In 2016, the National Park Service’s centennial year, the American West Program seeks both to celebrate the NPS and to examine significant issues in the past, present, and future of our parks. The National Park Service has recently signaled its deepening commitment to making the parks relevant and accessible to people of all races, ethnicities, ages, and genders. In a public event on Thursday, September 29th, the American West Program will take up this issue. A panel of speakers will share historical and contemporary perspectives on race and diversity as they affect experiences of nature, resource stewardship, and interpretation in the national parks.

 

The panelists will include Nina S. Roberts, Professor of Recreation, Parks & Tourism, San Francisco State University; Gillian Bowser, Research Scientist, Natural Resources Ecology Lab and Associate Affiliate Faculty, Department of Ethnic Studies, CSU; Ruth M. Alexander, Professor of History, Department of History, and Affiliate Faculty, Public Lands History Center, CSU; Camille Dungy, Professor of English, CSU; Alexandra Hernandez, National Heritage Areas Regional Program Manager, National Park Service, Intermountain Region.

 

This public event will be held on Thursday, September 29th, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the CSU Morgan Library Event Hall (first floor). Please invite colleagues, family, and friends to be a part of this essential discussion of our national parks.

 

The American West Program is an outreach series presented by the Public Lands History Center at CSU.