New York City’s 2021 citywide elections arrive amidst a public health crisis, economic challenges, increasing threats to our climate, and a reckoning with injustices. Parks play a central role in addressing all of these issues and shaping the future of our communities and city. How do we elevate the urgent needs facing parks, get candidates engaged, and make our voices heard? This webinar, co-led by New Yorkers for Parks, will help you learn how to advocate for parks and green spaces to support healthy, vibrant neighborhoods ahead of a pivotal election with historic turnover in City government.

Join us to learn:

• Advocacy tips to raise the profile of parks as an urgent issue and how to take action
• The changes NYC will see in city government and the role elected officials play in influencing policies and funding for parks and green spaces
• How ranked-choice voting works and its impact on the election

Featured speakers:

• Carlos Castell Croke, Associate for New York City Programs, New York League of Conservation Voters

In his role, Carlos works to advance policies and legislation that will protect public health and the environment in NYC. He previously worked at the Wildlife Conservation Society and Grassroots Campaigns and graduated from Lehigh University in 2018 with a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Science.

• Jessica Saab, Advocacy and Communications Project Manager, New Yorkers for Parks

Jessica Saab is the New Yorkers for Parks advocacy and communications project manager. She manages external communications and projects on behalf of the organization. She joined NY4P as the inaugural Leon Levy Fellow for Great Parks in 2018, where she helped analyze data, create maps, write reports, and also produced NY4P’s first podcast, Lots to Grow, all about community gardens in NYC—listen to it here. Previously, she worked at the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy and interned for the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the National Park Service through AmeriCorps. She holds a B.A. in metropolitan studies from New York University and is a first generation Venezuelan American that grew up moving every three years across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East due to her father’s career in the U.S. Air Force.

• Katherine Thompson, Co-chair, Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park

Katherine views herself as task-master-in-chief of strategizing how Bushwick Inlet Park gets built and activated. As part of their Spring 2021 Convocation, Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park invited eight candidates running District 33’s NYC Council seat, as a way to hear their stances on the issues facing their park and beyond.

Registration for this session is required and will close the day before the event. You will receive information on how to join the webinar once you register. If you have any questions, contact us at academy@cityparksfoundation.org.