Racial Justice & Equity
June 19, 2020
The Milwaukee Parks Foundation condemns the injustices and abuse committed towards members of the Black community, along with Indigenous and other people of color groups. We acknowledge that racism, white supremacy, and privilege exist in our culture and systems. We believe we must speak out on injustice and do our part to push for change.
We truly believe that parks play an important role in elevating the voices of communities of color. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to create spaces that are safe, inclusive and reflective of the residents in the community. Together, we will work on improving park spaces and systems so that Black and Brown communities feel welcome and not fearful of unprovoked harassment and violence.
As a new organization, we want to ensure we take time to listen, learn and respond in a way that places racial justice, accessibility and equity at the forefront of all our work. We understand that putting out a statement as an organization puts us in a position of power. We will aim to foster connections through land and community to expand what is possible in our neighborhoods and engage residents in supporting a safe and vibrant parks system that benefits all.
As first steps, the Milwaukee Parks Foundation is:
Partnering with the We Care Crew Initiative to provide resources and support to neighborhoods of color during this challenging time. The Milwaukee Parks Foundation will make twelve grants of $1,500 each to the parks identified by the We Care Crew to invest in park clean-ups and community art installations. For more information on the We Care Crew Initiative, visit http://www.wecarecrewmke.com.
Entering a strategic planning process that will include diverse community participation. We are committed to creating strategies that prioritize equity and inclusion in a way that guides the decision-making process for how the organization will operate both internally and externally.
We welcome ideas that can be emailed to info@mkeparksfoundation.org on how to better respond to racial inequities and partner with the community to unwind systems of oppression.
