Meg’s Response to Children’s Advocacy Network
1) What are your priorities for building a strong community for children and youth in Minneapolis?
- Continue to support strong, affordable recreational and growth programs for children and youth, especially at home parks.
- Engage our increasingly diverse community in welcoming programs for youth and their families in our parks and recreation centers.
- Promote comprehensive planning to incorporate the skills, talents and potential leadership of our multi-ethnic communities.
My steadfast commitment to youth includes 1960s and ‘70s work as Downtown YWCA Youth Director, Pillsbury’s Camp Manikiki arts crafts counselor, Loring-Nicollet Bethlehem Headstart Assistant; in the 1980s, the Parks’ WESCA Assistant Soccer Coach; currently I’m a Camp Fire Alumnus.
2. How can the office that you are seeking (library board, park board, board of estimate and taxation) be a part of assuring that children and youth in Minneapolis are supported by the community and given opportunities to thrive?
I will advocate for Minneapolis Park and Recreation’s (MPRB) central role in creating community for families and children through outreach, particularly working with other organizations to fill gaps in support structures: MPRB assisting schools with delivering Latch Key programs; Camp Fire linking arms with MPRB, using programs evaluating youth development; mainstreaming minority based programs, such as the MN Thunder Soccer Program with MPRB.
Parks have a unique, critical role with the children, youth and families of our city. Reaching to our more diverse community is priority #1 for me, through a comprehensive plan that engages and invests in our larger community.



