Waterfront Ambassadors return for summer 2020
Summer 2020 One Waterfront Ambassadors, with Program Manager Sarah Plotkin.
Returning for a second summer, the One Waterfront Ambassadors program kicked off last week, with eleven teens from neighborhoods around Boston including East Boston, Chinatown and Charlestown.
The Boston Waterfront Initiative’s summer youth employment program launched last year, with a mission to engage teens on waterfront issues in and around their neighborhoods and communities. In its first season, the Ambassadors worked with key East Boston grassroots and non-profit partners, lending a hand with local cleanups and stewardship projects while also learning about the important work of these grassroots organizations. Though this summer has presented new challenges, and necessitated a redesign to a virtual/remote work-learn structure, the Ambassadors will still have the opportunity to learn about the community engagement and open space work being done in East Boston and around the City’s waterfront.
Like last year, the One Waterfront team looks forward to publishing regular update blogs about the activities and work being done by this engaged and enthusiastic group. For the Ambassadors’ first week this summer, the teens explored their own neighborhoods, taking photos of places they are proud of and places they wished could be improved. In some cases, using photos they took, the Ambassadors re-imagined a version that was more accessible. A selection of their photos and drawings are highlighted below:
Brittany R: I found a garden behind a small park in my neighborhood, but it looks like it needs some love. I figured that it is possible to completely transform this garden in my mind. Here is the vision I have for a new and improved community garden.
Sergio F (returning Ambassador from Summer 2019): During my walk I looked back at locations from last year’s Waterfront Ambassadors and how beautiful they have turned out. I have some great memories from our time spent at these spots, and remember the group’s hard work and dedication, including here at this area on the East Boston Greenway.
Clare A: In this drawing, I’ve remodeled one of the tunnels in my neighborhood where mostly everything is in poor condition. It is not accessible for people with wheelchairs, so I’ve remodeled it with ramps and also included lights for when nighttime arrives.
Emily D (returning Ambassador from Summer 2019): This is a picture of open green space between some apartment complexes in the area of my neighborhood. Many of these types of spaces could be used for something nice, with some redesign and work.
Sophia T: This is a picture of Chinatown’s Famous Chinatown Gate. It is a tourist attraction that has been in Chinatown for a very long time and holds a lot of meaning to the residents of Chinatown. It’s a nostalgic memory for many people who grew up in Chinatown as it was like a gate to our homes and a place where we would play with our friends.
Kevin C. (returning Ambassador from Summer 2019): I chose this photo because I like this East Boston park a lot. It is clean, and a newer park, that was built couple of years ago.
Emily H: We went outside to look for things that we would change in our neighborhood, so I chose a place that was rundown and the grounds were cracked. If I were to improve this piece of land, I would replace the fence near the water to something less rustic and add a pool for the summer that can be converted to a rink in the winter. It seemed a bit farfetched, so I also drew a public garden with a small park.
Jessica Z (returning Ambassador from Summer 2019): Whenever I'm taking a walk around my neighborhood, I find that I'm always calm and happy. I enjoy seeing all the greenery at every turn, and the ocean puts me at ease. This picture captures both the green space and the ocean.
Gloriann Z: This is a drawing of an already existing staircase in Chinatown that leads to many businesses. For easier access to people with disabilities or any issue preventing them access, I drew a proposition to help. It is an escalator seat that doesn't take up much space and is easy to use.
Emily C (returning Ambassador from Summer 2019): In this photo, is a giant green space near my neighborhood. The sidewalk is curved because it goes up a hill and there is a big area which can be used to make more houses or a playground. I felt that I needed to show how big this area is and how it could be huge change for the community if repurposed.
Rabab B: The drawing is my neighborhood. There are normal housing and mini gardens in between. This drawing is very important to me. When we all shared our drawings out loud it was interesting to see how different our neighborhoods are yet how much we all deeply feel connected and welcomed no matter what happens.
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To learn more about the One Waterfront Ambassadors program, click here