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Inspiring Our Community to Activate and Celebrate Detroit's Green Spaces, One Park at a Time

Empowering Detroit’s communities to take ownership of our parks, connect with the beauty of nature, and work together to create a greener, more sustainable future. Through local stewardship and shared experiences, we’re fostering a sense of pride, unity, and purpose—helping to build a city where green spaces thrive, and every person plays a part in shaping a healthier community for generations to come.

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Our Backyard Detroit (OBD) is a community-driven movement that brings Detroiters together to nurture and activate our local parks and green spaces. Through hands-on workshops, exciting events, and leadership coaching we provide opportunities for residents to roll up their sleeves and take pride in their parks, become stewards, advocate for the community, and create positive change. Whether you’re passionate about beautification, organizing events, or simply enjoying the outdoors with like-minded neighbors, OBD offers a place for everyone to get involved, build meaningful connections, and contribute to a more vibrant Detroit. Let’s create parks that aren’t just places to visit—but thriving community hubs that bring us together, spark creativity, and embrace sustainability. Join us in building a stronger, cleaner, and greener Detroit—one park at a time.”

Why Get Involved?
Whether you're a longtime resident, a new neighbor, or someone who simply wants to make a difference, joining OBD means playing an active role in shaping the future of Detroit’s parks. By participating, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with others who care about their community, develop leadership and project management skills, and contribute to creating safe, vibrant, and welcoming public spaces. Volunteering with OBD isn’t just about cleaning up a park—it’s about building a lasting impact, strengthening local networks, and learning how to turn ideas into action. No matter your background or experience, your voice and effort can help transform Detroit’s green spaces for generations to come.

Together

We are building a network of local Champions to activate and steward our parks and recreation areas to promote a healthier and cleaner city. 

Partnership

Green Living Science is partnering with the Gilbert Family Foundation to lift up Detroit residents with the resources and opportunities to help public spaces get the attention and care they deserve.

The goal:

To increase access to healthy green spaces in the City of Detroit!

What is Our Backyard Detroit?

Parks


We’ve identified 14 parks across Detroit’s seven Neighborhood Districts where community Champions can help bridge the gap between City departments and the needs of public community spaces, organizing programs like:

Park Clean Up

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Anti-Litter Initiatives 

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Recycling Education 

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Community Events

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...And More

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Tiffany Morrow

District 1 - Balduck Park

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Sam Scipio

District 1 - Peterson Playfield

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Shannon Durant

District 1 - Stoepel Park

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Jennifer Spivey

Distrcit 2 - Sawyer Playfield

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Antonio Johnson

District 3 - Krainz Park

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Sandra Turner-Hardy

District 4 - Skinner Park

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Will Morgan

District 5 - McDuffy Park

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Yesenia Nunez

District 6 - Dingeman Park

Year 2

Meet The Champions

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Parks

Balduck Park

Patton Park

Krainz Park

Maheras-Gentry Park

Peterson Playfield

Pingree Park

Sawyer Park

Skinner Playfield

St Hedwig Park

Van Antwerp Park

Zussman Park

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Tiffany Morrow

Balduck Park

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Sam Scipio

Peterson Playfield

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Jennifer Spivey

Sawyer Playfield

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Antonio Johnson

Krainz Park

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Sandra Turner-Hardy

Skinner Park

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Yesenia Nunez

St Hedwig Park

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John Meyers

Maheras-Gentry Park

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Kaytea Moreno-Elst

Pingree Park

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Chantia Thompson

Van Antwerp Park

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Lezlie Robinson

 Zussman Park

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Lisa Rodriguez

Patton Park

Meet The Champions

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Anthony Spivey

Sawyer Park

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Kenneth Hariston

Skinner Park

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Kenyanna Collins

 Balduck Park

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Natalia McIntyre

St Hedwig Park

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Michelle Baylor

Maheras-Gentry Park

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Toya Oglesby 

Pingree Park

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Ebony Elmore

Van Antwerp Park

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Joyce Massey

Zussman Park

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Walter Bailey

Krainz Park

Assistant Park Champions

Meet The Champions

Partners

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Our Impact & Story

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Our Story

Our Backyard Detroit (OBD) is a community-centered project designed to empower residents to take ownership of Detroit’s public green spaces. Inspired by our youth nature activity book, Bee Green In Your Backyard, the program’s name reflects the vision of parks and green spaces as extensions of residents’ homes—a “backyard” for all to enjoy.

In a city shaped by its industrial heritage, many Detroiters live in apartments or condos with limited access to private green spaces. OBD reinforces the idea that stewarded parks can serve as vibrant, welcoming backyards for everyone, fostering a sense of pride and connection to nature.

We also address the concept of NIMBY ("Not In My Backyard"), challenging it with a proactive, community-driven approach. Through anti-littering campaigns, public space programming, and hands-on stewardship initiatives, we encourage residents to define and support positive behaviors that align with their vision for local parks and communal green spaces.

In addition to community engagement, OBD provides professional development opportunities to equip park stewards with the skills and knowledge to lead impactful projects. Champions participate in:

  • Professional Development Day, a full-day experience featuring expert-led sessions, networking opportunities, and workshops to strengthen leadership and project management skills.

  • Field Trips, exposing champions to different pedagogy styles in the field and offering firsthand experience with successful green space initiatives.

  • Skill-Building Workshops, covering topics such as event planning, fundraising, social media marketing, and community engagement.

  • Assisted Training Manuals, providing structured guidance to support champions in planning and executing park improvement projects.

Our Mission

 

Together, we’re creating a movement that transforms parks into thriving hubs of environmental stewardship, recreation, and community leadership—empowering Detroiters to shape and sustain the green spaces they call home.

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