On Saturday scores of community members took part in the family-friendly event, which included free yoga and family fitness from Trillfit, a free Soca and Bachata dance class from Aashka Dance Company, music by DJ Cakewalk, kayaking with Piers Park Sailing Center, and additional resources from community organizations including the East Boston YMCA, Foster Massachusetts, Namastay Sober, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, local business vendors, and more.
Thanks to the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and Last Mile, free COVID-19 vaccinations were available throughout the day.
“It’s great to see Save the Harbor and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center encouraging healthy outdoor activities on our public beaches,” said Rep. Adrian Madaro of East Boston, who co chairs the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, which helped fund the event through Save the Harbor’s Better Beaches Program Partnership with DCR.
“We’ve seen record numbers of folks going out and using public green and blue spaces for self-care since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chris Mancini, executive director of Save The Harbor/Save The Bay. “I think it’s clear from the smiles on the faces of community members kayaking with Piers Park, dancing with Aashka, and working out with TrillFit that being near Boston Harbor is bringing joy and wellness to everyone on Constitution Beach today.”
Harbor Healing is an initiative started by Joye Williams and Maya Smith of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay with the intention to aid in repairing the relationship that community members of color may have with our region’s beaches by addressing the traumas that have taken place and providing things to do on the beach that bring spiritual healing, mental wellness, joy, and overall health.