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24.06.2025
29 Minuten
This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work
happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park
and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual
Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) 2SLGBTQIA+
Summit at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known
state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and
recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and
sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across
the profession, and we’ve been eager to share the voices and
stories that came out of the summit!
The summit first began in 2023, sparked by a recognized need
within Maryland’s park and recreation departments to better
support and engage the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As Noah Callahan
from Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks explained, it all
started with a gap that was quickly filled by forming a
committee, engaging with community members, and building momentum
for a first-of-its-kind statewide event.
That first summit left a lasting impression, especially on
attendees like Jaimie Wilder from Howard County Recreation &
Parks. The welcoming atmosphere, thoughtful programming, and
sense of solidarity stayed with them long after the event ended.
So, when the second summit came around, it was clear this was
becoming something special. It wasn’t just a one-off, but a
catalyst for real change.
The 2024 summit expanded on the foundation built the year prior.
With both 101 and 201 breakout session tracks, attendees were
able to engage with a variety of topics including allyship,
inclusive policy, indigenous inclusion, programming strategies
and historical context. As Ashlyn Thompson, inclusion and
community outreach specialist for Montgomery Parks, shared, the
summit was intentionally planned to meet people where they are —
whether just starting their inclusion journey or deepening their
understanding.
Kindness, joy and a strong willingness to learn was felt
throughout the summit. That spirit, combined with deeply personal
storytelling and education, created a space that was not only
informative but transformative.
Tune in to the full episode to learn more about this special
event and how it’s impacting the culture throughout parks and
recreation in Maryland. You’ll also learn:
How the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit is a model of how to build
welcoming spaces through education and collaboration
How connecting with speakers and organizations already doing
work in your community — such as at Pride events — can make your
inclusion efforts more authentic and impactful
How this event led to new programs like “Robinson Rainbows”
and influenced internal policies and workplace culture in
meaningful ways
How you can get started or deepen your organization’s journey
as it relates to this work
And much more!
Additional Resources:
MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit Webpage and Resources from 2024
NRPA Resource Library
Mehr
27.05.2025
48 Minuten
Earlier this spring, we had the chance to attend an incredible
event in Washington, D.C., where we caught up with Akiima Price,
co-founder and program advisor for Friends of Anacostia Park — an
organization with a mission to enrich the lives of D.C. residents
by preserving the park and connecting the surrounding communities
to its restoration.
We met Akiima at NatureFest, a lively week-long celebration
during D.C. Public Schools’ Spring Break that provides a safe,
engaging space for kids and their families to explore nature,
have fun and create lasting memories. From boat rides and
scavenger hunts to roller skating and live animal encounters, the
joy was infectious. This event was a wonderful reminder of how
parks can nurture community and connection.
After hearing Akiima speak at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference, we
were inspired by her commitment to restorative park engagement —
a human-centered approach to environmental education and
programming. One that focuses on a person’s immediate environment
and all the factors that contribute to it.
In this episode, Akiima shares how her lived experience shapes
her work and why centering humanity is crucial when building
deeper relationships with nature and community. And, some very
enthusiastic attendees, both kids and parents, shared with us why
they appreciate NatureFest so much and all the things they
learned.
Tune in to learn:
What restorative park engagement is and why it matters
How NatureFest helps families build lasting memories in
Anacostia Park
Why meeting someone’s basic needs is essential for deeper
environmental engagement
How lived experience and empathy drive Akiima’s approach
What it looks like to design nature programs with the
community, not just for them
And much more!
Learn more:
Friends of Anacostia Park
Mehr
22.04.2025
51 Minuten
Happy Earth Month! On today’s episode, we’re excited to share a
collaboration with NRPA’s new podcast, Guardians of Greenspaces.
Guardians of Greenspaces is a podcast focused on
conservation from a park and recreation maintenance lens. Hosted
by Rukmini Kalamangalam, a program specialist on NRPA’s community
and environmental resilience team, Guardians of Greenspaces
uplifts voices of experts in the field and will drop weekly for
the next 10 weeks.
We recently caught up with Rukmini to learn more about this new
podcast and how it will bring value to maintenance staff working
in the conservation and environmental resilience space. Tune in
below to learn:
Some of NRPA’s priorities as they relate to environmental
resilience
What prompted the creation of Guardians of Greenspaces
What listeners can expect to learn on future episodes
Interesting things Rukmini has learned hosting the podcast
(like why people might not like tall grass)
How you could win a $50 gift card to the NRPA retail store
for listening
Plus, you’ll hear the very first episode of Guardians of
Greenspaces focused on staff engagement at the San Antonio River
Authority!
Additional Resources:
NRPA’s Environmental Resilience Pillar
NRPA’s Earth Month Resources
Mehr
25.03.2025
39 Minuten
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating the
incredible women in parks and recreation who are shaping the
profession and making a difference in their communities.
Women have long played a vital role in parks and recreation – but
it has historically been a male-dominated industry. Today, the
leadership and presence of women in the profession continue to
grow. In fact, within NRPA’s membership of more than 60,000 park
and recreation professionals:
47 percent of members identify as women
48 percent of 2023 NRPA Annual Conference attendees
identified as women
53 percent of 2024 NRPA Directors School attendees identified
as women
47 percent of Certified Park and Recreation Professionals
(CPRP) identify as women
We recently asked women in parks and recreation to share their
experiences with us, and we got some wonderful responses. Tune in
to the full episode to hear from:
Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO, gives a shoutout
to women who have shaped the profession and NRPA staff who are
leading impactful work
Katie Groke, CPRP, director of community services at Apex
Park and Recreation District (Colorado), shares how the former
executive director of her department laid the groundwork for a
lot of women at Apex to grow their careers
Gabby Vera, CPRP, director of Lake Havasu City Parks and
Recreation (Arizona), shares how she’s making history by being
the first female director at her department and the youngest
director in Arizona
Nikki Taylor, CPRP, assistant director of recreation for Town
of Bedford (Massachusetts), shares how her department can empower
girls and women and the importance of leading by example
Renee Glosecki, a project manager at Orange County Parks
(California), shares how she’s making a lasting impact on women’s
history by paving the way for future generations of women in
leadership roles
Ali Rhodes, director of Parks and Recreation at City of
Boulder (Colorado), shares how two impactful women who worked for
her department in the 1990s provided her the honor of supporting
a well-planned parks and recreation system.
And, we received another response after recording that we wanted
to share, from Joan Scovic of Northbrook Park District in
Illinois, who gave a shoutout to women leaders in Illinois:
Carrie Fullerton, Arlington Heights Park District
Lisa Sheppard, Glencoe Park District
Elizabeth Kessler, McHenry County Conservation District
Laura Rudow, St. Charles Park District
Allison Niemela, Batavia Park District
Alex Engelhardt, Fox Valley Special Recreation Association
Joan shared: “These women are all amazing leaders in the field of
parks and recreation in Illinois (and around the country). They
are phenomenal examples of how to be a female leader in this
field, and show incredible support to other women. They take the
time to educate, share their career paths and mentor others, and
are models for other women who strive to be leaders and those who
want to excel in service to their communities. They accomplish
all of this with intelligence, compassion, humor and warmth, and
have all achieved amazing things for the profession, for their
communities, and for the women who are lucky enough to be in
their spheres of influence.”
Resources discussed in this episode:
Women in Parks and Recreation Facebook Group
Women in Parks and Recreation Webpage
NRPA Youth Sports Framework
Mehr
25.02.2025
34 Minuten
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the critical role
that parks and recreation plays in advancing sports opportunities
for all youth — especially girls. Providing these opportunities
is more than just fairness; it’s about giving girls the
opportunities and support they need to succeed, both on and off
the field. Participation in sports is linked to increased
self-esteem, better academic performance and higher career
aspirations for girls.
Sports also have the power to build confidence, foster leadership
skills and create lifelong connections. However, girls often face
barriers that prevent them from participating and staying
engaged. This episode brings together leaders from various
organizations to discuss strategies for making sports more
inclusive and empowering for young girls.
Tune in to the full episode below to hear from experts in this
space who are making a huge impact, including:
Teresa Morrissey, Senior Program Manager at NRPA
Kelsey Moore, Director of Social & Community Impact at
Nike
Jillian Green Loughran, Director of Strategic Initiatives at
the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport
Julia Lankford, Director of Operations at Laureus USA Sport
for Good Atlanta
You’ll learn about the importance of engaging girls in youth
sports, as well as:
The key role parks and recreation plays in providing
accessible, affordable and high-quality sports opportunities
(they reach more than 40 million youth annually!)
Why collaboration and partnerships are key to advancing
girls’ participation in sports
Strategies to break down barriers preventing girls from
participating and staying in sports
How coaches – specifically women coaches – play such a
critical role in advancing this work
How your park and recreation agency can be part of this
movement and get more girls in the game
And much more!
By investing in inclusive sports programming, training coaches
and fostering partnerships, park and recreation agencies can help
ensure that every girl who wants to play has the opportunity to
do so.
Thank you to our guests for their insights and dedication to
advancing gender equity in sports. If you enjoyed this episode,
be sure to subscribe to Open Space Radio and share it with others
who are passionate about the power of sports to change lives.
Resources Discussed on this Episode:
NRPA Youth Sports Framework
Play to Lead Report: The Generational Impact of Sports on
Women’s Leadership
Nike Coaching Girls Guide: How to Get (and Keep) Girls
Playing – Strategies for Engaging & Retaining Girls in
Sport
Body Confident Sport
Coaching HER
Nike Super Bowl Ad: So Win.
Center for Healing and Justice through Sport
Laureus USA Sport for Good Atlanta
Have feedback about this episode or Open Space Radio
overall? Share it with us! If you enjoyed
this episode or learned something that might help you make a
positive impact in your community, please consider donating to
NRPA. Your gift will support our storytelling efforts and our
mission to advance parks, recreation and environmental
resilience efforts that enhance the quality of life for all
at nrpa.org/donate.
Mehr
Über diesen Podcast
Open Space Radio is a podcast for park and recreation professionals
and outdoor advocates that aims to share inspiring and engaging
stories about community, connection, and the impact of local parks
and recreation. New episodes are released every other Tuesday. Open
Space Radio is the official podcast of the National Recreation and
Park Association (NRPA) — Because everyone deserves a great park.
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