How to Advocate for Parks in your Community
Community members across Newark are showing that you don’t need to be a professional planner or politician to make a meaningful impact on your local park. Through interviews with park advocates and leaders, this page highlights practical, grassroots strategies that have helped transform neglected green spaces into vibrant community assets. These best practices demonstrate how anyone can shape their community green spaces.
Use Data to Back Up Your Advocacy
“We knew that we were very underserved in terms of the amount of park space we have per person. If you look at the Trust for Public Land data, we see the type of racial disparities exist between population and acreage. We were very underserved, and we know that. This is a really densely populated neighborhood. And so, we just said ‘It’s wrong. We need that park’.”
- Nancy Zak on saving Riverbank Park from demolition
Hold Officials Accountable
“My superpower is making ineffective politicians and people in charge uncomfortable, but it has to be done, because we have to hold them accountable. It’s not about them, it’s not about their donors, it’s not about what’s best for their bottom line. It’s about what’s best for the community and its sustainability — period, end of story.”
- Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds
Engage Diverse Demographics
“ Events or activities that involve children usually are very attractive, and also events that involve our senior citizens. They have knowledge, and they may have expertise in doing stuff. They may not have the physical ability to do it the way they could in their prime, but they can still add to the cause. The important thing is having people that are willing to do.”
- Richard Whitten
Leverage Outside Support and Resources
“ (The Trust for Public Land) is a great resource in helping to coach and advise friends groups on how to start their organizations. I know that the City of Newark is providing support and assistance through the Newark Assembly. I also saw that there was a group in the city that was providing resources to people that want to develop neighborhood associations, which also assists in supporting small community pocket parks. If the neighborhood association on that block galvanizes together and says ‘ a priority for me is this community garden. How do we nurture, care and invest in it?’ I think that’s a good place to start.”
- Thomas Dougherty
Build Inclusive Communication Channels
“At every event that we host we talk to people about whether they want to get on the (email) list for the next event. We also do a lot of posting flyers because we have people who don’t have computer access, unfortunately.”
- Nancy Zak
Take Action Where You Are
“ Just come in and start doing things. Come in with a plastic bag and start picking up litter. As simple as that. before you know it, you’ll start hearing things — you start learning more about the broader environmental issues, climate change, and how you can be good stewards of the park.”
- Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds