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

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

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