It started out as another artful Thursday in Rose Park with the creation of beautiful butterflies, and led into an environmental event that gave attendees the opportunity to share their words and voice for change.

Darick Simpson, published Poet and President of the Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation read a poem he wrote titled: “Environmental Reflections.”

Bennett Dague and Evelyn Culver read environmental poems, and additional speakers included Marisol Marquez, Spanish Teacher and Outreach Coordinator of Intellectual Virtues Academy High School. IVA is a public charter school in Long Beach where high schoolers can explore, make connections, and belong as their authentic selves. IVA is currently enrolling 9th-12th graders for next school year and there is no cost or requirements to enroll! If you would like to learn more about IVA, please REGISTER HERE for their upcoming information session on April 26th.

Ricardo Light, Transportation Planner at Public Works Transportation Mobility Bureau spoke about a potential bicycle project on 11th and 8th Streets, which the Mobility Bureau is calling the “Rose Park Bicycle Boulevards.” A survey will be sent out to residents to gather feedback within the coming months.

Attendees also had a chance to hear from Roses for Rose Park Artist Cody Lusby, who talked about his project to connect neighborhood volunteers to local businesses. Volunteers can paint a rose medallion for a neighborhood business of their choice. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops @RosesforRosePark.

Thank you to the Port of Long Beach for sponsoring Rose Park Neighborhood’s Voices for Change community event. Special thanks to our speakers Darick Simpson, Evelyn Culver, Bennett Dague, Marisol Marquez, Ricardo Light, Cody Lusby, and to ArtWorksLBC and volunteers for keeping art alive in Rose Park every Thursday from 3pm to 5pm.