The Friends of Patterson Park stands with those who are fighting in support of Black lives and racial justice.
As an organization, we believe that parks are central to individual and community health and well-being. We acknowledge that as a well-used public space, Patterson Park has seen its share of historic segregation and racism over its long history. We remain committed to promoting use of the park by all Baltimore City residents and visitors; sustaining partnerships with Black- and Latinx-led organizations; and advocating for equitable park funding Citywide.
But there is more we can do.
Looking forward, we will work to increase diversity and add more Black perspectives to our leadership – both staff and Board of Directors. We will listen, and we will continue to speak out against racist speech and actions. Members of our staff and Board of Directors who are white will educate ourselves on the perpetuation of white supremacy in public spaces. We commit to expanding our outreach to our local communities done in recent years that have enabled us to better understand and serve everyone’s needs. These efforts have resulted in the realization of new programming and youth employment opportunities. We will continue to learn and to integrate our learning into programming and advocacy to reflect Baltimore’s diversity in our public spaces.
We look forward to partnering with those who share our values and working toward a future where all of our parks are a welcoming haven for everyone, including Black, Latinx, indigenous, and other historically marginalized populations.
We will be sharing with you our efforts to date and future steps in the coming weeks. If you have ideas on park-related initiatives or have questions or comments, please contact us.