Page Text: Why Equity is at the center of all we do.
Our mission depends on it.
Our mission is to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people.
We estimate that as many as 100 million people — 30 percent of the U.S. population — lack access to the lifesaving and life enhancing benefits parks and recreation provides. We cannot rest until we close the gap.
Our vision inspires it.
We seek a future where the full power of parks and recreation is widely recognized for creating a better life for everyone by building strong, healthy and resilient communities. We know that not everyone has access to that better life. We recognize the challenges we face, and these challenges strengthen our resolve. Read our public statement here .
In the United States, people of color, low-income communities and Indigenous populations have been disproportionately exposed to environmental conditions that can harm their health. Across the country, race is the most significant predictor of a person living near contaminated air, water or soil.
According to the Landscape and Urban Planning journal, among others, many communities of color and other marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+, immigrants, people with low income and people with disabilities, lack the opportunity to experience and engage in high-quality parks and recreation — because these resources literally do not exist near them, or, if they do, they are not safe, welcoming nor inclusive.
According to one study , non-white and low-income neighborhoods are 50 percent less likely to have one recreational facility in their community, as compared to predominantly white and high-income neighborhoods.
We are taking action.
We are striving for a future where everyone has fair and just access to quality parks and recreation. To build this future, we are focused on four key areas.
We acknowledge the past and recognize the systemic inequities that have created very different lived experiences in communities across the country and learning from the past. Visit our story map here .
We are strengthening our organizational culture and practices centered around equity and our core values of trust, continuous learning, diversity and inclusion. Read more about our values and action plan .
We are embedding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in how we prepare the park and recreation field for the future. Learn more about DEI trainings and sign up for alerts in the right-hand column of this page.
We are actively building up equity-centered outcomes while working to dismantle the barriers to equity. Read more about our work and resources below.
We are joyful in this work.
Because we are parks and recreation, committing to equity and striving for an equitable world also means approaching this work with joy, celebration and a hunger for learning.
We invite all of our friends and allies to join us on this learning journey and on this road to achieving access for all to the incredible benefits of parks and recreation.
The future we envision is a truly beautiful one, with quality parks and recreation embedded in every community for everyone.
Equity in Parks and Recreation
Equity is central to all of NRPA’s work as an organization. Below are few examples of where we have centered equity to support park and recreation professionals in their work to create fair and just park and recreation systems.
Equity in Parks and Recreation: A Historical Perspective
This story map explores United States history, the evolution of parks and recreation and urban planning, and how it brought us to the inequities in access to parks and recreation today. This is part one of a two-part resource. The second piece will outline strategies to address inequities in park access coming in 2022.