Art in the Park is an organization that I started in 2015. It was a decision based on my love for the Harlem community, passion for art across all genres and the goal of making it accessible to children of all ages for free in their neighborhood parks. Since 2015, Art in the Park has served over 100 children and their families in local parks within urban underserved communities. Participants are exposed to painting, jazz, classical music, dance, poetry, engaging activities like the most recent beautification project where families planted over 1000 Daffodils bulbs in the fall of 2018. I grew up near Alice Kornegay Park on 128th East Lexington Avenue during the 80’s drug epidemic. That said, the park wasn’t a safe place for children to explore and play. Now a mother of two young boys, I strive for more for my family and for the families that don’t have the ability or realize the benefits of exposing children to art. We shouldn’t have to leave our neighborhood or have a certain level of income to reap the benefits of these opportunities. Art in the Park would love to join the AfricanTourismBoard for many reasons one of which we would like in the near future to create a program that exposes young children from New York experience Africa and all that it has to offer. We would also like to create a program where children from Art in the Park visit schools and other culturally rich places in Africa to gain awareness of self and realize the beauty of Africa. by Shawnique Woolfalk [email protected] |