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I grew up in inner city Detroit, and after many moves, twists, and turns, I found myself here in inner-city Dayton, where I stumbled across a true jewel in the gem city: the Five Rivers Metro Parks.
Knowing that these parks are here for me when I need them feels as comforting as the garden in my childhood backyard, the one my mother filled with tomatoes and care. I wanted to know what these spaces meant to others in my community, so I asked.
I talked to two women making these spaces feel more like home, ensuring that everyone knows there's room for them here.
Sheena Johnson
First up is Sheena Johnson, Community Outreach Specialist at Five Rivers Metro Parks. Her job is making sure these parks reflect the full diversity of our community and making sure everyone knows there's room for them here.
"The primary group that I engage in my role is all the marginalized communities. So people of color, we want to get into the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities want to make sure that things are accessible and equitable," Johnson said.
Sheena didn't grow up camping or hiking, but her time with the Metro Parks has changed her relationship to nature.
"Now am I super outdoorsy? No, but working with the parks I've learned to kayak and learn more about trails and so it feels good to be outside and I'm learning more about nature," she said.
This year, gardening has been a hit among the programming. At Possum Creek, you can pick your own flowers and herbs, or have a date night out there. The staff has been doing garden-to-go kits with seedlings of tomatoes, peppers and basil, plus a bag of seeds. They also do seed giveaways in the communities.
And she knows that building trust with communities who haven't always felt welcome takes more than a flyer. It takes showing up and being seen.
"I am a big supporter of Representation Matters. I want you to go to the website, get to know where the parks are located. You know, you're within five to ten minutes of a park no matter where you live in Montgomery County," Johnson said. "And then know that each park has different features, different things that you can try. Just take a walk to be stressed. Clear your head. Feel the breeze. Put your feet in the grass. Like, we have a connection to nature that relaxes us and is good for our mental and physical health."
Tiffany Brown
Every Monday evening at Deeds Point Metro Park, a group of people, mostly from the Black community, gather to walk. They stretch, they breathe, they laugh. At the center of it is Tiffany Brown, a nurse practitioner and yoga teacher whose journey into healing started with a spiritual awakening.
"One morning I just heard this voice say, there's room for you. And it was my grandmothers and their mothers talking to me and I was singing and dancing and laughing and crying and I got out the shower and looked at myself in the mirror, didn't see me. I saw like all these women standing behind me. I just got this strong feeling of like, yes-ness," Brown said.
That moment led Tiffany to become a yoga teacher and to start leading these weekly walks at Deeds Point Park.
"Doing community-based yoga in Deeds Point Park was the first place. And so it's accessible, it's beautiful," she said.
After a brisk walk one Monday evening, the group circled up under the trees. Before heading home, Tiffany invited everyone to share something they were grateful for.
"I am here and one thing I'm grateful for is I am grateful for peace of mind, y'all. I have it, and I am in a good place mentally, which hasn't been the case in these last few years. So I'm thankful for my peace of mine," Brown shared.
These parks hold more than trails and trees. They hold transformation. And if you've never been to one, there's one just 10 minutes from wherever you are in Montgomery County.
We Outside is produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO. It's made possible with support from Five Rivers MetroParks.
