Session Title: (501) R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find Out What Relevance Means to Me

Session Type: Education Session Talk
Topic(s): Customer Service, Equity and Inclusion, Programming
Community Engagement

Day/Time: Thursday - Block 9
10/12/2023 02:00 PM (Central Time (US & Canada)) - 10/12/2023 03:00 PM (Central Time (US & Canada))

Room: Room C140

Audience Experience Level: Any level
Audience Familiarity with DEI: Any Level
CEU: 0.1

Description:
This session will explore topics from an intergenerational lens and provide context on how the Detroit Parks and Recreation Department (DPRD) navigates the line of relevance and respect pertaining to topics like program development, community engagement and relationship building. As a department, we’re still learning through necessary conversations how to uphold the past while staying innovative in the present. Understanding that no matter how uncomfortable certain things may be to say, it’s critical that we talk about them to create an environment that is safe and equitable for our staff and community members. For us, there is so much knowledge held within people and experiences, and we are moving in a direction that we as a collective are proud of. Our intent is to uplift the many generations present within the conversations we’ve had with our DPRD family and share what we have learned from them.

Learning Objectives:
1. After attending this session, attendees should recognize that there is no one way to build a relationship. Knowing your audience and being open to how someone engages in a relationship and what they are looking to gain from it is crucial. They should be sure to acknowledge that multiple communication styles, approaches and narratives within relationship building can be valid simultaneously and will differ from person to person. Ranging from the smallest details to the largest gaps, it is up to each person to decipher and move along respectfully and accordingly.
2. After attending this session, attendees should recall how crucial it is to stay innovative with what is currently attracting people’s attention and occupying their time. Society is forever changing and opportunities for program offerings should reflect that. In addition, they should remember to maintain programs that continually have been highly successful and know that introducing new generations of youth to things they may not be familiar with also holds value.
3. After attending this session, attendees should be able to describe what it means to create not only an inclusive space for everyone in the community but to ensure people feel safe and welcome in every aspect when engaging in park and recreation events, activities and programming.

Speaker(s):

Morae Griffin
Jac Kyle
Andre Harris
Rachel Felder