Anacostia Park is a 1200 acre park system adjacent to the Anacostia River, managed by the National Park Service. It is a greenspace that has and still does play an important role in the culture and community health of several predominantly Black neighborhoods in Southeast and Northeast D.C. Advocacy to support investments in the stewardship and infrastructural maintenance of Anacostia park has been a long-standing challenge. Currently, Clean Water Action is encouraging members/supporters to fight for improved amenities in Anacostia park including open bathroom facilities and functional drinking fountains by sending an email to the park superintendent requesting improvements to the basic park facilities. Several studies have shown that time spent in parks is directly related to improved community health outcomes, and Clean Water has focused its efforts in D.C. on supporting work that centers on improving the connection between Ward 7 and 8 residents in respite, recreation, and decision making about Anacostia Park and River systems.
Grassroots organizations and environmental justice community leaders often struggle with the capacity to competitively obtain major grants to support the impactful work of integrating environmental justice and community organizing. Clean Water Action (through its leadership role in APACC), redistributes resources and funds to support this kind of work and to uplift longtime D.C. environmental justice leaders like Akiima Price, and Brenda Richardson to level the environmental philanthropic playing field. Clean Water works with local members and community leaders in the Anacostia watershed to organize creative and innovative nature-based community engagement and cultural projects that connect Ward 7 and 8 based residents to the river and its parks.
Resources
For more information, please contact Brenda Richardson at brichardson@cleanwater.org. Learn more and get involved: www.anacostiaparkcommunity.org