We Acknowledge:
The very concept of a “park” is one that is based on the separation of humans from the natural world. Forcible dispossession of non-white people from the land made the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area possible in the first place, and we recognize this history and the present-day racial exclusions that have followed from decisions to separate people from place. We cannot achieve equity and inclusion without acknowledging how the past influences our present circumstances.
Dakota and Anishinaabe people were removed by the American government from their ancestral lands along the Mississippi River. Racial covenants in the Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis excluded Black Americans from living in or owning desirable land along the bluffs of the river gorge. Land management decisions prioritized industry and removed immigrant neighborhoods from Bohemian Flats and the West Side Flats. The legacy of this dispossession - and others - continues into the present day.
We recognize and celebrate community resiliency. Despite efforts to dispossess and marginalize them, Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples retain strong relationships to the river and ancestral lands. BIPOC communities, including Indigenous people, are leading efforts to strengthen connections to the river to shape the future.
As a friends group to a national park, we have a responsibility to uphold the values of equity, diversity, justice, and inclusion by serving as an advocate for reconnecting people and the land.
Our Commitments:
The following commitments were developed by staff, and adopted by the board, and serve as a basis for action to address disparities in our organization and in the park. This is a living commitment - a process - that will be updated over time.
Our hope is that we will earn trust with our own staff, with partners - especially BIPOC-led and other identity-led community partners, public program participants, students, volunteers, donors, and park visitors through transparency and upholding these commitments.
Hiring, Recruitment, Retention:
MPC values staff, volunteer, and board diversity and creates equitable opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and other people of marginalized identities to influence our mission through employment, service, and organizational governance.
Storytelling
We intentionally incorporate authentic images, stories, and educational materials of and by people of varied backgrounds, identities, and abilities. Through storytelling, we can be a force for changing the narrative about who belongs and who stewards parks.
Investments
Recognizing that healing requires a commitment to economic justice, we position our investments and budgets with a lens toward environmental justice. MPC intentionally plays a supporting role to the work and leadership of BIPOC and identity-driven community leaders and organizations.
Accessibility and Programs
MPC creates programs and materials by and considerate of varied perspectives, backgrounds, geographies, and identities. To learn more about the BIPOC in the Outdoors program, please email us at info@parkconnection.org.