Samantha Lee, owner of Pocket Parks, talks about how she takes empty lots and turns them into a place where people can gather and socialize safely in urban environments. Samantha said, “I see an empty lot and I see opportunity. I am designer turned entrepreneur turned change maker.”
“Pocket Parks…Small Parks. Big Impact.”
Ultimately Samantha wanted to use her skills to better the community. “Pocket Parks is a nonprofit that takes vacant lots and transforms them into beautiful, active recreational spaces for the community” she said. She added, “Each of our parks incorporates three things: art, activation and opportunity.”
Samantha tells people, yes, it is a parks project but it’s more than that. She explains, “It’s about weaving vibrancy into our urban fabric. It’s about building up the ecosystems of our communities to inspire pride, increase safety and build up the local economy.”
The best part, Samantha says, is that “We are small and resourceful.” We can make a “change in weeks and not years.”
