Tag Archives: Van Cortlandt Park

#11 Summer of Unrest

Covid-19 Oral History, , , ,
Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn.
Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn.

This episode captures the memories of New York City Parks Department members as they recall the time period of social unrest during the COVID-19 crisis. Calls for social justice followed the deaths of Breonna Taylor in March 2020 in Louisville and George Floyd in May 2020 in Minneapolis. During the first wave of the pandemic, nationwide protests took place, with many turning to NYC Parks properties to make their voices heard. During this time the agency response included listening sessions with staff to hear their stories, and a program to rename Parks’ properties to honor and remember Black history.

Today our guests recall the era of social unrest in New York, and the groundswell of the social justice movement that often starts and ends on parkland. Our guests today are:

  • Former NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver;
  • Assistant Commissioner for Community Outreach and Partnership Development Karina Smith;
  • Urban Park Ranger Woo Sung Park;
  • Van Cortlandt Park Administrator Stephanie Ehrlich.

We record our shows in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at McCarren Park Play Center in the Media Education Lab. Our team is using the Media Lab and Parks volunteers to share our history with listeners, presenting some of the more than 100 oral history interviews conducted with Parkies.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

#3 Why Parks and Public Service?

Covid-19 Oral History, , ,

Mounted PEP

On this episode we interview three Parkies with connections to The Bronx and what drew them to public service. Why did they want to work for the NYC Parks Department? And in the pandemic, did the fact that they were public servants play a role in how they worked in the COVID-19 era?

Our interviews on episode #3:

  • Stephanie Ehrlich, Van Cortlandt Park Administrator
  • Shawn James, Deputy Chief of Recreation for The Bronx
  • Jamaal Jones, Recreation Specialist

We record our shows in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at McCarren Park Play Center in the Media Education Lab. Our team is using the Media Lab and Parks volunteers to share our history with listeners, presenting some of the more than 100 oral history interviews conducted with Parkies.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download