“We are currently in the process of forming a committee of employees consisting of representatives from across the park district to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion,” Benná said.
Benná added that she represents MetroParks on the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Equity Initiative which launched in 2019.
Nick Hrkman, former Five Rivers MetroPark employee of six years who said he was fired from the agency on June 30, said Friday’s diversity update was appreciated, but overdue after Five Rivers decided not to release a public statement voicing their support of Black Lives Matter.
“I know the Five Rivers marketing team pushed to issue a statement, drafts were written ... pressure from the community to issue a statement came in via social media and email which were documented and passed up the chain,” Hrkman said.
The Five Rivers marketing team, according to Hrkman, was instructed by Five Rivers leadership to not respond to a June Instagram comment from a user that read “I appreciate you having people of color in the photos on your page. I’m still confused as to why you’re not voicing support for Black lives.”
“The organization’s silence became conspicuous,” Hrkman said. “I was confronted by friends on two separate occasions asking why the MetroParks had yet to issue a statement. With no explanation provided by leadership, I was unable to give an answer. In my six years as a MetroParks employee, I had never been embarrassed to be a part of the organization. That changed this year.”
No explanation was provided regarding why the team was not allowed to issue a statement, Hrkman said.
“The agency chose not to make a public statement on behalf of Five Rivers MetroParks because the agency does not have a history of issuing such statements related to national news,” said Benná in response to Hrkman’s Friday comments. “Rather, MetroParks chooses to work within the community to enact positive change.”
“If Five Rivers MetroParks ever wants to bridge that 40% racial service disparity identified in the (2016 - 2026) Master Plan, it will have to transform an anit-racist organization,” Hrkman said. “An organization that doesn’t sit quietly on the sidelines during one of the most important social movements of our era. Because the question isn’t ‘Why don’t Black people visit our parks?’ It’s why haven’t we made Black people welcome, safe and valued in our parks.”
Periodic updates will be given on the progress of the MetroParks committee set to focus on diversity across the parks district, Benná said.
“Five Rivers MetroParks strongly opposes injustice and racism,” Benná said. “The community we serve is diverse, and that is one of its many strengths. ... We want to make sure we’re not just stating we support addressing these issues, but build upon the actions we have already taken, and develop new ones that we will take in the future.”
The next board of park commissioners meeting is Sept. 10 at 8 a.m. For sign-in details to the video meeting, email BPC@metroparks.org before 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 9.
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