Author: Elizabeth Figueroa, Special Programs Manager
Approaching its 2nd year, the Spartan Keyes Egg Hunt sprouted as a result of two community leaders enrolled in CommUniverCity’s CLP connecting about resources in their respective neighborhoods. Carmen Cautiverio from Northside Neighborhood put on her first Egg Hunt at the very spacious Backesto Park the previous year and Rita Torres was looking for a way to engage families in her Spartan Keyes Neighborhood, which is extremely limited when it comes to open space.
The Spartan Keyes Neighborhood has a rich history with its warehouses and canneries that still stand, but these industrial areas are also part of what keeps neighbors segmented from each other and from Bestor Art Park, which measures less than 1 acre of space for approximately 4,000 residents within a half mile. In a neighborhood where the level of trust among neighbors is slightly below the national average, events like this Egg Hunt have the potential for a positive impact among residents who may not meet under any other circumstance.
In fact, that is the central purpose of the Spartan Keyes Egg Hunt: to increase neighborhood engagement and interaction by using existing neighborhood assets like Bestor Art Park to focus on safe and fun activities for all segments of the neighborhood. For some families, free community and park activation events are the only option for positive engagement with their kids, neighbors, and other community members. For example, on a mission to distribute as many flyers as possible, we encountered a mom who’s face lit up because an affordable, accessible Easter event was just what she needed for her kids. And sure enough, she arrived at the exact start time, kids in toe and dressed in their Easter best.
This year’s Egg Hunt is slated to be as great as the first. If you’re in the neighborhood and notice our A-Frames announcing the Hunt, drop on by! Neighborhood leaders are passionate about advocating for more spaces and resources for their community. Showing up means showing support for their efforts to create a community where everyone belongs. There is a big difference between simply living in a community versus belonging to a community. With the memories they will create during this Egg Hunt, families will feel like they belong to this community. And they do. We are welcomers.
The Spartan Keyes Egg Hunt is co-sponsored and presented by the Spartan Keyes Neighborhood, CommUniverCity San Jose, The Awesome Foundation, and #BeautifySJ. Details of the event are below:
Saturday, March 31, 2018 from 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Bestor Art Park @ the intersection of South 6th Street and Bestor Street
Throughout event: Prize Drawings
- 12:00pm – Mingle and Crafts
- 12:30pm – Easter Bunny Appearance
- 12:45pm – Egg Hunt