July 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 45

see ourselves in, as well as places
that have been and can still
be used to otherize and exclude.
Reading the comments on
social media, it's easy to think,
" Oh, I am so sorry that happened.
Racism hurts [insert
community of color here]. " But
I would like to offer something
else for you to consider. Recently,
an article by Natalie Burke,
CEO of CommonHealth Action,
came across my LinkedIn.
It's an opinion piece in the Daily
News, titled " Want to be an
anti-racist white ally? Here are
six steps to follow, " (tinyurl.
com/38smpzf7).
Parks, such as Yosemite National
Park, can be inclusive and welcoming
places, as well as places
used to otherize and exclude.
how as people we can disrupt,
change and, maybe, cocreate
new systems. And while
we explicitly lead with race
while centering equity, the selfawareness,
skills and competencies
we look to build in the
park and recreation profession
will be applicable across all experiences,
groups and identities.
This spring, NRPA released
I encourage
you to read the article, but
what really stuck with me is
that as she discusses our history
of race and racism, she
highlights an important point
we forget to talk about. It's easy to
think about racism and be sad for
those who we see as being the victim
- in this instance, Black folks - but
what we rarely talk about are the other
victims - white folks. We don't
speak or reflect on the harm that racism
has done across the spectrum.
Just think for a minute how harmful
a system is when it normalizes
typical " nice " people - those with
families; those who volunteer in
their communities; those who go to
church; those who do all the things
we believe that " good " people should
do - who express themselves like
this. It's a system that fosters people
to react this way to obvious expressions
of nothing but joy, an emotion
that so happens to be expressed by a
group of Black people - in which
most are experiencing this national
park for the first time.
NRPA Focuses on Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion
As these experiences have shown,
we can provide access, but that
doesn't guarantee that the space is
now welcoming. To harness the full
power of our parks for good, to be
inclusive and welcoming, we must
intentionally learn, and then work
against, the ways in which they
have been and can still be used to
exclude. Perhaps Fred Rogers of
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood expressed it
best: " There's a world of difference
between insisting on someone's doing
something and establishing an
atmosphere in which that person
can grow into wanting to do it. "
This is what NRPA's diversity,
equity and inclusion (DEI) work
is about - creating a new atmosphere.
Our work will provide opportunities
or create a space ripe for
continuous learning and change.
And I acknowledge that this space
may not be for everyone, but this
space will support those willing
to explore and examine how this
system has impacted and harmed
us all, and, most importantly,
a host of DEI resources and
a framework for action (nrpa.
org/Equity). Our Equity Action
Plan connects our DEI
work to our mission, vision, organizational
values and strategic
plan. NRPA's DEI framework,
Elevating Health Equity Through
Parks and Recreation: A Framework
for Action, details our focus on
both systems and people. Our Park
Access Story Map, Equity in Parks
and Recreation: A Historical Perspective,
explores how throughout the
history of this land, parks have
been used for both inclusion and
exclusion. NRPA's Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion in Parks and Recreation
Report (nrpa.org/DEIReport) takes
inventory of the DEI activities,
if any, agencies have established,
the professional development opportunities
provided to staff, and
the challenges organizations face
in their
efforts to promote DEI
practices. These resources document
our commitment to DEI and
provide a road map for preparing
the profession for the future - a
beautiful one with quality parks
and recreation embedded in every
community for everyone.
Autumn Saxton-Ross, Ph.D., is NRPA's Vice President of
Education and Chief Equity Officer (asaxtonross@nrpa.org).
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https://www.nrpa.org/equity https://www.tinyurl.com/38smpzf7 https://www.nrpa.org/equity https://www.tinyurl.com/38smpzf7 http://www.nrpa.org/DEIReport
July 2021 - Parks & Recreation

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