GIVE IT UP — PARTY

By: Joshua Glenn
September 25, 2025

Cross-posted from Josh Glenn and Rob Walker’s story telling experiment GIVE IT UP.

This summer, GIVE IT UP mounted 11 exhibitions of meaningful objects in all sorts of venues around Kingston, NY… then asked the general public to help persuade the experiment’s participants to let these objects go.

On September 10th, at our wrap-up event (at the cafe/bar Camp Kingston), Rob Walker and I interviewed GIVE IT UP’s 11 participants about their objects, and about the most persuasive responses they’d received. Below please find a few photos from the event, along with excerpts from those responses which proved the most persuasive.

All photos: Bridget Badore ✿ @bridgetbadore ✿ bridgetbadore.com

Here’s the response that persuaded Will:

“I imagine your mom wisely sitting, writing her poems, collecting items she felt were precious and held sentiment for her — creating a space of warmth and learning. Always learning, as we all should. I greatly appreciate the practice of mitzvahs and I love to think this is a multi-generational deed from her to you and, should you give it up, to others. I run a community space in Kingston. I would like to display the plaque there. To share its meaning, discuss with others, spread the mitzvah.” — Melanie Cozzolino

Here’s the response that persuaded Drew:

“To loosely paraphrase Pee-wee Herman: ‘You’ve got the photo, so you can get rid of the thing.’ Just think of how many kids out there would want, at an age similar to when you first acquired it, this wooden blade full of imagination-stoking potential. The only thing better than fueling one’s imagination is encouraging that of a child. In this situation, [imagination-fuel] is literally your gift to give.” — Marc Weidenbaum

Here’s the response that persuaded Maggie:

“You have lived, and will live, many lives — and this bag should as well. You will still have the memory of that evening. Keep that. However, pass the evening bag along to someone who will cherish it as you have and who understands its value. The bag deserves a few more elegant evenings. It was made for them.” — Melanie Cozzolino

Here’s the response that persuaded Julian:

“I recently decided to do a look-back at ‘myself’ during the years just before my first child was born, and to reintroduce myself to that person. I wanted to do an archaeology of ‘who even was I?’ so that going forward I can operate as my true self. This is me persuading you to develop the film! Get to know who you were — and make a promise to love whatever you see. And learn from what you see.” — Nancy Pinchera

Here’s the response that persuaded Samuel:

“Though you will be letting go of the physical object, you will not have to give up on the lessons it has gifted you. You will not have to give up on the story that resides in you. Your story leaves off with “It gives me a moment of hope, whenever I see it, for a simpler, mystical, magical existence where we are all shaking tree branches and dancing in the rain.” But there is so much more in store for you and us that is mystical and magical. This giving up is the ushering in of the we that will be shaking tree branches and dancing in the rain.” — Micah

Here’s the response that persuaded Adriana:

“It’s understandable why you’ve held on to this necklace — it represents both your courage and pain. But the thing is, you don’t need it to prove you were brave or that you survived a tough relationship. You already carry those lessons in you. Letting go of the necklace allows for more space for something new — a love that feels safe and deserving. So it isn’t about forgetting, it’s about trusting what’s already yours. Let go to let in.” — Margaret Nguyen

Here’s the response that persuaded Karlie:

“Energy is expensive. Imagine all the things you can do with the energy you spend on a barrette. The energy you spend, thinking at the sink, about the barrette. What is more important to you? Remembering the barrette for all its glory in active love, or the memorial-memory and label of something as BROKEN? Your love does not get discarded with the barrette.” — Lauryn

Here’s the response that persuaded Halimah:

“I love that you pretended your bikes were horses, and gave them names. I also love your description of how riding a bike in Philadelphia made you feel ‘powerful and strong.’ I feel like this bike should go to a young adult who wants that same feeling.” — Susan Roe

Here’s the response that persuaded Emma:

“Marriage is hard. As my mom would say ‘the opposite of hate is indifference,’ so in marriage you want to want to duel, and you want to also be part of a duet. I love that you heard and read and translated the dish’s message at different times in different ways. I wonder if you keep it longer, will you read it differently again? Regardless, I hope you leave it for the next owners of your home under the sink, for them to translate in their own time, in their own way.” — Nancy Pinchera

Here’s the response that persuaded Adam:

“Sell it to an antique or junk dealer (even for $5) who will then move it along (for $25 or $50, or whatever — I am not sure where the Protectograph market sits at the moment). This way you ensure that it isn’t getting tossed and that someone, for some reason, wants to keep this thing… and give it a chance to live yet another life, build more stories around it. You could even print out and affix your story — tuck it in somewhere a future owner will find it.” — Tom Nealon

Here’s the response that persuaded Annie:

“So many of my generation who watched The Wizard of Oz every year during our childhoods will immediately think of Dorothy following the Tin Man’s directions to find the object (“oil can… oil can…”) and then apply the oil therein to all the rusted-up dude’s joints. I want it. I have some very creaky joints.” — Linda Fite

Rob and I are so grateful to Camp Kingston, for hosting and catering the event, to our GIVE IT UP participants, to our team, and to everyone who showed up. It was a terrific event!