Community Connectors

Learn about Community Connectors: people who are passionate about equity and greening. They’re leaders in their neighborhoods, or want to become community leaders and lead greening projects.

Community Connectors

We walk with you, you show us the way.

Community Connectors are people who are passionate about equity and greening. They’re leaders in their neighborhoods, or want to become community leaders.

When you become a Community Connector, you teach us what your neighborhood needs and we provide the resources your projects need to green your community. We are thought partners and technical experts, and we are here for the long haul, providing year-in and year-out support. These positions, supported by grant and project funding, receive on the job training and join a network of other Community Connectors working throughout Denver.

Why Community Connectors?

Historically racist housing and development policies have led to neighborhood inequities: neighborhoods that are 10-15 degrees hotter than others; higher rates of asthma, diabetes, and obesity; dangerous storm runoff; poorer air and water quality; and lower life expectancies.

Trees Can Help

Residents often know what their neighborhoods need; they have the local expertise of lived experience. As the eyes and ears of their communities, residents share meaningful connections with their friends, families, coworkers, and neighbors. Community Connectors are boots-on-the-ground leaders, and when residents lead, projects succeed because they are responsive to specific neighborhood needs and invested in by community members. That means development that supports fresh air, clean water, resilient tree canopy, and green spaces for all.

Our Active Community Connectors

Got questions for YOUR Community Connector? Maybe we’re in your neighborhood:

BARNUM & BARNUM WEST: Danielle Helm, BarnumCC@theparkpeople.org

GLOBEVILLE: Amanda Morian, almorian@gmail.com

VALVERDE: Evon Lopez, evon.lopez@outlook.com

VILLA PARK: Kim Ramirez, kimmyram1121@gmail.com

WEST COLFAX: Leah Rounds, leah@wecandenver.org

Si prefiere español, envíe cualquier pregunta por correo electrónico a Blanca Marrufo or Kim Ramirez at climate@theparkpeople.org

The Work

The Park People is currently working with community leaders in Barnum, Barnum West, Globeville, Valverde, Villa Park, and West Colfax to support neighborhood-led greening projects. The Park People provides technical assistance, training, facilitation, subject matter expertise, trees and other forestry materials, and tools. Our Community Connectors provide neighborhood connections as well as familiarity, historical and cultural knowledge, neighborhood visioning, and on-the-ground organizing.

Recent Community Connector projects include community tree plantings in Globeville; a Fall Forest Festival in Valverde; and a community tree adoption event tailored for five west Denver neighborhoods by our Community Connectors. More community tree plantings and tree care projects are in the works – let us know if you’d like to get involved!

STAY CONNECTED