October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 37

Jessica Desens' (left) and Robin Rowe's
approach to creating a safe and inclusive
space for their dancers shows the power
each of us has to help make sure people
feel like they belong.
Desens: Next is about trust.
Building a trusting environment
is key. The program and agency
must have that trust within their
environment for this to work.
Within our programs, we work
to make sure there is that trust.
If a trusting environment or relationship
isn't there, non-binary
and trans youth may feel unsafe
coming to our programs. This is
extremely important in a park district
agency. We are expected to
provide programs for the community
that are inclusive and accepting.
We [should] want to be that
safe space serving the community,
and we do that by building
trust. We should not be another
entity that is making people suffer
in their own skin, forcing them to
deny their true self.
Rowe: Another barrier can be the
community and the people we
serve as an agency. As an agency,
we should set an example for others
to follow, helping to educate
those who do not understand, as
well as set policies and guidelines
for accountability.
Saxton-Ross: Can you share
with us what you do within
your own sphere of influence
to make sure your programs
are inclusive?
Desens: I consider our dance program
an accepting community. We
do our best to educate and create
an atmosphere of acceptance by
embracing what makes each person
in the program unique. One of
the first things I did was to add my
pronouns to my email as an olive
branch to those in the LGBTQIA+
community (parents and participants),
so they know and understand
that my classes are a safe
space. This is something anyone
can do and make a difference [doing].
We have many parents and
participants who are part of the
LGBTQ+ community, as well as
those who are not. I believe that we
as staff have the power to set the
example of acceptance and inclusion
in dance class.
Rowe: One of the most important
things that we are attentive to
is the environment we create by
being as accommodating to the
students as...we can be. We strive
to familiarize ourselves with common
microaggressions toward the
[non-binary and trans] community
and address them. We do this
by taking time to think, consider
and learn from situations where
there might be a microaggression
or situation
that...might
make
folks feel that they don't belong.
We are recognizing our participants
- non-binary, trans
or
cisgender - may not know better,
and we use these as educational
opportunities for all. We don't
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | O CTOBER 2 0 22 | Parks & Recreation
37
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL MELENDEZ

October 2022 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2022 - Parks & Recreation

October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Intro
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover1
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover2
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 1
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 2
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 3
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 4
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 5
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 6
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 7
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 8
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 9
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 10
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 11
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 12
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 13
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 14
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 15
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 16
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 17
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 18
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 19
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 20
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 21
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 22
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 23
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 24
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 25
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 26
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 27
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 28
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 29
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 30
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 31
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 32
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 33
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 34
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 35
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 36
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 37
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 38
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 39
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 40
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 41
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 42
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 43
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 44
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 45
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 46
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 47
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 48
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 49
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 50
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 51
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 52
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 53
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 54
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 55
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 56
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover3
October 2022 - Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
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