The city of Seattle and surrounding public spaces are on unceded Coast Salish land, specifically the ancestral land of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, and Muckleshoot People.

Since the founding of Seattle, Indigenous communities and communities of color have been denied equal access to public lands. In the 20th century, Seattle was redlined and immigrants, communities of color, and Indigenous people were forced to live in “less desirable” places in the city. These neighborhoods usually have less access to green space, and can be in highly industrialized areas, often making them unsafe to pedestrians.

We acknowledge that the detrimental impact of redlining is felt to this day and while 97% of Seattle residents live within a 10-minute walk from a park or public space, those spaces are not equally managed and funded. Depending on their location and design, some nearby residents don’t feel culturally welcome, while others are unable to utilize the space due to its limited accommodations for accessibility. Unless intentional in their design and maintenance, there are often barriers to access and enjoyment for people of all abilities.

Our commitment to equity in public spaces includes reckoning with Seattle’s past and present, addressing systemic biases, and committing to partnership with communities who have been harmed. We listen first, cede power in decision making, and ensure we advocate for, fund, and support just public land solutions for all.

Some ways we support equity in public spaces include:

• We advocate for specific funding through the Metropolitan Park District focused on parks in communities of color where the park system has been underdeveloped and under maintained.
• We subsidize fiscally sponsored projects in communities of color and accessibility projects.
• We dedicate more staff, marketing, fundraising, and fiscal service resources to support projects that address equity in public space.
• We work to break down barriers between community and civic leaders and focus on shifting decision making power and representation to community.

Each of the projects below focuses on the work of equity in public spaces in different ways. Click to learn more about them.