Stephanie Glaros’ Humans of Minneapolis portraits of park-goers remind us of the many powerful ways that parks can connect us, heal us and make us whole. This summer, her 10-image series is exploring how parks transform human life, as told through each person’s own words and Stephanie’s boldly compassionate lens.

Here, we’re reposting Stephanie’s 2017 series. View all images in this year’s series, and in 2016’s, via the Humans of Minneapolis category link

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Shannon with granddaughter Mya (right) and friend Meia, at Folwell Park

“Since it’s been warm out, I’ve been bringing my granddaughter to the park as often as I can. It’s priceless. She has fun, all the kids are here. I watch her and her three-month-old little brother, my grandson. Their mom works at the main post office downtown, so I watch the kids while she’s at work.

I came here from Illinois in 1990 with my kids and their dad. We raised our kids and then we separated. But we still communicate. We work together with our daughter to watch her kids. We fluctuate the kids so that we both don’t go crazy, ‘cause he works and I work part-time. It works out, we make the best of it.

I try to do things with her that are close to the house and don’t cost a lot. We’ll go for a walk, or I take her on her bike or her scooter. But the park is what she really likes. She wants me to put her on the tire swing and swing her about fifty times. Sometimes she’ll invite ten friends and I’ll be here swinging ten girls. She’s always asking the whole neighborhood to come.

We came here today to play on the swings, but now the pool is open and she couldn’t resist. As you can see, she has all her clothes on. I’m like, ‘Go for it, have some fun.’ I just want to make sure she gets good and tired.

Listen to Shannon’s story:

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Images and content are reposted with permission from Stephanie Glaros/Humans of Minneapolis.