⁕ Expand the city’s urban agricultural footprint in collaboration with the Southside Green Zone and Homegrown Council, and fulfill the mandate to turn paved spaces into vegetated spaces as outlined in the 2023 Minneapolis Climate Equity Plan.

⁕ Activate and promote unplanned green spaces that serve as community gathering spots (“informal green spaces”). Our dense neighborhoods in District 3 deserve green spaces.

⁕ Focus project work on maintenance of assets from trails to trees. To keep our parks robust, we have to focus on what we have, as a matter of good policy and environmental justice.

⁕ Incorporate porous surfaces for stormwater management and park longevity. This will ensure climate resiliency, clean rivers and lakes, and lower maintenance costs for parks. District 3 is central to the health of the Mississippi Watershed.

⁕ Plan and budget with a focus on the people who rely on our parks. I will push for expanded childcare at recreation centers, varied cultural programming from indigenous groups and multicultural organizations, and longer hours of operation for kid-centered activities.

⁕ All park planning should start with a ground-up approach before any plans are drafted: door-knocking, listening sessions, and meetings with a park’s community, which includes indigenous groups, schools, religious entities, and community organizations. Spanish and Somali interpretation services are a must and build trust and familiarity.

⁕ The Park Board is good at community engagement but can be even better. I will push for all park planning sessions to offer paid childcare, flexible timings, and extensive coordination with local groups to boost turnout and engagement.

⁕ We should learn innovative planning practices from Latin America, Africa and Asia. I will encourage cross-cultural research to inform our park design.

⁕ Research shows that access to nature and physical movement improves kids’ lives. With school and community partnerships, I will work with teachers and coaches to have kids playing team sports to encourage movement and fun without screens.

⁕ I will collaborate with entities that encourage sports, whether it’s fast-pitch softball, basketball, hockey, or skateboarding. For example, in Whittier I have advocated for the 28th Street Tot Lot skatepark with City of Skate and will support other skateparks in the city.

⁕ With community groups, I will expand on successful programs such as Wonder in Whittier, built by teachers to get kids gardening, and learning about animals and nature in their parks.

⁕ Parks, gardens and trails serve more than just people. I will push for all park designs to incorporate pollinator zones and aspects to help the wildlife and endangered species that live in our city. This part of MPRB’s mission is often overlooked.

⁕ Nature isn’t “out there” somewhere. It’s in our city, it’s in our yards. In collaboration with the city and local groups, I will look to create wildlife corridors, starting with the Southside Green Zone, and further this crucial piece of the Minneapolis Climate Equity Plan.