This Philly-based artist has been typing letters to the president for 21 years
'Secretary to the People,' an exhibit of messages Sheryl Oring has transcribed from strangers, will be at the Parkway Central Library.
Every year since George W. Bush won reelection to the White House, Sheryl Oring has taken her vintage typewriter to the streets and asked passersby a question: Would you like to send a letter to the president?
A lot of them do. Oring says she has transcribed well over 5,000 messages from Americans across 30 states since she began the project in 2004. The artist, who dresses in the style of a '60s secretary to suit her typist role, always hands the letter over to its author to post to the president. But she keeps a carbon copy for herself and snaps a Polaroid of the constituent she just met to add to her massive catalog.Â
MORE:Â David Lynch's time living in Philadelphia in the 1960s is remembered as a turning point in his lifeSome of it is now on display at the Parkway Central Library, where it will remain for the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. The Free Library branch will officially welcome the "Secretary to the People" exhibit with an opening party and artist Q&A on Thursday.
Oring, who splits her time between Philadelphia and North Carolina, didn't initially see herself as an artist. She had worked as a journalist for many years in San Francisco, where, she says, "women and people of color weren't getting into the front page very much." A subsequent six-year stay in Berlin inspired her to dabble in visual art. When she returned to the United States in 2004, she developed her ongoing project "I Wish to Say" as a means to reconnect with the American political discourse and give ordinary, overlooked people â the ones who didn't make front page news â a voice.
"Every single time I set up and type, there's something incredible that happens," Oring said.
Oring sets up her typewriter in public parks, libraries and schools, inviting pedestrians to stop by her makeshift "office." The messages she collects often reflect their time. When Oring started out, she heard a lot about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, gun violence in schools is an increasingly common concern. Visitors to the library will see discussion of seemingly every hot button issue in America on the pages on display, each stamped with messages like "URGENT" and "IMPORTANT" in red ink.
Provided image/Daniel Jackson/Embassy: InteractiveBlow-up copies of letters that Sheryl Oring transcribed in 2017, following Donald Trump's first election to the presidency, reflect immigrant anxieties.
"People talk about how they're not used to being listened to and how meaningful that is," Oring said. "There was a young woman in Chicago who came up to my desk, and she was hesitant to start. And then as we kind of talked a bit, she composed her message and then she was super emotional and she said, 'No one's ever listened to me like this before.' That response... is something I encounter over and over."Â
Along with the typed messages, display cases contain Oring's old press badges and pieces of her retro uniform. (Her grandmother, a secretary for the University of Maryland, served as sartorial inspiration.)Â The exhibit moves chronologically from Oring's first secretarial sessions to her last pop-up in Philadelphia on the day of the 2024 presidential election. Many messages collected on that day reference or address America's first woman president, a landmark that still hasn't been realized.
Over the course of this project, Oring has published books and zines, taught at the University of the Arts and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and raised a 16-year-old daughter. What keeps her coming back, she says, is the transformation she's witnessed countless times from people who feel heard or even inspired to act.
"If I've touched one person with this project, I've change the world in a small way," she said. "And I absolutely know that's the case."
Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt | @thePhillyVoiceLike us on Facebook: PhillyVoiceHave a news tip? Let us know.
On Friday, Jan. 24 President Donald Trump visited North Carolina to survey first hand the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene which hit the state hard
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The stars of JTBCâs âThe Tale of Lady Okâ have shared their final thoughts ahead of tonightâs series finale!
âThe Tale of Lady Okâ tells the story of the intense survival con game of runaway slave Goo Deok (Lim Ji Yeon), who assumes a false identity, and Cheon Seung Hwi (Choo Young Woo), who risks everything to protect her.
With just one episode left to go, the dramaâs leads took a nostalgic look back at filming and spoke fondly about what the series meant to them.
