DearTomorrow Inspires Climate Action Through Letter Writing and Provides Hope for Thousands

DearTomorrow’s first exhibit “A Promise to the Future” on Governor’s Island in 2019, in partnership with the Human Impacts Institute. The audio-visual installation featured fifty curated letters from the collection, and highlighted themes: climate impacts, complex emotions, protecting nature, taking action, responsibility to future generations, and the power of love.

For a decade this year, DearTomorrow has been inspiring people to engage in the climate struggle through sharing their own stories and promises to the next generation. Earth Rising is proud to support this important, visionary work. 

Specifically, DearTomorrow asks participants to write a letter to someone they love living in 2050. Many people write to their children, grandchildren, nieces/nephews, young people in their lives, or their future selves.  This process inspires people to share their vision of a renewed future and commit to preserving the planet for those they love. More than 6000 people from 50+ countries have contributed to DearTomorrow’s growing global collection of future visions, which holds significant insight into how people experience climate change. DearTomorrow letters reflect a wide range of emotions, aspirations for the future, and commitments to sustained climate action. In partnership with community groups, artists, and museums around the world, DearTomorrow designs educational programs and immersive exhibits that bring these visions to life and foster a global dialogue. DearTomorrow engages tens of thousands of individuals annually, making it one of most impactful climate storytelling projects in the world. 

Studies show that communicating about climate change through the lens of love and care for future generations is one of the best ways to motivate sustained action. This past year, DearTomorrow’s “Letter to Future Generations” was submitted to a major global study focused on behavioral interventions for sparking climate action. The study spanned 63 countries and 59,440 participants. Remarkably, the Letter to Future Generations writing activity was the most positively impactful in spurring participants' support of climate policy. It was also ranked second for increasing people’s willingness to share information about the climate with other people and fourth for increasing participants’ belief in climate change. In the words of DearTomorrow’s co-founder Jill Kubit “These findings showcase the unique power of our work for expanding public engagement in countries around the world.” 

A group shares their DearTomorrow letter following a future imagining workshop at the Low Carbon City World Forum in fall 2024.

DearTomorrow’s future imagining and climate legacy frameworks are infused into their programs, exhibits, and resources, and reflected in their growing global collection of climate stories. They partner with schools, museums, local organizations, and organizers around the world to empower communities to become active participants in this era of climate transformation. The creative expressions generated through these programs are featured in DearTomorrow’s signature participatory exhibits around the world.

DearTomorrow’s capacity-building programs and resources are designed to empower educators, organizers, and community leaders to adapt DearTomorrow’s proven methodology for their home context. Their Climate Arts Incubator is a new keystone program that brings together climate organizers, educators, and facilitators from around the world. Over the course of five sessions, the group explores best practices related to future imagining, climate arts and intergenerational approaches, mental health and wellbeing, and strategies for reaching diverse audiences. DearTomorrow has offered this program twice now, and has had participants from Armenia, Colombia, Nigeria, Slovakia, South Africa, and the U.S. Another cohort will be offered in fall 2025. 

DearTomorrow has been invited to facilitate workshops and professional development by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), UMass Amherst, Princeton, Ramapo College, Run On Climate, Human Impacts Institute, and others. 

A TED Countdown Summit participant poses in front of their letter in the DearTomorrow exhibit. Nine hundred global climate leaders and innovators visited the participatory exhibit, and contributed their vision of the future. The DearTomorrow installation was voted as one of the top three exhibits at the weeklong event.

Recently, DearTomorrow has gotten increased publicity due to a letter contribution from Michael J. Coren, known as the "Climate Coach" advice columnist for The Washington Post. As Michael stated in his letter “You don’t stop fighting because you feel like you’re losing. That’s probably the story of every fight worth having.” 

It is inspiring to see the work of DearTomorrow and the impact these letters have on spurring climate awareness and action. To write your own letter and learn more about the work of DearTomorrow follow the link here.