December 02, 2025

Alyssa Rosenberg, Former Letters & Community Editor, The Washington Post

36 minutes

On this episode we're joined by Alyssa Rosenberg. Alyssa is a former editor and columnist for The Washington Post. She was at the Post for 11 and a half years, the last year and a half was spent as the letters and community editor.

After the Post declined to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election she invited readers to write in. The result was 21,000 letters. And over a 6-month period, Alyssa read every one. She wrote about this recently for NOTUS (News of the United States) and she joined us to talk about her work and career.

Alyssa explained what her job as a letters editor was like, her process for editing (and shortening letters), what one goes through when they read 21,000 letters on the same subject, and the value of allowing someone to feel heard.

Alyssa's article for NOTUS about the 21,000 letters

https://www.notus.org/perspectives/the-washington-post-got-21-000-emails-after-it-didnt-endorse-i-read-them-all

Youth 250 Writing Program

https://historymadebyus.org/youth250

Across The Movie Aisle Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/across-the-movie-aisle/id1491840893

The Shop Around The Corner- Children's Book Newsletter

https://alyssarosenberg.substack.com/

Alyssa's salutes: Shane Harris, The Atlantic, Richard Just, Notus

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