A NYC art museum lets strangers share their biggest battles. Their stories are enough to make you cry
Today, the founder of 'The Strangers Project' has over one hundred thousand true, handwritten, anonymous stories to share with the world.
Paulina (@pauiietravels on Instagram), a Swedish content creator, has put several thousand letters on display at the Oculus World Trade Center. She first stumbled upon letters by strangers at a shopping mall in New York. Each carried a profound truth; while someone spoke about defeating cancer, others wrote about traumatizing childhood abuse or simply their love-and-hate relationship with the city. But who were the voices behind these intimate letters, and what inspired them to share their personal stories? Well, it all traces back to 2009, when Brandon Doman, a young New Yorker, encouraged strangers to open up without the fear of judgment. Paulina shared her experience on March 1.
Doman was sipping coffee outside a shop when he observed people passing by. He watched them in complete silence and thought to himself how interesting it would be to learn more about them, Mental Floss reported. Curious, he put up a sign that read, "Hi there, please stop and share your story." And to his surprise, seventeen years down the line, he has collected over one hundred thousand true, handwritten, anonymous stories, which he now calls a part of "The Strangers Project."
Currently on display at the Oculus World Trade Center, the interactive free exhibit also allows visitors to leave behind their stories and become a part of the heartfelt initiative.
Doman's collection displays a wide range of emotions. For example, a heartbroken lover wrote, "I helped my ex get back on her feet just to watch her walk away. I still love her, though. Similarly, someone who had just defeated cancer shared, "I survived cancer, b****. Not much to say about that..." The initiative allowed people to confess their worst sides while trying to become a better version of themselves. An almost 40-year-old HIV prevention expert opened up about their drug addiction and how it had made their life miserable.
"It's funny that no one really wants to deal with what happened to me as a kid… I don't want to deal with it; why would anyone else?" the person explained. The collection also includes some really motivating letters. Take, for example, this note that reads, "This is not my story; this is yours, and it's a good one. And it will be hard sometimes and seem long. But it is also so good and so short, so lean in."
A study on 1,003 American adults found that 80% of respondents believe opening up about their feelings is important for their well-being. While 86% believe it's beneficial for their emotional health, 83% link it to their physical well-being. In fact, the two most common experiences people reported after opening up were "relief" and "at peace" (57% vs 32%). However, in contrast to their belief, only 15% report feeling comfortable letting out their emotions.
It means that people are either scared of judgment or lack a supportive, safe space for expressing vulnerability. But Doman's project is different, and that's the number one reason for its growing success. It allows you to share your stories without disclosing your identity and also connects you to similar stories.
Meanwhile, netizens were in love with the unique museum in New York, like @___iamdori_ commented, "It's so crazy how much people go through things, and they are still so strong. Keep being a good person, no matter what." @dragon_d_official wrote, "This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve done in NY." @ashreyabhatotia confessed, "I would stand here and sob for hours." @heykalsang shared, "We have something similar at our hospital chapel! I always read all the notes."
You can follow Paulina (@pauiietravels) on Instagram to explore more such beautiful places in New York.
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