CONFERENCE SESSION BLOCK 1

• Session 1B
• Session 1C
• Session 1D
• Session 1F
• Session 1G

The Sikh Community and Bellingham Parks & Recreation – Grassroots Networking 

Description: 

Learn how Bellingham Parks and Recreation uses grassroots networking to increase inclusion. Explore how department partnerships with the Chardi Kala Project and local Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) provide educational, enriching programs and events for Sikhs with non-Sikhs. Learn about Sikh religion, Sikh community members, and expand the reach of your department to community members of diverse backgrounds.

Presented by: 

Rose Kaur Kular, Volunteer, The Chardi Kala Project,

Biography: Rose Kular is a Sikh American hailing from Washington State. Born and raised in the Evergreen State, Rose has always been deeply committed to her community and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her passion for community engagement began at a young age, and she has been working tirelessly to make a positive impact on her community ever since. Rose is particularly dedicated to raising awareness of Sikhi and promoting interfaith dialogue. She believes that by fostering a deeper understanding of different religions and cultures, we can create a more harmonious and equitable world. To this end, Rose works with various organizations in her community, including the City of Bellingham's Parks and Recreation department, to help manage community events that celebrate diversity and raise awareness of different faiths and cultures.

Rosa Caldwell, Recreation Coordinator, Bellingham Parks & Recreation

Biography: Rosa Caldwell is a Recreation Coordinator for the City of Bellingham's Parks and Recreation department. She develops programs for community members of all ages and abilities. Rosa is dedicated to fostering community partnerships, creates community program policies, secures funding through grants and sponsorships, and manages large events. Rosa takes a grassroots approach to networking in greater Whatcom County and is pleased to be able to co-host this speaker session with community partner, Rose Kular, to showcase strong relationship building between Bellingham Parks and Recreation and local Sikh community members.

Learning Objectives

1. Learn principles of the Sikh Faith including why many Sikhs wear turbans, where the Sikhs religion began, beliefs, and population.
2. Make connections with local Sikh communities.
3. Attract Sikh participation in parks and park activities.

Framing the Foundation: Elevating Racial Consciousness & Deepening Personal Understanding of Self

Description: 

Many organizations enter DEI work with a focus on guidelines, and policies that will “fix” the problem of racism within their existing structures and cultures. That work often proves futile. Organizations must disrupt the structural racism that is entrenched not only in its history, policies and culture, but in the mindsets and practices of individuals as well. This requires consistently considering how we unwittingly assist in the reproduction of the racial order through our everyday interactions, on the job, in addition to our everyday experiences outside of it. This interactive discussion will provide participants a deeper understanding of what it means to be anti-racist. Participants will be guided through personally reflective exercises and engage in thought-provoking dialogue, in an effort to be more conscious about the role of race in their lives, the lives of others, as well as in the greater society.

Presented by: 

Lori Watson, Founder & CEO, Race-Work

Biography: 
Dr. Lori A. Watson grew up in Greenville, Mississippi, where she was profoundly influenced by the leaders and educators in her family. Her father was the first Black notary public as well as proprietor of the first “negro-owned” commercial laundry in the state of Mississippi. Her uncle was the first Black student to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama. As a result, Lori learned the value of pride and perseverance, and through the nurturing of her mother and aunt who were both teachers, she learned the importance of education.

After high school graduation, Lori received her B.A. in Health and Physical Education from Tougaloo College, a Historically Black College in Tougaloo, MS. She was captain of the women’s basketball team and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She received an M.S.Ed. In Health, Physical Education, and Recreation from Jackson State University, another Historically Black College. In 2012, Lori earned her Ed.D. from California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA. Her doctoral dissertation topic was, “Wow, they care right?” Making Schools Safe for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Students. During her twenty-plus years as an educator, Lori was a teacher, basketball coach, and school administrator at both the elementary and secondary levels. Following her tenure in Education, Lori worked as an Equity Transformation Specialist with Courageous Conversation, a consulting agency committed to achieving racial equity. She trained and facilitated nationwide, guiding individuals and organizations to uncover personal and institutional biases in order to elevate racial consciousness and move toward systemic racial equity transformation. In the spring of 2020, Lori moved into entrepreneurship and began her own independent consulting company by founding Race-Work, LLC. As the C.E.O. of her own company, she continues to partner with numerous K-12 school districts, universities, and non-profit and private companies, in addition to both small and large corporations.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of Race-Work tools as they build capacity for anti-racism.
2. Participants will be able to recognize & discuss the impact of race in their personal lives.
3. Participants will be able to assess and critique their levels of racial consciousness.

