Looking to rally your community around your park? Reaching out to local media organizations can help! Come to this workshop to get insider tips on working with news organizations and pitching compelling stories to television, newspaper, and digital media outlets. Hear from experts in the field and park leaders on the best ways to frame your stewardship, service, and advocacy to make headlines for your park.

Topics:

• What makes a good story & how to pitch it
• Determining which news outlets to use
• Tips on working with reporters
• Writing a press release

Featured speakers:

John Surico,  Freelance Journalist

John Surico is a freelance journalist and researcher based in Queens, New York. With a focus on cities and cultures, his reporting has appeared in over 20 local, national, and international outlets including The New York Times, VICE, and CityLab. He has reported from Mexico, Cuba, Sweden, Brazil, and across the United States. He was formerly an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, where he graduated with a BA in journalism and politics. In the fall, he will be pursuing an MSc at the Bartlett School of Planning, at University College London. He can speak Italian and Portuguese conversationally, and is currently learning Spanish and French. John is also a research fellow at the Center for an Urban Future, which in June 2018 published his in-depth report entitled, A New Leaf: Revitalizing New York City’s Aging Parks Infrastructure.

Neil Herdan, Co-Chair, Friends of Whitey Ford Field

Neil Herdan is the co-chair of Friends of Whitey Ford Field, a volunteer group dedicated to the upkeep, maintenance, and repair of a multipurpose ball field on the Queens waterfront. Neil got involved in 2015, when a group of local residents gathered to raise funds to repair the fitness equipment there through participatory budgeting. In 2017, Whitey Ford Field received a large investment from Council Member Costa Constantides, which helped propel the group into the public eye. Since then, the group has had a streak of success working with the press and garnering media attention around their park. Neil himself was featured in a HuffPost article entitled, “The Champion of Whitey Ford Field” and the group’s summer activities have been recently picked up by the Queens Gazette. Neil graduated from Columbia University with a master’s in librarianship, has experience as a professional fundraiser, and is passionate about making Whitey Ford Field the envy of New York City.

For more information or questions, please email relzinga@cityparksfoundation.org