Lim Ji Yeon shared, âEven as I was playing Ok Tae Young, I found myself rooting for her. Because sheâs a character for whom I felt deep affection, I think [playing her] was all the more special.â
She also expressed her gratitude to the showâs viewers, noting, âMore people became invested in Ok Tae Youngâs life than Iâd expected, which surprised me. Many people gave me warm reviews that became a source of strength for me, so I was happy each and every day while the drama was airing.â
âIâm grateful that I was able to start 2025 while receiving love from so many people,â she continued, âand I think Iâve gained the motivation that will be my driving force as I live out this new year. I wish all of you lots of good fortune in the new year.â
Choo Young Woo commented, âWhile preparing for this drama, I went through many experiences that I will remember for a long time. Thanks to the admirable character of Seung Hwi, I think I was able to receive lots of interest.â
He went on, âI would like to once again thank the director for trusting me with this role, and because everyone [who worked on the drama] spent so much time pondering it and poured so much love into it, Iâm truly happy that the drama ended up receiving lots of love from many people. I hope the drama will remain in viewersâ hearts as a warm memory.â
Kim Jae Won humbly remarked, âEach and every moment that I lived as Do Gyeom was a precious time that allowed me to grow as an actor.â
âI hope that the new year is full of only health and happiness for you all,â he continued, âand no matter what ups and downs come your way, I hope you will overcome them wisely, just like Ok Tae Young, Cheon Seung Hwi, Sung Do Gyeom, and Cha Mi Ryeong of the Sung family.â
Finally, Yeonwoo said, âBecause âThe Tale of Lady Okâ was my first historical drama, I was very nervous and anxious, but thanks to all of my co-stars, I learned a lot and had a really great experience, so I think Iâll remember it for a long time.â
She concluded, âIt was truly an honor to be part of such a great drama, and Iâm truly grateful to all of the viewers who gave us love.â
The final episode of âThe Tale of Lady Okâ will air on January 26 at 10:30 p.m. KST.
In the meantime, watch Lim Ji Yeon in âLies Hidden in My Gardenâ on Viki below:
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39929c-lies-hidden-in-my-garden]
Or check out Choo Young Wooâs drama âOasisâ below!
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39598c-oasis]
Source (1)
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, who assumes a false identity, and Cheon Seung Hwi (Choo Young Woo), who risks everything to protect her.
With just one episode left to go, the dramaâs leads took a nostalgic look back at filming and spoke fondly about what the series meant to them.
Lim Ji Yeon shared, âEven as I was playing Ok Tae Young, I found myself rooting for her. Because sheâs a character for whom I felt deep affection, I think [playing her] was all the more special.â
She also expressed her gratitude to the showâs viewers, noting, âMore people became invested in Ok Tae Youngâs life than Iâd expected, which surprised me. Many people gave me warm reviews that became a source of strength for me, so I was happy each and every day while the drama was airing.â
âIâm grateful that I was able to start 2025 while receiving love from so many people,â she continued, âand I think Iâve gained the motivation that will be my driving force as I live out this new year. I wish all of you lots of good fortune in the new year.â
Choo Young Woo commented, âWhile preparing for this drama, I went through many experiences that I will remember for a long time. Thanks to the admirable character of Seung Hwi, I think I was able to receive lots of interest.â
He went on, âI would like to once again thank the director for trusting me with this role, and because everyone [who worked on the drama] spent so much time pondering it and poured so much love into it, Iâm truly happy that the drama ended up receiving lots of love from many people. I hope the drama will remain in viewersâ hearts as a warm memory.â
Kim Jae Won humbly remarked, âEach and every moment that I lived as Do Gyeom was a precious time that allowed me to grow as an actor.â
âI hope that the new year is full of only health and happiness for you all,â he continued, âand no matter what ups and downs come your way, I hope you will overcome them wisely, just like Ok Tae Young, Cheon Seung Hwi, Sung Do Gyeom, and Cha Mi Ryeong of the Sung family.â
Finally, Yeonwoo said, âBecause âThe Tale of Lady Okâ was my first historical drama, I was very nervous and anxious, but thanks to all of my co-stars, I learned a lot and had a really great experience, so I think Iâll remember it for a long time.â
She concluded, âIt was truly an honor to be part of such a great drama, and Iâm truly grateful to all of the viewers who gave us love.â
The final episode of âThe Tale of Lady Okâ will air on January 26 at 10:30 p.m. KST.
In the meantime, watch Lim Ji Yeon in âLies Hidden in My Gardenâ on Viki below:
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39929c-lies-hidden-in-my-garden]
Or check out Choo Young Wooâs drama âOasisâ below!
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39598c-oasis]
Source (1)
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Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
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