A Summer of Pets & Play: Events & Partnerships Intern Olivia Hewang
My name is Olivia Hewang and I had the wonderful opportunity to be an Events & Partnerships Intern on the Programs Team at the Rose Kennedy Greenway this summer! I am originally from the suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, so before this summer I had never actually lived in or spent significant time in a big city before. I jumped at the chance to spend a summer living and working in Boston, which has truly become a second home and a place I love dearly.
I’m a History and Economics double major at Wellesley College, so event planning is quite new to me. One of the very first classes I took at Wellesley piqued my interest in the big wide world of urban planning and that’s how I discovered something called “placemaking”. I became interested in working on events at The Greenway because I wanted to get an inside look at the on-the-ground, hands-on work of activating public space in a vibrant urban environment. I’ve also done a lot of work in researching Asian American history and activism, so I was really excited to be immersed in the Boston Chinatown community and work with community partners.
I began the internship being plunged into the deep end of event planning, as our biggest events of the year, Gala on The Greenway and Glow in the Park, happened on only the second week of my internship! Since then, I’ve been a part of countless events: markets, festivals, promotions, movie screenings, fitness classes — it’s been a whirlwind!
One of my favorite parts of the job was running Chinatown Play sessions with my co-intern Maizie every Thursday night. I loved seeing the same kids come back every week (some have been coming for years!) and I was excited to practice my Mandarin skills with their parents and grandparents. It’s always entertaining to see how little kids, adults, and Chinatown elders alike are all wowed by our giant bubble mix,. One of my most gratifying moments was when I finally discovered the best ratio for giant bubble solution (2 gallons of warm water, 1.25 cups of Dawn soap, and 2 teaspoons of guar gum—thank me later).
Overall, I just loved working with kids any chance I got in this job. Some highlights were our intern-organized Truck & Tractor Day and the ACDC Summer Picnic, where my DIY tissue paper flower activity was a huge hit. Most of my experience with children comes from years of watching my little brother, who’s 8 years younger than me, and I really put those big sister skills to use this summer! It’s crazy to think that through our programming, we’re helping kids make “core memories” as they grow up alongside The Greenway!
Another milestone for me was planning and successfully putting on a free petting zoo event as my independent project. It taught me that even a “small event” (by Greenway Conservancy standards) takes a lot of effort, patience and heart. In the end, it was a well attended event with the cutest critters and a pony that gave out over 50 rides. I was so grateful for all The Greenway staff members who came out to support me and keep the chaos organized.
Another favorite part of the job was the marketing and communications responsibilities I got to take on. Whether it was posting Instagram stories, filming and editing reels featuring our fitness instructors and food trucks, or designing signage, I loved tapping into my creative and journalistic side.
To sum it up, The Greenway is truly a special place. I learned to appreciate the moments when I was out in the park, where I could slow down and just take in the view of the city skyline, enjoy the breeze from the harbor relieving some of that sticky summer humidity, and just bask in the magic of city life. I loved seeing the different and often spontaneous ways visitors, locals and tourists alike experience The Greenway. Like how families will bring towels and water toys to make a visit to the Rings Fountain a proper beach day; or how people will walk up to us tabling for an event, ask us “What’s happening here today?” and happily jump right into whatever programming they’ve stumbled upon.
I’ve learned so much from this role and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I will miss spending every Saturday with the interns, riding the Carousel, getting boba from Sweet Bubble, and chatting with Artisan Market vendors. I will miss our wonderful Programs Team who work so hard to put on an incredible volume of annual events, and it only gets better each year! I can’t wait to bring friends and family back to The Greenway and show it off!
Summer workforce development opportunities on The Greenway are made possible through the generosity of Citizens.