Throughout 2024, Indigenous Parks Liaison Carrie Day Aspinwall and staff from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) worked on creating and carrying out the MPRB Indigenous Action Plan, both in the Minneapolis community and within the MPRB organization.
For Minneapolis residents and MPRB staff who may not be aware of this plan or its goals, Aspinwall noted in the plan’s first annual report:
“This Indigenous Action Plan lays out a journey to share truth, along with paths to acknowledge that truth. A truth which will lead and support park policies, projects and stewardship into the future … and create a shared understanding.”
2024: First Steps
Highlights from the Plan’s inaugural year included:
- Building relationships with Indigenous Indigenous stakeholders and community members and building relationships with them rooted in trust and transparency.
- Formation of and meetings with the Native American Parks Council
- Established an internal MPRB workgroup to build awareness and collaboration among staff regarding Indigenous nations and their history, worldview and current issues
- Educational and training opportunities for MPRB leadership, staff and the public through tours and the summerlong display of the Why Treaties Matter exhibit at MPRB headquarters building
- Public communications showcasing Indigenous-centered projects, policies, events and art in the parks: details are on the “Related Work” tab on the main MPRB Indigenous Action Plan page
The 2024 Summary and Initial Findings report has in-depth information on the work, experiences and outcomes for the MPRB Indigenous Action Plan.
2025: Priorities and Actions
Based on the work in 2024, Indigenous Parks Liaison Carrie Day Aspinwall and MPRB staff moved priorities and actions forward for 2025.
Priorities included:
- Focus on building and maintaining relationships
- Receiving guidance from Indigenous leadership, including the Urban Indian Affairs Council and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers regarding specific MPRB policies
- Ongoing work with the 14-member Native American Parks Council and internal MPRB workgroup
- Ongoing work with East Phillips community members to develop long-range vision plans for Cedar Avenue Field Park and East Phillips Park (image below)
- Gather feedback from and engage in dialogue with Indigenous community members about priorities and action items
- Focus the Work – Staff identified priority items for 2025 early in the year; related actions are below.
Actions – based on 2024 work:
- Guidance from key Indigenous stakeholders for MPRB Commissioners to update and approve MPRB’s Tobacco and Cannabis Policy
- Quarterly Native American Parks Council meetings: notes available on the MPRB Indigenous Action Plan page
- Naming Parks: Expanding and Indigenizing the Process
- MPRB removed the name “Sibley” from a park and gave it the temporary name of 40th Street Park, as staff work with Dakota leadership on a new naming process
- Work on a naming process included the first in a series of Indigenous Place Names Conversations, hosted in partnership with Wakan Tipi Awayankapi, Met Council, City of St. Paul, and MPRB with Indigenous community members and agency staff, elevating Dakota wisdom in naming public spaces (meeting notes: May 2025 Indigenous Place Names Conversation)
The Journey Continues
Join us along the way: We will be sharing quarterly updates as the MPRB Indigenous Action Plan progresses. Click here to subscribe to quarterly updates.
In the meantime, we’ll see you at the Owámni Falling Water Festival on October 18, 2025, celebrating Indigenous culture with music, art, food, exhibitors and more.