Sowing Stories: VP of Communication & Development
A Look at the Role (and Why You Should Consider It!)
If you’ve ever read my bio for the nominating committee, you’ll know that the Fenway Victory Gardens were one of my first impressions of Boston. When I moved here in 2019, I set out to explore the neighborhoods and get to know the city. As I wandered through the gardens for the first time, what struck me most was how each plot reflected the creativity and individuality of its gardener. Another highlight was recognizing plants that decorated my grandmother’s garden, especially the abundance of roses.
In the spring of 2022, I got my own plot, picked because there’s a rose on the fence.
Volunteering started small – in my first year, you could usually find me behind the camera at the Open Gardens for our 80th anniversary celebration, at the Pollinator Garden opening, and working on a small Gardeners of Fenway series to share photos and stories of our gardeners. I still think there’s so much potential in celebrating the faces and stories behind the plots – those seeds have only just been planted, and I hope to see them flourish with someone’s care in the future.
When the next season started, I wanted to build my fence and went searching for answers. Do we have guides or documents on this? What tools are available? Who can help? My back-and-forth with board members, including Pam (then President) and Stephen (then VP of the Park), eventually led to the suggestion that all this info should be more easily accessible for everyone. A few weeks later, Pam texted and simply asked, “Can you call me?” That’s when she asked if I’d consider becoming VP of Communication and Development. This was in 2023. I said yes.
Now, finishing my third and final year, I’ve been reflecting on those early days and wondering who’ll take on this role next. This blog is both an explanation of what our Constitution and Bylaws say about the position and a look at what it’s really like in practice – hopefully helping anyone curious about getting more involved to see what’s possible.
-
Shall at least once a year publish and distribute the FGS newsletter to all Members and to other interested parties.
Shall distribute necessary information via email to all Members throughout the year.
Shall include in each newsletter the names of the members of the Executive Board.
Shall have responsibility for the social media presence of FGS.
Shall coordinate any recreational, educational, and awards activities sponsored by the FGS.
Shall appoint the Public Relations Officer.
Shall appoint the Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee.
Shall be responsible for all fundraising operations.
Shall, in conjunction with the Membership Officer, maintain an up-to-date mailing list of the Members, Honorary Members and Associate Members of FGS.
May appoint assistants to perform any functions appropriate to the office of Vice President of Communication and Development.
What That Actually Looked Like for Me
Throughout my time, I tried to improve our communications – moving away from just repeating information, aiming instead for focused, clear messages. I wanted gardeners to find what matters to them at a glance and tried not to let info get stale. Fresh content was a priority. I started calling our regular email the FGS Weekly, and I think consistency is important in communication, so making sure that gardeners could rely on a weekly update, delivered at the same time with a clear subject line, became one of my goals. Each week’s email comes together with input from board members, section coordinators, and other gardeners, reflecting what’s going on in the gardens. In addition, some of our gardeners share their photographs, adding color and giving a glimpse of all the activity from week to week. For clarity, the FGS Weekly is our ongoing email update, while the newsletter is our once-a-year publication that features bigger highlights, stories, and photos from across our community.
Each year, I put together a newsletter and I’m currently working on my third. It truly is a team effort – gardeners help with photography, writing stories, and layout. We share it with gardeners, city officials, and the public, both by email and on the website.
A better online experience for both gardeners and the public was something I wanted from the very beginning, but it took some time for things to fall into place. Eventually, we were able to switch to a new platform and develop a new website, while making sure to keep all the important content. If you’re interested in the whole story, you can read the blog post for a deeper dive or, better yet, take a look around and explore the website for yourself.
Making information accessible isn’t just about the website. For a long time, I’d walk past our bulletin board at the entrance to the gardens and think about how it could serve both the public and our gardeners even better. I’m glad to say we’ve finally refreshed our bulletin board at 1200 Boylston Street to make it more welcoming and useful for everyone. The front-facing side is meant for visitors: it now features a map to help everyone get oriented, along with information about the history of the gardens. On the back, the Gardener’s Corner includes key reminders for those tending plots, like how to sort garden waste, access garden resources on-the-go with a QR code for our website, and parking notes.
When I joined the board, we already had a great team handling our social media and keeping the gardens visible online. While I haven’t had the chance to really dive in or make changes myself, this is definitely one area I always hoped to do more with. Looking ahead, I see a lot of potential for expanding our social media presence even further and allowing it to grow collaboratively. For the next person in this role, some ideas I’d love to see explored:
Highlighting our community in action: showcasing the people and projects that bring the gardens to life – like Community Participation Days, volunteer opportunities, committees, and small campaigns (like Gardeners of Fenway mentioned earlier).
Experimenting with new formats, such as short videos or “day in the life” spotlights.
Creating ways for more volunteers to easily contribute their photos, stories, and ideas—so even more voices are represented.
This role isn’t about doing everything yourself. With so many talented gardeners – graphic designers, translators, photographers, writers – we’ve created new handouts, translated key information, and shared an incredible range of stories and photos. If I learned anything, it’s the value of delegation and making space for others to contribute their unique skills. I’m grateful for everyone’s creativity, help, and energy. Thank you to all who volunteered your time to make our communications more colorful and inclusive – this truly is a community effort.
These are just some of the main pieces of the VP of Communication and Development’s work, but many other moving parts and smaller ongoing tasks are woven throughout the year. This includes attending and participating in monthly board meetings, collaborating with board members and section coordinators, and responding to new projects or issues as they arise, to name a few. The collaborative nature of this role means your work is directly shaped by the voices and needs of others.
What's Still Left to Do
There are things I didn’t get to: more profiles of gardeners, even more dynamic social media, deeper community spotlights, future fundraising ideas. Maybe my successor can pick up where I left off, or bring their own vision.
Why Take This Role Next
If you're interested in communication, community organizing, storytelling, or just supporting the gardens and gardeners in a new way, this role gives a lot of flexibility to pursue your ideas, and you have a strong community to help you. Maybe you’re the person who will write the next version of this post. If you want to talk about the role, please reach out – I’m happy to answer questions or tell you more about what’s involved.
My path into this role began with taking photos and a curiosity about how things worked behind the scenes. Along the way, I made friends and lasting connections within this community. There’s plenty of room for the next person to shape this role in their own way, and I hope you’ll consider stepping up in 2026. I’m looking forward to returning to being just a gardener and truly enjoying the space – this time, with a new perspective and a great appreciation for everyone who helps make it all happen.
-Jelena
VP of Communication & Development (2023-2025)
Fenway Garden Society