logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
39m 18s

Continuing a Legacy of Service to Create...

National Recreation and Park Association
About this episode

Los Angeles County is doing some big things and the department of parks and recreation is continuing to make an impact when it comes to equity, environmental resilience and the health and well-being of its community members.

 

I’m thrilled to be joined today by Norma Edith García-Gonzalez, who has worked for Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation for more than a decade and was appointed as director of the department in 2020 — becoming the first woman and first person of color to lead the department. What’s more, Norma now leads the same department that made such an impact on her in her youth.

 

Norma has been a true community leader in advancing the department’s mission, which I’m excited to talk about today. We’re also going to discuss LA’s 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) Final Report, which was recently adopted as the county’s 30x30 plan — which is the goal of conserving 30 percent of lands and coastal waters by 2030 to address climate change.

 

Tune in to our full conversation below to learn more about Norma and the good work that’s happening in Los Angeles County. You’ll also learn:

  • How Norma’s career in parks and recreation began
  • The historical barriers when it comes to serving the most vulnerable populations in Los Angeles County
  • How Norma and her staff are intentionally centering their work in equity and anti-racism
  • How the 2022 PNA+ Final Report was adopted as L.A. County’s 30x30 plan to address climate change
  • Some of the opportunities and challenges when it comes to achieving the 30x30 goal of conserving 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030
  • Why this work means so much to Norma, and so much more!

Related Links:

Up next
Jun 24
Reflections From the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit — Episode170
This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual Maryland Recreation and Parks Associ ... Show More
28m 49s
May 27
Centering Community and Connection at Anacostia Park — Episode 169
Earlier this spring, we had the chance to attend an incredible event in Washington, D.C., where we caught up with Akiima Price, co-founder and program advisor for Friends of Anacostia Park — an organization with a mission to enrich the lives of D.C. residents by preserving the pa ... Show More
48m 23s
Apr 22
Introducing Guardians of Greenspaces — Episode 168
Happy Earth Month! On today’s episode, we’re excited to share a collaboration with NRPA’s new podcast, Guardians of Greenspaces. Guardians of Greenspaces is a podcast focused on conservation from a park and recreation maintenance lens. Hosted by Rukmini Kalamangalam, a program sp ... Show More
51m 21s
Recommended Episodes
May 8
Where Are My Wedding Photos?!
Gianna’s newlywed bliss gets a wild jolt when she gets a call from her wedding photographer with some... unusual news about her big day. Let’s just say the only guests who got a close-up might’ve had fur and tails. 🐿️ What went wrong? Where are her actual wedding photos? And why ... Show More
5m 1s
Apr 17
Juniper Has Your Gym Sock
If you are looking for a new gym, and meet a front desk person named Juniper... RUN! This is a KILLER character from Jubal in your all new Jubal Phone Prank.  The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest and m ... Show More
4m 45s
Apr 22
What's happening with Trevor's goldfish?
Oh Trevor. We love this Jubal Phone Prank character. Did you see Jubal interviewed him? WATCH JUBAL INTERVIEW TREVOR HERE. The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest and most outrageous phone pranks, catchin ... Show More
4m 54s
Feb 2025
That's not my department, please hold
Imagine you've been trying to get your credit card unfrozen, and ALL of the Jubal characters keep transferring you around relentlessly... "That's not my department" The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest ... Show More
4m 53s
Mar 2025
Peacock Superfan: The Fire
This week we’re breaking down the Peacock Superfan episode “The Fire”. When a fire gets started in the office, the Dunder Mifflin employees must evacuate to the parking lot and are left wandering who started the fire while playing some games to pass the time. The ladies delve dee ... Show More
1h 27m
Mar 2025
Sorry ma'am - you can't fly
Imagine you have an issue with an airline but they call you to tell you you're a terrible passenger instead of fixing your problem. The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest and most outrageous phone pranks ... Show More
4m 38s
Mar 2025
Imagine if customer service was also a podcast?
Todd Sparxx strikes again at his customer service job. Welcome to his podcast. The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest and most outrageous phone pranks, catching unsuspecting victims off guard with his qu ... Show More
5m 16s
Mar 2025
We know you're stealing the neighborhood garden gnomes
The HOA is always there, watching, waiting, defending it's existence. Now, you're caught up in a scandal of epic proportions, and we want to investigate your home for all the stolen garden gnomes. The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fres ... Show More
4m 18s
Feb 2025
IS THIS THE ONLY REASON NICK WANTED TO BE A GIRL?!?
EP 214: In this episode we open up the podcast by talking about sage’s farts…? I know, I also have no idea how we got on that topic… Sean then goes on to ask if it’s an acceptable gift to take your GF SHOPPING RATHEERRRR than getting her any sort of gift for her BDAY!! He then go ... Show More
1h 35m
May 1
Todd Sparks: Baseball Coach
The wildest, most hilarious prank call podcast from The Jubal Show! Join Jubal Fresh as he masterminds the funniest and most outrageous phone pranks, catching unsuspecting victims off guard with his quick wit, absurd scenarios, and unmatched comedic timing. Whether he's posing as ... Show More
5m 11s