Katie Long, Program Director/Hispanic Liaison
at the Friends of Patterson Park
What's your background?
I am proud to say that I am a 4th generation Baltimorean. I got my bachelors in Psychology and Spanish at Towson University, where I played tennis. In fact, some of my tennis teammates from Towson continue to volunteer for our youth tennis programs in Patterson Park! Soon after graduating, I joined the Peace Corps and served two years in Honduras, after which I was accepted into the Shriver Peaceworker Fellowship program for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers at UMBC, where I got my masters in Intercultural Communication. At the time, 2009, the deputy director of the Shriver Peaceworker Program (Jennifer Robinson) was serving on the board of the Friends of Patterson Park and thought that it would make a great community placement for my fellowship. I’ve been with the Friends ever since!
I also serve on the board of the National Peace Corps Association, the Mayor’s Hispanic Commission, the Banner Community Sports League Advisory Committee, the Comité Latino’s childhood obesity sub-committee, and have served on the board of the Baltimore Improv Group (BIG). I’m a member of BIG, as well as the Maryland Improv Collective (MIC) and play ukulele with Bahia Vieja, KatBob and other musical groups when I have the opportunity!
With community partners at Mueveton.
What does your role entail?
One of the best things about my role is that I get to do a lot of different things! In my role as Program Director, I plan and implement free youth sports programs (like soccer, tennis, and basketball), family fitness (like Zumba, family bootcamp, walking groups, and yoga), and plan community events (like Día del Niño, the Summer Concert Series, the Mueveton 5k and Health Expo, Mexican Independence Day, and many other events produced by the Friends or in collaboration with other community partners, like the Great Halloween Lantern Parade, Kite Festival, the Kinetic Sculpture Race, and the Baile Folklórico Dance Festival).
Part of my role is to also fundraise through grant writing for free programs and events. I help to connect individuals and groups looking to do programs and events in the park to the BCRP permits office, and work with them on logistics to make sure that new events and programs work well in the park. I also help facilitate communication between Spanish-speakers and various city agencies when there is a language barrier. In addition, part of my role is promotion of FPP programs and events (as well as others happening in the park) through managing poster design, Facebook events, and producing our weekly e-newsletter.
As a Spanish-speaking staff member, and someone with over 15 years of experience working with the immigrant and Latino community, a big part of my role is working with the community and strengthening and developing partnerships. I’m lucky enough to get to work with wonderful leaders from the immigrant community (as well as groups like Mis Raices, Comité Latino, Artesanas Mexicanas, Centro Sol, and others) who work with us to plan events; create park initiatives; serve as Zumba teachers, fitness instructors, and sports coaches; and provide leadership and feedback so that the Park can be a welcoming place for everyone. Also, whenever there is a change or big news in the park, it is usually my job and pleasure to get to write a ukulele song about it.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Because I am lucky to get to wear so many different hats, it depends on the day! Generally, I spend a lot of the day planning for and promoting events and programs, organizing youth sports volunteers, coordinating with park fitness instructors, grant writing, and communicating with park users and organizational partners. However, many days I’m out in the park running a soccer or tennis clinic, hosting a concert or festival, and responding to concerns, questions and feedback from park users.
What's your favorite thing about the park?
I just love so much about Patterson Park. I love the sense of togetherness and belonging that it instills in such a diverse community. I personally love to play tennis at the park’s courts and love that I can train for a triathlon entirely in the park! I do morning lap swim at the pool in the summer, ride the paved figure 8-loop on my bike, and run on the paths and grass all throughout the park. In winter, I love snowboarding on the extension field hill and sledding on Pagoda Hill. The end to a perfect day is sitting on top of the park hill off of Ellwood avenue on a picnic blanket with some tacos.
Anything else interesting you want ppl to know?
Patterson Park has given me countless gifts, both as a Friends of Patterson Park employee and a community member. Among them is my dog, Louie (who was found in the park 5 years ago). Louie comes to work with me everyday, has served as the “doorbell” at the Friends offices, helps promote events and programs through video appearances and photo shoots, and brings the dog perspective to the table at staff meetings.