Hello River Citizens,
As I sit here, watching the sun glint off the deep snow in my backyard, the word transition keeps coming to mind. A little over a month ago, we transitioned into a new calendar year and a little over two weeks ago, we transitioned to a new President and administration. And while it may not seem like it buried in snow here in the north, the transition to spring has begun; the days are longer, and in some areas daffodil buds are ever so softly beginning to poke their heads out of the ground.

As an organization focused on the health of the Mississippi River, we are looking forward to opportunities to advance water protection goals with this new administration and will be activating you to speak up for the River. We are looking forward to offering educational and engagement opportunities this year that can be utilized from the comfort of your home and safely outdoors until we can safely gather in person. We are here for the people, water, wildlife, and land of our great River and will continue working hand in hand with you.

For the River,

-Kelly McGinnis, Executive Director, Mississippi River Network

Friend, it was wonderful hearing from many of you River Citizens over the past month on how you will enjoy the Mississippi in 2021. If you are new to the party, welcome. Please email us your response of how you will enjoy the Mississippi (reply direct to this newsletter or send it to Michael at michael@1mississippi.org).

The more stories we hear from our neighbors all around the Mississippi River watershed, the greater our awareness becomes of the diverse ways people enjoy and take care of one another and the land, water, and wildlife. What unites us becomes illuminated. We learn appreciation of our differences and can better work together toward common goals like creating a healthier Mississippi River system for future generations.

Become inspired by hearing from fellow River Citizens on how they will enjoy the Mississippi in Michael's recent blog.

Illuminate The Lock: Madweyaashkaa: Waves Can Be Heard

• When: 6-8:30 PM CST, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Feb. 18 - 20th
• Where: Upper St. Anthony Falls Visitor Center (Minneapolis, MN)
• About: An animated video collage projected onto the 400 x 50 foot wall of the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock is synced with a sondscape of music. Images of the Grandmother moon (Nokomis), fire, earth, water, and the jingle dress dance entwined in swirling colors, Madweyaashkaa celebrates the resilience of Indigenous women on a spectacular scale.
• Who: Registration Required! Mississippi Park Connection, All My Relations Arts, Native American Community Development Institute, MNRRA, more.

Iowa Environmental Advocacy Day

• When: February 25th 12-3 pm CST and 7-8:30 pm CST
• Where: Virtual - Learn more
• About: Join Iowa Environmental Council in making a big splash advocating for water, land, and climate. You'll hear from advocates and legislators, learn how you can get involved, add your voice to the growing coalition and support this important work. Register here.

Missouri Historical Society

• All programs virtual and in CST time
• Black History Month Celebration (2/4/21 at 4pm)
• Mighty Mississippi Road Trip (2/16/21 at 11am)
• Mississippi Meanderings Series: Everyone's River: A conversation with Two People Who Kayaked the Length of the Mississippi (3/4/21 at 6:30pm)
  • In this panel discussion we’ll hear source-to-sea paddlers Maya Dizack and Stan Stark share their experiences. Dizack is the youngest woman and youngest woman of color to complete the trip; she was 19 when she paddled the river in 2019. Stark, on the other hand, descended the river in 2020 at 81 years of age, making him the oldest person to complete a source-to-sea paddle on the Mississippi.

February 2nd was World Wetlands Day!

Did you know wetlands provide many benefits for the people, land, water, and wildlife of our Mississippi River, including:

• naturally filter and clean water
• store carbon (hello, climate change resiliency)
• nature's buffer during extreme weather (like flooding!)
• sustain livelihoods
• important for food supply
• habitat + recreation