around cities at night. This column, however, is irrelevant to half of the population because it is written without the fear of sexual violence or kidnapping. He has written about China alone 52 times, the country with the highest rate of human trafficking. And no offense to the author, but it simply is not possible for a man to truly look through the lens of a woman’s life. As your very own columnist, Charles M. Blow, says, “a personally lived experience is a far cry from a passively learned experience.” Even if a man knew every woman’s story, it would still not be the same thing as a woman telling her own story.
As a newspaper, I assume you want to publish powerful pieces. Empathetic people will write those emotion-inducing stories and, as has been proven by multiple studies, women are more empathetic. Whether that is nature or nurture can be debated, but it yields the same result: women care more about other people. In a world where human rights issues are becoming more and more abundant, don’t you want people who will care?
A woman has to be the best of the best to be hired over some mediocre man. You can’t tell me that the two-thirds of men on your workforce are all high performing go-getters. Of course you have to be good to work at the New York Times, but why is it that a woman has to be great? In a study done by McKinsey&Company, gender balanced companies were shown to perform 15 percent better financially. You should be actively trying to change your corporate dynamic for the good of your company. You need to make sure your staff understands their own biases when hiring. Take, for instance, a recent Yale study that showed a significant bias in hiring. When professors were given identical resumes, one with the name John and one with the name Jennifer, they most often chose John over Jennifer, as well as offered him a higher starting salary. The results of this study provide one example of why educating hiring managers about their own bias is critical. What many successful businesses also do is hire consultants specifically to find and hire diverse candidates. They search for talent across the country, and sometimes the world, to find a diverse group of great people. You need to stop resting on your laurels, waiting for people to come to you. You need to go out and find the many incredible women that work in journalism and actively recruit them.
If you have to fire some of those mediocre men to make room for those women, so be it.
It’s a matter of your own survival.
Good luck,
DK Rule
Sources
http://www.nyc.gov/html/ceo/downloads/pdf/gender-briefs-report.pdf
https://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/still-talking-about-it-where-are-the-women/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19476221
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/29/opinion/checking-my-male-privilege.html
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters
Open Letter Final Draft – Shyann C.
Open Letter to the owner of BRONX ZOO
Dear Tracy Morgan,
As a child, I dreamt of working with animals in college. I even attended the Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation (an institution from which you often hire your employees) located 15 minutes from your Zoo, 2011 – 2013. Being from the hood, to put it frankly, my friends and I used our school -identification cards to get into the zoo for free on any day. We truly did love the animals and how much they mimicked us (or rather us them). But those blissful trips soon ended after high school. Without a job and a good reason for our parents, no one was willing to pay the elevating prices. Six years ago, admission to the Zoo was a mere 11 dollars give or take, mainly because for the attractions, such as the carousel, an extra 2 dollars per ride was to be paid. Now, the price is 20 dollars and 5 for the extra experiences, well the only real “experiences”. On top of this, there is an additional 15 -dollar fee when you pass the entry line. So, in total, excluding the likely 30 dollars on those extra rides, 40 bucks to enter a damned zoo? And no food allowed in the park, so jacked up prices inside to eat? You bet.
Animals hibernate, right? So as a reasonable person, I wonder: why do the prices stay so high when half of the animals aren’t available to be seen? Where’s the compromise? The Bronx Zoo’s revenue for 2016 was approximately 1 billion dollars, which is amazing for the animals (not all of the money goes to them and most of your employees make 9-13 dollars an hour) but what about the people who live there? It’s a tourist attraction after all, so why not have community events? Why not have more accessible discounts?
While many would argue that the money goes to the zoo, Mr. Morgan you are a very wealthy man with a net worth of 50 million dollars. I am sure you can afford to make the zoo experience more accessible to minorities (such as yourself). The zoo is yours so now and you have the power to make a difference. Prove that not all stars are the same.
This is America though. We have a choice not to go to the zoo. We can miss out on the opportunities, say no to our kids. But wouldn’t you agree that the expensiveness should be backed by safety? To know that my potential 100 bucks aren’t going to be a dreaded memory. Too many animals – dangerous ones- escape every year. Defunct elevators. Poor instructions by employees. Come on! Besides the adults, many of your consumers are children who do not get the protections they should. I’m not saying to wrap the place in bubble wrap, but more child safety would be appropriate. The water where the dolphins are could easily be invaded by a curious toddler. The trails make it easy to get stranded. If you make so much money, why not make it a safer experience? Give the people their money’s worth.
And so, while your love for animals is greatly appreciated, your greed and policies (food) are not. You are located in the South Bronx where almost everyone is in poverty. Where it is inexpensive because businesses know how to compromise. Why do kids have to miss out because it’s not even free for them? Free Wednesdays sound great until you realize one day out of seven translates to a traffic storm where no one actually enjoys the “experience”.
Thank you for reading,
Shyann A. Cooks
Open Letter Final Draft
Dear Staff of Ripley’s Believe It or Not,
I have always wanted to go to your attraction in Times Square, since I first heard about it in middle school. However, I have never had the time to. Things that are keeping me from going to Ripley’s are the price of the tickets, which are way too expensive, especially for a single person, and some of the exhibits and artifacts are outdated, even though I heard there is about five hundred something exhibits and artifacts in there. However, I am not really concerned about those two. My biggest concern is the fact that since it is located smack down in the middle of Times Square and has two floors, it may not be possible to fill a lot of people. That is the main change that I want to see. Although I am writing this letter to you guys, I am also advocating for all the people that have never had a single chance in their lives to go to Ripley’s, including me.
