At the request of our partner, Mile High Connects, Metro DNA Alliance Director, Dana Coelho, TPL’s Parks for People Program Director, Emily Patterson, and Walk Denver’s Executive Director, Jill Locantore, attended a JUST Learning workshop on Flooding, Green Gentrification and Race this past week. Hosted by the Partnership for Southern Equity, the workshop focused on building skills and networks in support of whole-system nature-based solutions to wicked problems at the intersection of climate, health, and racial justice.
Alongside partners from Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis, and Atlanta we explored the history of structural racism in land use, flooding, and gentrification in Atlanta and across the US; discussed equitable green infrastructure investment with local government leaders and partners; applied new systems mapping and multi-solving tools to our local and shared challenges; and saw some great work on the ground at the Outdoor Activity Center that brings together green infrastructure installation, workforce development, art, and environmental education in a community-based setting.
Denver is one of several cities across the US participating in the Strong, Prosperous, and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC). The initiative’s long-term goal is to change the way metropolitan regions grow, invest, and build through integrated, cross-sector approaches that benefit low-income people and communities of color. Toward this goal, SPARCC is investing in and amplifying local efforts to ensure that new investments reduce racial disparities, build a culture of health, and prepare for a changing climate.