The upcoming celebrations of the centennial of America’s national park system in 2016 provide an opportunity to reflect on how to ensure that current and future generations remain connected with the parks and monuments that help define us as a people. How do we build a system of national parks and monuments that reflects the diversity of America’s history, people, and cultures? How can preserving these places help tell all of America’s story?
According to a recent Center for American Progress analysis, of the more than 450 national parks and monuments in the United States, less than one-quarter have a primary focus on women, communities of color, or other traditionally underrepresented groups. Local communities, the Obama administration, and Congress have taken steps to protect new sites that reflect the history of traditionally underrepresented communities, but more work remains to be done.
Please join the Center for American Progress, the National Parks Conservation Association, the National Urban League, and the NAACP for a discussion that will help identify ideas for how we can build a more inclusive system of national parks and monuments. In particular, the event will focus on steps that Congress can take to help advance this important goal. The event will feature leaders from Congress; the administration; and the conservation, social justice, economic, and faith communities.
Please note this event will take place in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
Welcoming remarks:
Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President for External Affairs, Center for American Progress
Keynote remarks:
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Christy Goldfuss Managing Director, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Featured panelists:
Shantha Ready Alonso, Executive Director, Creation Justice Ministries
Don Cravins Jr., Senior Vice President for Policy and Executive Director of the Washington Bureau, National Urban League
Carrie Hamblen, Executive Director, New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce
Michael Reynolds, Associate Director, Workforce, Relevancy and Inclusion Management, National Park Service
Moderated by:
Alan Spears, Director of Cultural Resources, National Parks Conservation Association