National Capital Parks-East (the NPS unit that includes Anacostia Park) has initiated a new community newsletter. The first volume was released recently, and we've copied it here. If you are intersted in getting these updates, please contact Pya Langley at NPS.

National Capital Parks-East Partner Newsletter: Spring Issue

Volume 01 | Spring 2018

Summer is almost here! As we dive into June, which is also Great Outdoors Month, we want to share with you our upcoming events and the exciting progress we've made since our partnership summit last fall.

This summer, we look forward to working with many of you in order to further our joint programs and to celebrate the natural and cultural resources that will serve youth and families in our communities.

Year of the Anacostia

The #YearoftheAnacostia has gained monumental progress and the recent Congressional Resolution officially declaring 2018 as the Year of the Anacostia adds to that. At National Capital Parks-East, we are happy to be a part of such a significant moment for the Anacostia River corridor and encourage you to celebrate the Centennial of Anacostia Park with us on August 31, 2018.

To find out how we are all working together to celebrate the Year of the Anacostia, visit yearoftheanacostia.com

Upcoming Events

The annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival will be held at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on July 21 and 22, 2018 from 10 am to 5 pm. Visit go.nps.gov/lotus for the full event schedule.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Presents “What to the slave is the Fourth of July?” Visit Frederick Douglass Cedar Hill home on Independence Day to honor a national hero and celebrate his legacy. Visit go.nps.gov/Douglass200 for more information.

National Capital Parks - East partner Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, is hosting a Jazz Festival in support of the Carter G. Woodson National Historic Site and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument. The festival will take place at Fort Washington Park on June 15th and 16th. More information can be found at https://woodsonyoungjazzfestival.com/

For a full schedule of upcoming summer events, click here (PDF) or visit the park's home page at nps.gov/nace

Spotlight: Summer Youth Employment Opportunities

All of our summer employment opportunities for youth have been filled, and we are excited about the projects and programs that are slated for the summer season! We will employ over 30 youth across 5 of our sites this summer. For more information on how youths are building career opportunities,

Partnership Work Plan Updates

Since the 2017 Partnership Summit, the park has partnered with the national and the regional offices of the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program (RTCA) to refine and advance our partnership work plan. Below are actions we've taken to meet some of the priorities we shared last February.

Started a seasonal newsletter to share youth employment opportunities, park events, and much more exciting and important information regarding the park and the local community.
Created a comprehensive list of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens project priorities to help the park and Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens easily identify areas of alignment and opportunities to collaborate.
Capturing the wealth of information shared at the 2017 Partnership Summit, and creating a soon-to-be-launched GIS tool that captures partner program sites, areas of focus, and skills.
Updating our websites with more information as to how to get involved with the park.
Planning to host a number of partner-centered discussions in the Fall of 2018 to help facilitate collaboration among our many partner organizations.
Started creating a priority list for all of our remaining park sites.

As we continue to update the partnership work plan and complete projects that meet our priorities, we will make sure to send them out through this newsletter, so stay tuned!

Shepherd Parkway | Parkland Update

Through many discussions with partners, the community, and with D.C. agency officials, the National Park Service has committed to host near-monthly events at Shepherd Parkway. In partnership with D.C. Ward 8 Council-member Trayon White Sr., we will also host a public meeting on June 7, 2018 to discuss the future of Parkland.

See below for more information on the public forum and summer events at Shepherd Parkway.

Shepherd Parkway Events

Public Meeting - Parkland Follow-up
w/ D.C. Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White Sr.’s Office
Thursday, June 7
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
THEARC, The East Campus Community Room

Monthly Volunteer Clean-up
w/ Restore Shepherd Parkway
Second Saturday of the month (Jun 9 | Jul 14 | Aug 11)
10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Malcolm X Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

Jazz in the Park
w/ Youth Jazz Movement
Saturday, June 9
1:00 p.m.

Admittance is free. Malcolm X Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

National Capital Parks-East | National Park Service | nps.gov/nace
National Capital Parks-East | 1900 Anacostia Drive SE, Washington, DC 20020

New National Park Service Newsletter - Volume 1 | Spring 2018