The Past, Present, and Future of Women in Leisure Services

Let's Talk Parks Podcast: Stories of Purpose-Driven Parks and Recreation Professionals

Women in Leisure Services (WILS) was started in 1935 as Chi Kappa Rho, a sorority for women in the field of parks and recreation by Helen I. Pontius. She believed that women engaged professionally in the various fields of recreation could come together to promote unity of purpose, high standards of achievement, and a better understanding and appreciation of related endeavors for the attainment of professional goals. Such a group could also provide an opportunity to foster friendship and sociability, stimulate mutual helpfulness and loyalty, and provide professional services. In this episode; Marissa sits down with three distinguished WILS members: Sonya Young-Jimenez from The City of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation, Ashley Wysocki from the City of Huntington Beach, and Dorothy Meyer who is a lifetime WILS member. This episode is a reminder of how far women have come in the field of recreation over the last 86 years. These powerful female leaders give us the history of the organization and why it was so important for bringing up women in the field of parks and recreation. This organization has been developing a blueprint for the next 15 years, to continue pushing women in the field or parks and recreation forward.