The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is forging ahead with its Indigenous Action Plan, setting concrete strategies for 2025 after laying the groundwork last year. Indigenous Parks Liaison Carrie Day Aspinwall is at the helm of the plan, as first detailed in the 2024 Summary and Initial Findings report, which outlines the MPRB's commitment to acknowledging historical truths and shaping future park policies, projects, and stewardship through an Indigenous lens. The plan, according to Aspinwall, is a "journey to share truth, along with paths to acknowledge that truth," as she stated in the report.
Last year's efforts kickstarted with steps such as establishing the Native American Parks Council, creating an internal workgroup to foster awareness among MPRB staff about Indigenous nations, and hosting educational events like the summerlong display of the Why Treaties Matter exhibit. Community communication also highlighted Indigenous-focused projects, an exercise in both visibility and education. It wasn't solely a one-off attempt either; this year builds on the foundation that was set, despite the occasional run-on sentence or hiccup in the planning document, for example, like how actions including guidance from key Indigenous stakeholders for MPRB Commissioners to update and approve MPRB's Tobacco and Cannabis Policy, can feel like a bureaucratic labyrinth, the aim to clarify and codify respect remains clear.
The 2025 priorities, as outlined in the latest bulletin, emphasize nurturing these connections and seeking guidance from Indigenous leaders on policy matters. Ongoing collaborations with the Urban Indian Affairs Council, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and the East Phillips community are proof of MPRB's commitment to not just token gestures but active, sustained engagement.
Strides in making parks more inclusive are measurable, for instance, the renaming of 'Sibley' Park to 40th Street Park, while a new, more culturally sensitive naming process is developed is indicative of action. This process involves Indigenous Place Names Conversations, a series of discussions launched in partnership with Wakan Tipi Awayankapi, Met Council, City of St. Paul, and MPRB; they are a deliberate effort to foreground Dakota perspectives in public spaces, exemplifying the hands-on approach of the board, even if the sentences outlining these actions in their plans can sometimes unfurl into the sort of run-on sentence that tests the limits of punctuation and reader patience. Nonetheless, these are valuable steps that the community can track through quarterly updates, offering transparency in the evolution of MPRB's Indigenous Action Plan.
Looking ahead, the board invites Minneapolis residents to the Owámni Falling Water Festival slated for October 18, 2025, a celebration of Indigenous culture featuring music, art, and food – a fitting and symbolic gathering under the umbrella of the Indigenous Action Plan's aim to foster understanding and shared celebration. For those interested, updates on the action plan can be subscribed to, providing an opportunity for community members to stay informed and participate in this ongoing journey.
