The crowd was antsy and vibrating with excitement. DJ Alex Sensation filled the air with the sounds of both old and new school bachata and merengue. Then he came to the stage; the man of the hour, Hector Acosta, thrilling the crowd with his voice an

d stage presence. I smile as I reminisce about my favorite show of the summer season and of my mother’s wide grin: she had the time of her life at her first SummerStage show.

My mom and I at the Hector Acosta show in Central Park

As a native New Yorker living in the Bronx, I was always familiar with the SummerStage name, but had never actually experienced for myself what SummerStage and the City Parks

Foundation has to offer to New Yorkers. My experience as a public relations and marketing intern for City Parks Foundation gave me an inside peek as to how non-profits operate and the important role they play in local communities. City Parks Foundation is an organization that has gained high respect and attention for its positive contributions to all five boroughs. I myself gained a greater appreciation for the power of music and its ability to unite communities and diverse groups of people. From the elderly in wheelchairs to children playing in the parks, everyone who came out to a SummerStage show always enjoyed themselves.

Whether I was hopping into a car with my supervisors Georgia or Nora, or catching the 5 train with Sin, I knew I was in for a good time. My favorite part of the season was undoubtedly the Bronx salsa shows. Seeing couples break off into dance along the side of the stage and watching as a mini salsa party broke out in the park was always fun, making the decision to choose a winning couple for our online “Salsa Dancing Competition” a difficult one.

Answering questions at the Marketing table during a show

I’ll also never forget the powerful and thrilling sense of excitement that came over me every

time I successfully connected with a journalist or a local paper. At first intimidated and unsure, by the end of the summer I felt comfortable and confident working on media pitching, drafting up press releases and engaging our Facebook and Twitter followers. I remember one day excitedly telling my supervisor Sin after successfully placing a story, “I feel like an actual publicist!”

It’s those small moments that I’ll always remember when thinking about my time with SummerStage. Whether I was anxiously watching the phone while working on media pitching in the office or personally reaching out and speaking with the local community at events, it was all a learning experience that I’m sure to never forget.

My Summer staff credentials

Melissa Peralta was a Summer 2012 Marketing and Communications Intern

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The crowd was antsy and vibrating with excitement. DJ Alex Sensation filled the air with the sounds of both old and new school bachata and merengue. Then he came to the stage; the man of the hour, Hector Acosta, thrilling the crowd with his voice and stage presence. I smile as I reminisce about my favorite show of the summer season and of my mother’s wide grin: she had the time of her life at her first SummerStage show.

My mom and I at the Hector Acosta show in Central ParkAs a native New Yorker living in the Bronx, I was always familiar with the SummerStage name, but had never actually experienced for myself what SummerStage and the City Parks Foundation has to offer to New Yorkers. My experience as a public relations and marketing intern for City Parks Foundation gave me an inside peek as to how non-profits operate and the important role they play in local communities. City Parks Foundation is an organization that has gained high respect and attention for its positive contributions to all five boroughs. I myself gained a greater appreciation for the power of music and its ability to unite communities and diverse groups of people. From the elderly in wheelchairs to children playing in the parks, everyone who came out to a SummerStage show always enjoyed themselves.
Whether I was hopping into a car with my supervisors Georgia or Nora, or catching the 5 train with Sin, I knew I was in for a good time. My favorite part of the season was undoubtedly the Bronx salsa shows. Seeing couples break off into dance along the side of the stage and watching as a mini salsa party broke out in the park was always fun, making the decision to choose a winning couple for our online “Salsa Dancing Competition” a difficult one.

Answering questions at the Marketing table during a showI’ll also never forget the powerful and thrilling sense of excitement that came over me every time I successfully connected with a journalist or a local paper. At first intimidated and unsure, by the end of the summer I felt comfortable and confident working on media pitching, drafting up press releases and engaging our Facebook and Twitter followers. I remember one day excitedly telling my supervisor Sin after successfully placing a story, “I feel like an actual publicist!”
It’s those small moments that I’ll always remember when thinking about my time with SummerStage. Whether I was anxiously watching the phone while working on media pitching in the office or personally reaching out and speaking with the local community at events, it was all a learning experience that I’m sure to never forget.

My Summer staff credentialsMelissa Peralta was a Summer 2012 Marketing and Communications Intern

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