It's All Good in the Hood - A Multiagency Parks Plan

Description: 

In Hood River Oregon, several agencies provide overlapping parks and recreation facilities and services to the same community. For several years, we competed for grants, had conflicting goals, and had several redundancies. In 2018 the Hood River Valley Parks & Recreation District engaged the City, County, Port District, and School District in a planning process to create one Multi-Jurisdictional Master Plan For all agencies. We kicked off the process with a joint meeting of all the elected boards and councils, developed a plan outline, formed a working group with elected officials, developed a shared vision and shared goal matrix, a shared capital improvement list with priorities and identified stakeholders, and conducted a robust public outreach process. In the fall of 2020, all five agencies adopted the same Planning Document intended to guide us through decision making and give us a framework for collaboration for the next 20 years. The speaker will share an overview of the strategies they used to motivate staff and elected officials to collaborate, compromise, and complete a plan they could all support.

Presented by: 

Mark Hickok, Executive Director, Hood River Valley Parks & Recreation District

Biography: Mark Hickok grew up in Everett, WA and has worked in Parks & Rec for 25 years. He holds a BS in Parks and Recreation Management from Northern Arizona University and for the last 6 years has been the Executive Director of the Hood River Valley Parks & Recreation District.

Learning Objectives

1. The participants will learn how to identify opportunities for collaboration with other local parks providers.
2. Participants will understand how to develop tactics for developing complex plans between multiple agencies who have complimenting and sometimes conflicting goals and motivations.
3. Attendees will gain insight and lessons learned from a real-world example of a complex planning process.

Using Data to Align Camps with Community Need

Description: 

In recent years, many cities have adopted new approaches to program planning using data to better identify and respond to the ever-changing community needs. Learn how the cities of Bellevue and Shoreline have utilized data-based approaches to needs identification, and gained new insight into community program gaps. Learn what data were used, how program gaps were identified, and how this transformed the program planning process. This session is applicable to organizations of any size!

Presented by: 

Colin Walker, CPRP, Marketing Administrator, Bellevue Parks & Community Services

Biography: Colin Walker has been working for over twenty years to assess the relevance and effectiveness of programs and services provided by Bellevue Parks & Community Services. As a self-professed data geek, Colin works closely with recreation program staff to understand who they are and aren’t serving in order to better understand community gaps and improve equitable program delivery.

Marianne Johnson, Recreation Specialist, City of Shoreline Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Department

Biography: Marianne Johnson has over 20 years of experience working in parks and recreation.  She currently works for the City of Shoreline helping manage youth day camps and active adult wellness programs.

Learning Objectives

1. Attendees will be able to identify data sources and information resources available within their communities.
2. Learn strategies to facilitate deeper collaboration between program staff.
3. Learn how to identify community program gaps and opportunities.

Tiny Homes, Zambonis, Artifacts and Contracts: Parks and Rec jobs!

Description: 

Parks and Recreation isn't all about programming! A panel of professionals will discuss jobs not widely or commonly associated with the field of Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation engineers, project planners, permit specialists, facility managers, department administrators and human service providers will describe how their paths led them to Parks and Recreation. Each presenter will speak to their roles and responsibilities, with time allotted for question and answer.

Presented by: 

Gina G. Austin, PE, Co-Presenter, Parks Engineer, Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department

Biography: Gina Austin is a Project Engineer for the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department. She left her consulting job in Seattle working as a structural engineer over 20 years ago to start a new career in parks and has never looked back. Over the last two decades, Ms. Austin has managed all phases of project development including design, permitting and construction of variety park projects. As an avid cross-country runner, hiker, and park goer, Ms. Austin spends her off time visiting parks and trails with her husband, dog, and 4 kids.

Amanda Zollner, Recreation Supervisor, City of Shoreline

Biography: Amanda Zollner has worked in the Recreation field for 20 years. She has worked for more than 16 years for The City of Shoreline and is currently the Recreation Supervisor overseeing the Youth and Teen Development Programs (YTDP). Amanda helped develop the YOLO program in Shoreline that combines Youth-Led outreach and access to Mental Health professionals in teen programming. Amanda is passionate about providing engaging programming to young people and feels that all youth need a place to connect with each other and with caring adults. Her goal is to get the younger generation invested in the youth development process and ultimately be the caring adults connecting to the next generation.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to identify multiple educational and career paths not commonly associated with Parks and Recreation
2. Participants will learn about and subsequently discuss a fuller scope of understanding of parks and recreation service delivery
3. Participants will network with experienced professionals

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