Meet Randy Britt – Operations Ambassador
Q: How long have you worked here and what drew you to the job?
Britt: Since January 11, 2016. I remember that date because it changed my life. I was in a homeless shelter, had just relocated from Chicago about a year prior after my marriage breaking up. I got the email to start January 11, 2016, not knowing that this park and me were going to have a connection and that it would allow me to grow and learn more about myself. Growing up, my granddaddy owned a lawn service and my dad always dug up every yard we moved to and planted vegetables and such. I wouldn’t help my dad out, but I would eat the vegetables. My granddaddy had me do lawns with him and I gave him a hard time because I really hated it, but I believe in my heart I had something being instilled in me. When I got to this park, there were a lot of things I saw that could be done. I started doing it and it just came out.
With me going through the struggles I was in life, losing my wife and kids, my own place and dealing with depression, when I came here I didn’t know what I was looking for. This place is like, well, I’m pretty sure I can do what I do and make better money, but it ain’t about the money. I come to this job every day because I love what I do. Everybody needs to survive, but it’s about my passion. The money will come. It’s a blessing to be here.
Q: What does your job involve?
Britt: My job involves taking care of the landscape, that includes cutting the grass, trimming, pulling and killing weeds, planting, pressure washing, mulching and whatever else they come to me with that is along the lines of my job description.
Q: What is your favorite spot in James Weldon Johnson Park?
Britt: The stage, it’s my favorite spot. It’s got the planters on it and they allow me to do what I feel is needed to make it beautiful. For people who don’t come out to this park, when we do events and the musicians are set up and the cameras are going that stage is the backdrop. So for people who don’t know how it’s changed, they get to see that and they get to see what it is we do out here. We’re not just out here or out here for a quick dollar, we love what we’re doing and we do what we do to try and make it beautiful for everyone. You know people want to relax and even if there’s no music, it’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to be that moment. We want people not to just walk into a park, but walk into a park that’s going to jump out at them and everywhere they look, they’ll notice something beautiful.