Two years ago, I went to Times Square to watch a movie with some friends. We were just walking around the neighborhood until we see people crowding around the entrance of Ripley’s. We checked the prices of the tickets, and we saw that the cost of one ticket alone is under twenty-four dollars, which is definitely not worth it. That is probably because it is considered a museum, so the tickets are supposed to be expensive. However, a lot of people cannot afford to pay twenty-four dollars for our own ticket, especially if they really want to go in
As mentioned before, the price of the tickets is the least of my worries. I am mostly worried about why it is such a small museum placed in the middle of Times Square. If you guys think this through, the museum is only two floors, so it can be very challenging to put a lot of people inside. Since there are so many people and tourists that want to go to Ripley’s, they would end up making a long line, and they would have to wait for their turns to see all the exhibits and artifacts inside. I might be crazy, but I really think it would be better if you guys moved to another location, perhaps somewhere where you can make a bigger space and put more exhibits and artifacts. If you think about it, look at the Liberty Science Center and how humongous it is. It can fit a lot of people, and its exhibits are very engaging at the same time. Therefore, I suggest that you guys can build a large place like the Liberty Science Center. That way, you guys are able to fit more people in.
Now, I know that you may not agree with me on this. You guys might think that you do not have enough money to move to a new location because not only will the money go towards construction, but also bringing in more exhibits and artifacts for people to see. However, because you guys have been catching the attention of many people and tourists around the city, doesn’t it make sense to move Ripley’s to a new location with more space? Of course, I am not demanding you to get a bigger space. Yet, this is just something that I suggest for the near future.
In conclusion, I just feel like Ripley’s needs to get bigger, and this is a major change that you guys should make to the museum if you want to attract more people, not just the tourists. Do not get me wrong, Ripley’s is a fun attraction to go to when we are not busy. However, it needs to be better and more engaging.
Sincerely,
Franklin Morel
Sources:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ripleys-believe-it-or-not-time-square-new-york
Open Letter to Broadway
Dear Financial Employees of Broadway,
As a frequent playgoer and avid Broadway fan, I am writing on behalf of the larger community who find themselves unable to attend a show because of the exorbitant prices of tickets. The productions on your stages prove to be icons for all of New York City. They are world renowned and widely considered a must see or a must do within someone’s lifetime. It is truly a shame that the ticket prices have skyrocketed, because the amount of people who could benefit from the lessons and messages that soar off your stages is tremendous.
As for the endless benefits that seeing a Broadway production has, there are countless examples. Some include “On Your Feet”, which was the musical production of lives of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and this show had tremendous value to the Latino community, the immigrant community, and it had an incredibly powerful political message as well. One of the most pivotal moments in the play was when Emilio and Gloria attempt to become cross over artists and end up being denied by their record label for being “too Latin.” At this moment, Emilio defies the record label, and explains his story of coming to America from Cuba. He explains that he is a citizen, and that he deserves every opportunity that he is willing to work toward; he says “look at my face, whether you know it or not, this is what an American looks like” (Dinelaris). This show brought the fact that immigrants are the one making America what it is today, and people who come from somewhere else but have made this country their home, are Americans and they have ambition, drive, and dedication. This show resonated with every person in the audience, and taught crucial lessons. Along with this, there are important messages in countless other productions. “Hamilton”, which tells the story of Alexander Hamilton in colonial America, tells the audience that through hard work, any goal can be achieved, no matter the obstacles. “Dear Evan Hansen” inspires adolescents to be who they truly are, and to never be afraid to stand up for what they believe in, and these are just some of the countless examples of incredibly profound stories across the Broadway stages today.
However, the price of tickets for these productions have skyrocketed to levels that are nearly completely unattainable for many people. Higher levels of attendance, combined with high levels of tourist and the ever-increasing cost of production of these magnificent events is contributing to the highest ticket prices that the city has seen in years. In fact, “theatergoers in New York forked over an average of $103.88 per ticket” (Ng), which is nearly six percent higher than the previous peak price. With prices this steep, how is it possible for people to see the shows that would inspire them, resonate with them, and foster a love for music and theater.
Since the theatre has so many values for almost every person with a desire to see a show, various options should be implemented so that Broadway can become more accessible. There number of rush tickets with student discount should be increased, since the prices of these tickets are slightly cheaper and people who live and work in Manhattan have a relatively easier time getting to the theatre during rush hours. An adult ticket should also come with the opportunity to bring one child under the age of twelve for free or highly reduced prices, so that younger people can attend shows that have pertinent messages and begin to develop a love and appreciation for music and theatre. Lastly, I believe that prices for ticket packages should be heavily reduced. Some of my most cherished high school memories were trips with the school band to see Broadway shows, however, this past school year they were unable to find a show with reasonable group ticket prices. Adolescents and students should have the most access to the lessons, messages and overall impact that a Broadway production has and one of the best ways to truly glean all of these is to attend a show with peers and educators. Group ticket prices should be lowered to facilitate the ability for more schools to attend the productions.
To conclude, the theatre that is up to the caliber of Broadway has endless value to every person who sees a show, but the sharp increase in average ticket price is making it nearly impossible for the general public to seethe shows that would give so much back to them. I believe that certain measures, such as lower group ticket rates, the addition of a free of reduced price child ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket, and an increase in morning rush tickets would increase the availability of the value of theatre to many more people. This would create endless benefits for every community inside and outside of New York City.
Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-broadway-ticket-prices-20140610-story.html
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/broadway-tickets-expensive/
