Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Dear NYC, Help Us Write A Love Letter To The City At The End Of This Difficult Year
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 1, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Jonathan Blanc / NYPL
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 1, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As we close out 2020, one of the most painful and difficult years in New York City's history, we find ourselves still grappling with a pandemic that has taken the lives of tens of thousands of New Yorkers, wreaked havoc on the city's vital industries, and largely snuffed out our vibrant culture. Offices are largely abandoned, Broadway remains closed, restaurants are hanging on by a thread, music venues are silent, subway ridership has plummeted, and many New Yorkers are struggling to pay rent and keep food on the table. The only certainty is more uncertainty.
But we do have one certainty to cling to: the heart and soul of the city has always been the New Yorkers who populate it, and this year, as some publications focused on those fleeing the city, we spoke to New Yorkers who stayed.
"New York is about the people and cultures that live here," Rendy Desamours of Flatbush told us. "That can’t be replaced anywhere else and it’s not going anywhere."
As we await a vaccine and ponder the future of the city that we call home, we're taking a moment to celebrate New York, New York. Which is still a helluva town, with a helluva lot of people like Desamours keeping it going.
All month long, in partnership with the New York Public Library, we'll be delivering a love letter to New York and New Yorkers through photos, essays, and submissions from you. And finally, we'll also be looking back (way back), sharing one NYC-related item from the Library’s sprawling research collections every day in December.
Washington Square Park by Anthony Velonis
Courtesy of the NYPL
How to contribute to our group love letter to NYC
- 🎙️ Open the voice memo app on your phone and record your own love note to New York City — try to keep it at 30-seconds or less. We'll be sharing your responses all month on Gothamist and on the air at WNYC.
- 📝 Send us a written paragraph about your favorite part of the city — a restaurant, a landmark, a park, a vibe. There's a lot to love here, pick one thing. We'll share some of our favorites here.
- 🎨 See that image above? It's called Washington Square Park by Anthony Velonis, and our hope is that you will use it as inspiration and draw a part of the city that you love. We will be sharing submissions here, on Instagram, and we hope to display some at a Dear NYC exhibit at an NYPL branch next year! You know, when we can all be in a room together again.
Submit to: [email protected] (use DEAR NYC as the subject line)
Deadline: December 15th, 2020
Hashtag: #DearNYC
Tagged
Dear NYC
nypl
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .