Celebrating Pride Month in Parks and Recreation — Episode 138
Release Date: 06/13/2023
Sustainability and Environmental Resilience in Parks — Episode 163
Open Space Radio
Sustainability and Environmental Resilience in Parks — Episode 163 On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, I’m excited to share our collab episode with GovLove Podcast, which we recorded live back in October at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference. This was our first live episode recording — with an audience. So, besides the obvious nerves that came along with that, it was such a fun, enriching conversation and it definitely won’t be our last! I was honored to co-host this conversation alongside Ben Kittleson, manager at Raftelis and co-host/producer of GovLove. is a production of...
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From Newcomer to Seasoned Professional: Navigating the NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 162
Open Space Radio
We are getting very excited to travel to Atlanta (in just one week!) to connect with thousands of our closest park and recreation friends at the . And on today’s episode, we’re talking with someone who is local to the Atlanta area and might have some insider tips if you’ll be joining us next week. Jamiah Flagg, CPRP, is the operations coordinator at Douglasville Parks and Recreation in Georgia, and after sharing a with us about her 2023 conference experience, we knew we wanted to chat with her further since this year’s conference is right in her backyard. We discussed what receiving...
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Roving Leaders: Decades of Empowering Youth in D.C. — Episode 161
Open Space Radio
On today’s episode, we welcome a superstar of out-of-school time programming! The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is making a huge impact on youth in the DC area through its weekly after-school group mentoring program, Roving Leaders. Among countless initiatives and opportunities that are part of the program, top of mind this time of year is the fact that Roving Leaders visit with students in schools outside of program times. They are truly going the extra mile. DPR’s Roving Leaders program has been around since the 1950s, building relationships of trust...
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NRPA Annual Conference Tips for First-Time Attendees — Episode 160
Open Space Radio
In less than 40 days, thousands of park and recreation professionals from across the country will gather in Atlanta for the . This is, without a doubt, the best park and recreation conference you can attend — it’s filled with tons of amazing opportunities to learn, build your network, and of course, have a little fun with your peers. As we get closer to the conference, we know there are probably some professionals out there who are attending for the first time and have a lot of questions. Cort recently asking for previous attendees to share their best tips for first-timers,...
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From Access to Action: How We Can Thrive Like a Meadow — Episode 159
Open Space Radio
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we’re excited to chat with someone very influential in the outdoor recreation industry who is doing a ton of good work to raise awareness about protecting our environment. Not only that, but he is also a leader when it comes to making the outdoors more equitable and accessible. José Gonzáles is the founder of Latino Outdoors, an organization working to bridge the gap and create more inclusive and accessible outdoor experiences and opportunities for Latino Communities. He also currently serves as the equity officer at East Bay Regional Park District...
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Promoting Healthy Aging Through Tai Chi — Episode 158
Open Space Radio
As you may know, May was Older Americans Month, and NRPA celebrated by sharing how older adult programs in parks and recreation are making a big impact in communities across the country. On today’s episode, we’re excited to explore one of the most popular programs in NRPA’s Healthy Aging in Parks portfolio: Tai Chi. Through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NRPA has been working with park and recreation agencies across the country for the last 11 years to increase the availability of and participation in the CDC’s Arthritis Appropriate Evidence-Based...
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Inclusive Adventures: Building Belonging Through Adaptive Recreation — Episode 157
Open Space Radio
As we continue to celebrate , we’re excited to highlight a story that truly embodies our theme of “Where You Belong.” Today’s episode is all about ensuring opportunities to recreate and spend time in nature are available to all, regardless of ability. And, it’s perfect timing because July is also Disability Pride Month! We are so thrilled to chat with Caitlin Marcotte, an operations specialist IV adaptive manager at Charlottesville (Virginia) Parks and Recreation, and Sarah Kyriacopoulos, a member of the Charlottesville community who has participated in the city’s adaptive...
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Fostering Belonging Through Community Theater — Episode 156
Open Space Radio
Happy Park and Recreation Month! On today’s episode, we’re excited to bring you a story that truly embodies this year’s theme of “Where You Belong.” Each year, the NRPA team hosts a cover contest to find a cover photo and story for the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine that supports the year’s theme, and this year’s winner is a gem. Today we’re joined by the winner, Rachel Kohler, a recreation coordinator for cultural arts and community engagement for The Majestic Theatre, part of Corvallis Parks & Recreation in Oregon. If you haven’t yet in the July issue,...
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Celebrating Pride: The Power of Partnership and Allyship — Episode 155
Open Space Radio
Happy Pride Month! On today’s episode we’re discussing an important partnership in Nevada that provides safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to recreate outdoors, build a relationship with nature and build a sense of belonging. We learned about this partnership when Mihaela Genova, Volunteer Program Manager for Get Outdoors Nevada, submitted a photo (pictured) featuring Angelique Burton, director of advocacy of The Pride Tree, contributing to her community by volunteering for public land maintenance activities at the National Wildlife Refuge outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The event Burton...
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Building Belonging: Neurodivergent Perspectives in Parks and Recreation (Part 2) — Episode 154
Open Space Radio
As you may recall, our final episode of 2023 was . It was a wonderful conversation with Kande Jones, the Development Director for Mulvane Recreation Commission, and Dave McDaniel, the Operations Coordinator for City of Mobile Parks and Recreation about their experience as neurodivergent individuals. Well, we’re finally back with part two of the conversation! The inspiration for these episodes came from a 2023 NRPA Annual Conference session, “Neurodiversity and Inclusive Workplaces: Insights from Park and Recreation Professionals.” The session explored the individual strengths...
info_outlineIt is officially Pride Month – a time to honor and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. And while we are thrilled to celebrate Pride Month this year, the reality is that our LGBTQ+ friends, family, colleagues and community members have been under attack.
In fact, just last week, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. after a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country. So far in 2023, more than 525 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced and more than 75 signed into law as of the time of this recording – the worst year on record. Be sure to check out Human Rights Campaign’s Impact Report, which shows the real-life impact of this legislation across the country, as well as their guidebook, which provides guidance for navigating states with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. There are also ways you can make your voice heard on this important issue, and I’ll be sure to link to all of these in the blog post that goes along with this episode.
And while the attacks continue, the fight for equal rights continues. As park and recreation professionals, you have the power to lead this charge through building inclusive, safe spaces, supporting your LGBTQ+ staff and community members, and creating a culture of belonging.
On today’s episode, we’re looking back at some of our previous episodes discussing LGBTQ+ inclusion in parks and recreation. If you haven’t listened to the full episodes from each of these clips you’re about to hear, I encourage you to check them out and consider what role you play in this mission. Together, we can inspire change, embrace our differences, and create a world where EVERYBODY benefits from the power of parks and recreation.
Tune in to the full episode to hear from:
- Cal Dobbs (he/they), a queer transgender ultra marathoner and long-distance hiker who is running across America — from California to Florida — fighting for the inclusion of transgender people in sports and access to gender-affirming healthcare.
- Peyton Daisy O’Connor (they/she) a past parks and recreation director for Buncombe County, North Carolina, who produced a formal inclusion policy for trans kids, based on their own lived experience.
- Chris Mosier (he/him), a trailblazing athlete, coach and the founder of TransAthlete.com. Chris is a six-time member of Team USA, and in 2015 he became the first openly transgender man to represent the United States in international competition.
- Jason Shriner (he/him), a past marketing manager for City of Manassas Park in Virginia, who discusses how his agency was re-evaluating policies and spaces to ensure they were inclusive for LGBTQ+ people and the ways they were partnering with local LGBTQ+ advocacy and sports groups.
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