Join us 7-8:30pm at Mill City Museum

Minneapolis, Minn. – José G. González, Founder of Latino Outdoors and Co-Founder of the Outdoorist Oath, comes to Minneapolis May 4 as part of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Next Generation of Parks Event Series. In his talk Healing Severed Connections, González will reflect on the arc of his life’s work from teaching in the classroom to doing work related to the outdoors and focusing on equitable access and reconnection to nature. The event is free and will take place at Mill City Museum at 7:00pm. Register via Eventbrite secure a seat.

Taken from his sweeping Medium post of the same name, Healing Severed Connections is an invitation to evolve the predominant American cultural orientation towards nature and our place in it. González will talk about the origins of Latino Outdoors, a national community celebrating nature and la cultura latina, that grew from a blog he started connecting his passions for both. He’ll also share stories and experiences that explore what a more inclusive and diverse outdoors community looks like, the intersection of conservation-based landscape restoration and contemporary social justice movements, and how designing parks for the future can be informed by transformative cultural perspectives and practices.

“Through Latino Outdoors and Outdoorist Oath, José is creating vibrant and thriving spaces for so many people to connect with themselves, their community, and the natural world,” says Tom Evers, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. “Along the way, he’s helping us find greater meaning and joy in conservation, and greater unity around environmental justice. We’re delighted to host his talk.”

About Our Speaker

In addition to his work with Latino Outdoors and Outdoorist Oath, José G. González is a professional educator with training in the fields of education and conservation while engaging in different artistic endeavors with art and messaging—often exploring the intersection of the environment and culture. As a Partner in the Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. He is also an illustrator and science communicator.

González received his B.A at the University of California, Davis, and his M.S at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment. His teaching coursework was at the Bilingual, Multicultural, Education Department at Sacramento State. He serves as a Trustee for the National Outdoor Leadership School, a Trustee for the National Recreation Foundation, and Outdoor Industry Association Board Director, among other such leadership volunteer roles.

About the Next Generation of Parks Event Series

For over a decade, the Parks Foundation’s Next Generation of Parks Event Series has demystified the intersection of parks and public space with the most important issues affecting our community, including equity and race, climate change and sustainability, and mental and physical health.

The 2022-2023 season of Next Generation of Parks events is presented by Minnesota Public Radio News and produced in partnership with the UMN Department of Landscape Architecture and Mill City Museum, with additional support from Barr Engineering. To explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities, please contact Jennifer Downham at JDownham@MplsParksFoundation.org.

About the Minneapolis Parks Foundation

Since 2003, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation has raised more than $28 million for transformative parks and programming in Minneapolis by aligning philanthropic investment and community vision. Today, the Parks Foundation champions equitable investment in Minneapolis parks through the new Reimagine North Commons partnership, as well as the RiverFirst Initiative, through which it was responsible for private fundraising and implementation of the Water Works and Great Northern Greenway River Link projects. The Parks Foundation also supports community-based parks projects with the People for Parks Fund, and explores the intersection of parks and today’s most pressing issues by presenting the Next Generation of Parks™ Event Series. Learn more or make a gift at MplsParksFoundation.org.