Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board begins work on Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan

Currently there are 11 Focus Areas identified as part of this plan, but the MPRB will be working with the public, tribal leadership and MPRB Commissioners and staff to continue to hone priorities of this effort throughout the next year and beyond

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is embarking on an Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan to create guidance for staff and commissioners to act on acknowledgement, truth, and reconciliation of historical and contemporary Indigenous land, people, and nations.

This work could include a range of approaches across park policies, projects and land stewardship. See the “Focus Areas” section below for a more detailed overview of approaches the plan could take. The MPRB will be working with the public, tribal leadership and MPRB Commissioners and staff to continue to hone the priorities of this effort throughout the next year and beyond.

Focus Areas

Currently there are 11 Focus Areas identified as part of this plan.

Acknowledgement

Developing a land, people and nations acknowledgement for staff and leadership in the park system.

Training

Educating staff and commissioners on the complexity of tribal government–to–government relations and issues currently and historically faced by the tribes.

Mapping

Mapping historical and contemporary Indigenous sites of significance in the park system.

Agreements

Formalizing MPRB relationships with Tribal Councils.

Workforce Development

Growing the Native workforce at MPRB across many different divisions.

Design

Incorporating Indigenous approaches to park design.

Access

Enhancing tribal access to park land or natural resources for cultural uses.

Interpretation

Highlighting Dakota and Ojibwe language and culture across the park system.

Action

Acting on near-term projects, programs, and initiatives that have noticeable impacts to the park system. Some projects already underway or recently completed include new public art at Bde Maka Ska Pavilion, the East Phillips Open Space Plan, and renaming Sibley Park.

Financial Resources

Committing financial resources to continue this work long-term.

Land Stewardship

Stewarding park land with guidance from regional tribal leadership.

Indigenous Parks Liaison

The MPRB recently hired its first Indigenous Parks Liaison, Carrie Day Aspinwall, to help direct this work. Aspinwall is a citizen enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe/Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She has served as a special projects consultant and is a lifelong respected leader in the local and statewide American Indian community.

“I have worked with many bands, tribes, local state and federal agencies, national organizations and non-profit communities, always dedicated to improving the lives of our American Indian people,” says Aspinwall.

In the early stages of this work, the MPRB will consult with Dakota advisors and meet with tribal leadership across the region to discuss reconciliation and acknowledgement.

Parks for All

The need for Indigenous reconciliation work was identified through the MPRB Comprehensive Plan, Parks for All, which went into effect in 2021. It’s specifically called out under several of the nine core goals of Parks for All:

Goal 1: Foster Belonging and Equity

Strategy 3: Amplify Indigenous stories, histories, cultural practices and connections to land through employment, partnerships, reconciliation planning, programming, ceremony, foraging, land management, interpretation and proactive community engagement across projects and programs.

Goal 7: Connect through communications and technology

Strategy 4: Educate staff and the community on critical issues facing the city and region, specifically: ……indigenous acknowledgment, history, rights, culture and perspectives;

Goal 8: Cultivate a thriving workforce

Strategy 11: Develop, evolve, and train staff and commissioners on: native acknowledgement practices that incorporate the complexities of treaties, tribal differences, personal experience and layered place-based histories…

Funding to begin this work was included in 2023 MPRB budget. The MPRB is committed to Indigenous reconciliation efforts and will continue this work and fold it into organizational process in the years ahead.