Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Inspiring Park and Recreation Stories — Episode 164
Release Date: 12/17/2024
The Power of Your Stories — Episode 180
Open Space Radio
Park and Recreation Month is one of our favorite times of year here at NRPA, and as we celebrate, we wanted to give one of our favorite episodes another spin. This episode originally aired as , and it captures exactly what this month is all about: a collection of powerful stories showing how parks and recreation strengthens communities and changes lives. We're revisiting our conversations with: Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California) Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking...
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The Power of Leading With Empathy — Episode 179
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore what it means to lead with empathy and why people-centered leadership can have a lasting impact on our teams and our communities as a whole. Joining us for the conversation is Shannon Harris, CPRE, CPO, executive director of the Carson Valley Swim Center and past president of the Nevada Recreation& Parks Society. Throughout her career, Shannon has built a reputation as a thoughtful, compassionate leader. Someone who shows up, listens, builds trust, and creates opportunities for others to grow and thrive. After spending some time with her at...
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The Power of CAPRA Accreditation — Episode 178
Open Space Radio
CAPRA accreditation sets the national standard for excellence in parks and recreation and agencies that go through the process are really committing to operating at the highest level across everything they do. From strengthening day-to-day operations to helping agencies plan for the future, plays an important role in delivering the best possible services to our communities. On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we explore how CAPRA accreditation is shaping park and recreation agencies, leadership and communities across the country. We also dive into how the newly reimagined 2027 CAPRA...
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The Power of Understanding the World Around Us — Episode 177
Open Space Radio
Each Earth Month, we’re reminded of the important role parks and recreation plays in building more resilient communities and connecting people to nature. A key piece of helping that connection grow is through curiosity, learning and a deeper awareness of the world around us. On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Erica Flocke, parks and recreation director for the City of Wimberley, Texas, to talk about how the Texas Master Naturalist program has shaped the way she sees her work and her community. After reading , we wanted to dig deeper and explore how learning about our...
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The Power of Your Stories: Inside the Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest — Episode 176
Open Space Radio
Each year, NRPA hosts its Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest. But before one story makes the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, countless submissions remind us just how powerful this work truly is. With submissions now open for this year’s , this episode of Open Space Radio looks back at a few stories from last year that stayed with us. From older adults building connections through a simple walking program to children strengthening literacy skills by reading to horses, these stories capture what parks and recreation does best: create spaces where people connect...
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The Power of Getting Girls in the Game — Episode 175
Open Space Radio
What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they...
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The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Open Space Radio
January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics...
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month — Episode 173
Open Space Radio
November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating...
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An Open Space Radio Halloween: Spine-Chilling Tales from Parks and Recreation — Episode 172
Open Space Radio
Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this...
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The Insider’s Guide to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 171
Open Space Radio
On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things ! It’s hard to believe we’ll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days. If you’ll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We’ll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic! On today’s episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life....
info_outlineIt’s our final episode of Open Space Radio for 2024! Did you know we released 15 episodes this year and talked with 27 amazing community leaders for a whopping 758 minutes of conversation (more than 12 hours!) about the power of parks and recreation?
Thank you to everyone who joined us on the show to share their story this year and to everyone who tuned in to an episode. We truly love amplifying these stories through our platform and appreciate you trusting us with that!
On today’s episode, we’re reflecting on some of our favorite moments from the year, as well as chatting about what we’ll be up to in 2025 — like scaling back to monthly episodes to bring you even richer, more compelling stories packed with even more voices from the profession.
Tune in to the full episode below to reflect on the year with us and listen to some powerful clips from the following episodes:
- Imposter Syndrome Is Real — Episode 149
- Make an Impact by Leading with a Mentoring Mindset — Episode 150
- Creating Space for Belonging in Juneau, Alaska — Episode 152
- Creating a World Where Humanity Stands Out — Episode 153
- Fostering Belonging Through Community Theater — Episode 156
- Inclusive Adventures: Building Belonging Through Adaptive Recreation — Episode 157
- From Access to Action: How We Can Thrive Like a Meadow — Episode 159
- Roving Leaders: Decades of Empowering Youth in D.C. — Episode 161
- From Newcomer to Seasoned Professional: Navigating the NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 162
- Sustainability and Environmental Resilience in Parks — Episode 163
Be sure to tune in to every episode here!
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 to support not only our storytelling efforts, but also our mission to advance parks, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all at nrpa.org/donate.