As I stepped out into the glistening summer day, I thought about what today's workday would be like. Millions of situations raced through my mind and I couldn't wait to get to work. When I reached Prospect Park I was surprised to find my supervisor surrounded by what turned out to be huge tree costumes. Well, not exactly trees. More like an interpretation of trees. Brown poster board cut into the shape of a trunk and roots, green poster board in squared sort of cloud, a sign that read: Trees on Strike for a Car-Free Park. I know you know that Trees can't really go on strike, but this was Street Theater. We became the reanimated tree population of Prospect Park, refusing shade and oxygen to park-goers until they helped us make our park car-free.

As I encountered this sight, these piled cardboard renditions; my heart began to race faster. These exact tree costumes would be modeled by no one other then myself and my fellow Youth Advocates. Would this work? Would be laughed out of the park? Was my supervisor serious? The purpose of this dress-up game, as with all our events this summer, was to rid Prospect Park of cars. But would anyone listen to us looking like this?

We said goodbye to the dogs and owners of FIDO and their Coffee Bark, many of whom favor our plan for a car-free park for the safety of their off-leash pups, and ventured out to the Park Loop. I can't say I had really pictured what we Youth Advocates looked like until I saw the expression of the first park-goer I approached with enthusiasm. They laughed! But after a minute out on the Loop Drive, cyclists speeding by were craning their necks to see our signs for an explanation of our costumes. We were out to spread the news of our purpose, trying to gain as much support as possible, and our costumes worked! Cyclists and joggers alike were screeching to a halt, approaching us to say, "A car-free park? Can I sign?" We advertised the positive effects of a car-free Prospect Park and just how much our cause would benefit the community.

Gazing through the tiny hole of my costume's tree greenery, I observed my surroundings with a certain air of curiosity. The passing people, the fellow coworkers, and even I seemed to some how represent a change in the upcoming in the future. I disregarded the heat of the August day and truly tried to understand the great cause that I was taking part in. I realized that even tiniest change in life can spread to historic phenomenon that could forever alter the past, the present, and hopefully the future. With all this on my mind I felt important and as confident as I have ever been. In my green tree costume I, even if in the smallest way, was changing the world.