Race and Equity Advisory Committee

from MRPA Minnesota Magazine - Winter 2021

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MRPA Race and Equity Advisory Committee Ready for Action

The Minnesota Recreation and Park Association is excited to announce its newly formed Race and Equity Advisory Committee! This team began work in 2020 to acknowledge the current climate regarding race and equity, in response to a demonstrated need within our communities, and the overall importance parks and recreation professionals and organizations play in making strides in this area. We know we need to do better.

One of the main goals for the Race and Equity Advisory Committee is to assist the MRPA, its members, and its member agencies to deliver services through the lens of race and equity. With the help of this committee, the MRPA will solidify its commitment to addressing systemic racism and inequities which persist throughout Minnesota, using park and recreation agencies as agents of change. Park and recreation programs, facilities, and services are meant to serve communities as a whole. It makes sense to prioritize equity in all our efforts, as we serve all people regardless of their skin color, age, socioeconomic status, or ability. The MRPA Board recognizes that we have an opportunity to seize this moment in history and commit to collaborative action now and continually into our future.

The Race and Equity Advisory Committee has begun identifying short and long-term goals including: • Training for the MRPA Board of Directors, staff, and networks • Providing education and resources for our membership and member agencies • The formation of affinity groups within our association

• Integrating race and equity into MRPA’s mission and vision

• Normalizing conversations involving race The Race and Equity Advisory Committee understands that our journey will take time to move the needle towards systemic change, but we must start now. Thank you for the important role that you play in making our association and our workplaces more equitable. We look forward to providing our membership opportunities to become involved in this effort and to providing more information on this initiative.