Environmental Privilege: The Mississippi River

“I love the hiking trails, opportunities to explore nature, and areas great for picnics and sunsets and hanging with friends,” one Macalester-Groveland resident and Macalester College student Grace Bettenburg said.

This view and access, however, are unique to the neighborhood and others like it.

Before colonization, the Mississippi River brought food and life to the inhabitants of its banks, most prevalently the Dakota, Ho-Chunk, Anishinaabe, and Ioway people. Now, it runs through the Twin Cities metropolitan area, used to transport materials to various locations, for recreational fishing, and to simply appreciate the view. The metropolitan stretch of the Mississippi is protected federally by the National Park Service as a “partnership” park, but on the ground, it’s not treated as such. The powerful Mississippi reduced to simply a piece of the land, and not even everyone has the privilege to appreciate it in the same way. 

Equity to river access varies greatly, traced back through a deep history of redlining and environmental injustices. Our findings, backed by Mississippi Park Connection, are the places that were heavy with racial covenants, and now have a higher white population, enjoy a more accessible Mississippi River, while areas with high BIPOC populations are unable to access the river at all. In this context, accessibility means the ability of individuals to enjoy the natural and cultural benefits of the river.

Maddie Miller, a grassroots organizer at Friends of the Mississippi (FMR), works to address these issues and raise awareness around change. 

“North Minneapolis has been the subject of environmental racism for a really long time, [experiencing] environmental injustice issues like the burning of trash and metals,” Miller said in an interview. “There are, unfortunately, so many examples of air pollution and minimal access to green spaces and the river in North Minneapolis. [On the river,] Upper Harbor Terminal is going to be developed into an amphitheater owned by First Ave, which [is] a very clear example of gentrification [and] it's a major equity and access issue.”

Miller’s colleague, Katya Wesely, works with FMR in the Stewardship and Education division, engaging with local school districts and community groups to involve people of all ages, especially the youth, to interact with the river in an educational environment that promotes curiosity and a connection to the watershed.

“[In Minnehaha,] somebody can walk right to the river, we had this beautiful birding adventure [with schools there] and it was pretty quiet and there are nice paved trails. Thinking about even bringing kids [in North Minneapolis] to North Mississippi Regional Park… the disparities are so in your face,” Wesley said in an interview with us. 

North Mississippi Regional Park is situated in the Lind-Bohanon neighborhood of North Minneapolis, to get to the park one must cross Highway 94, which runs parallel to the river. Highway 94 is the main highway connecting the two cities, and to complete construction, it cut directly through predominantly Black neighborhoods, breaking up communities. 

While FMR is mainly focused on the environmental side of the river, the socio-political side must also be a part of the conversation. The historical treatment of the river and its communities feed into the current systems and effects.

“We know that these things are happening, we know which areas are being targeted, which people are being targeted, and continue to be the subject of this environmental harm. That's something we're really trying to make a lot of movement on and increasing accessibility and equity in relation to the river,” Miller said.

With Indigenous values of land preservation and appreciation, FMR hopes to cultivate a healthier connection with the river, allowing communities and the river itself to heal from decades of  mistreatment.

“We’re especially working on our relationship to the water, ensuring that we're giving back to [the river],” Miller said. “It is something that we should treat with more respect and understanding than has historically been done; how do we have that relationship be less one-sided and less with that extraction mindset?”

The Environmental Justice Movement has been historically led by women, BIPOC, and queer voices However; in an area as racially and economically divided as the Twin Cities, those involved don’t necessarily reflect the leaders, and FMR and other organizations are pushing for more representation in the current fight. 

“People should have a say. But [those involved in the past are] the same folks; generally white, older folks, maybe retired or have more time to invest in these things, Wesley said. “[FMR is working to increase] communications and reaching folks of different backgrounds [such as] socio-economic, race, [and] ability. It's something personally in my heart to be mindful of voice as we create our programming and [decide] how we spend our resources.”

“How do we have that relationship be less one-sided and less with that extraction mindset?”

“Green spaces can be a form of gentrification and it's something that’s so important to proceed in relationships and in partnerships with the communities that are affected by environmental injustices,” Miller said. “Because it's [local] communities, it's really important to [listen to] the way they want to have access to the river and make sure that they're really big leaders and advocates in those areas.”

The intersection of nature and marginalized communities exists in colonial systems still ruling over land and people today; Environmental Justice groups work to give a voice to those who don’t currently have one.

“[It] takes like a lifelong dedication to decolonizing; understanding and listening to other people's histories and empowering women in environmental fields and connecting with, BIPOC folks, immigrants, or refugees. [They] could probably use some connecting to nature,” Wesley said. “So how do we work with these communities knowing that our systems aren't going to care for them.”

Those in the Twin Cities, including Macalester-Groveland, can get involved in advocating for better treatment of the river and its communities in a multitude of ways. FMR encourages people to be curious and aware of the disparities in river access.

 “We have a lot of events and a lot of partner events to select from. We partner with Lower Phalen Creek to do tree plantings, and other things where it's a way to be in community with other people, and other organizations that are doing a lot of important work,” Miller said.

For much of the Macalester-Groveland community, the river is nothing more than a part of the landscape, enjoying it for an occasional walk; a walk many students and alumni are nostalgic about and is a defining part of their Macalester experience. FMR and the EJ movement are working to move that mindset towards a deeper understanding of the river and its history by encouraging people to do their parts as members of the larger Mississippi community to ensure everyone has equitable access. 

“Keep an eye out for different projects going on in the area that have a really significant impact on the water and our communities; plugging in where you can and showing up where you can also be really good ways to get involved,” Miller said.

Friends of the Mississippi holds more information about getting involved, you can go to their website to

Volunteer: https://fmr.org/volunteer  and Donate: https://fmr.org/give-today

Recommendations

Improving accessibility to the river is done through hands-on grassroots work. To get involved we recommend working with projects such as FMR and Lower Phalen Creek who provide volunteer and engagement opportunities. It’s important to support projects that involve the community in decision-making, as the exclusion of community voices contributes to continued environmental injustices and gentrification. As members of the broader Mississippi community, we have a responsibility to hold those harming the river and its communities accountable. St. Paul and Minneapolis City Councils continue to approve and fund projects that disproportionately affect BIPOC communities' access to the river so generating conversation and discourse with others is vital to continue to raise awareness around this issue.

About us!

Sources:

“Friends of the Mississippi River.” Friends of the Mississippi River, https://fmr.org/. 

Humanity, Twin Cities Habitat for. “Race and Housing.” Home, https://www.tchabitat.org/race.

Lager, W., Lamp; Frost, E. (2019, July 14). Photos: A national park in the heart of the cities. MPR News. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/05/photos-national-parks-gallery-mississippi-river 

“Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion — Mississippi Park Connection.” Mississippi Park Connection, https://parkconnection.org/dei. Accessed 27 November 2022.

Osten, Ethan, et al. (2016, October 24) “Map Monday: Twin Cities Redlining (HOLC) Map, 1934.” Streets.mn, 24 Oct. 2016, https://streets.mn/2016/10/24/map-monday-twin-cities-redlining-holc-map-1934/.