Communications Intern: Charlie O’Brien
Charlie Rae O’Brien is the summer 2017 Communications Intern for Freshkills Park. She is from Westfield, New Jersey, and she is a rising junior at The Ohio State University, majoring in Strategic Communications with minors in Business and History.
What are you working on?
Currently, I am familiarizing myself with the Freshkills Park team and acclimating to the organized flow at NYC Parks. I’m working with a lot of really awesome and dedicated people. As the Communications Intern, I will be writing blogs, adding to our social media and updating our beautiful website. It’s a privilege to be a part of the team that is transforming the world’s largest landfill into a beautiful 2,200 acre park.
What drew you to Freshkills Park?
I really love the concept of reconstructing a massive landfill into a beautiful park. By working on this unique undertaking, I have the opportunity to contribute ideas that could potentially be developed. There are endless opportunities to beautify Freshkills Park and I am thrilled that I get to be on the team that helps bring this park to fruition.
What is your favorite topic surrounding Freshkills Park and why?
I love that we are introducing multiple art projects to the park. We have a blank landscape with Freshkills Park and there are endless options as to what can be envisioned for the location. The reason I specifically like the art projects is that they allow members of the community to get involved in the park’s creation. One of my favorite projects, LANDING, has not been built yet, but it was designed by Mierle Laderman Ukeles who is the New York City Department of Sanitation artist-in-residence. By involving New Yorkers in the development of this park, we are really creating a positive and inviting atmosphere and I think that is essential to the park’s success.
What is your favorite song right now?
“Gallway Girl” by Ed Sheeran
