Name: Peterson For Parks
Address: Minneapolis

Why

If you're from Minneapolis like I am, you know our children are a product of their environment, and we all want the best for our kids.

That is why I am asking you to believe in me. I am the proud son of a black mother and a gay father.

I was latch key kid during Minneapolis' crime rise in the 80’s.

Many of the kids that I grew up with at Matthews, Bracket and Longfellow park didn’t make it.

Where would I have been without the parks that gave me a fighting chance?

I am the one that made it. I now live with a park in my backyard as reminder of this. My lovely wife has worked for the parks for years.

I feel driven to serve the organization that raised me so other kids with challenging situations will have a bright light to follow.

The great setbacks of 2020 set the stage for great comebacks.

God willing, I am going to help lead that comeback!

My PLan

1. Youth Empowerment

Create a Youth Empowerment Tiger Team. Ensuring no child falls down without a hand up from our multi disciplinary community partners, working together on a comprehensive team to give our most challenged youth traction on their path to success.

Increase access and funding to Spark Youth Programs, Empowerment Tiger Team & MPS Park Board Pitch Rally

Make parks more accessible for all the diverse families in Minneapolis, especially those with disabilities so that no family is left behind.

2. New Revenue Streams

Create new revenue sources to ease the property tax burden on residents by working with diverse small businesses and organizations that share our core values. Create cross marketing and lucrative sponsorship deals providing the much needed revenue to expand youth services.

3. Clean Water & Energy

Improve the environment and community well-being by training our youth to lead the Clean Water & Energy economy after graduation.

Eliminate PFAS and microplastics in the park watershed because it’s poisoning our community. Our waterways flow to the Gulf of Mexico where I used to be a deep sea fishing captain and commercial fisherman. It’s my obligation to give a voice to those beautiful animals that have none.

Protect our beautiful green spaces to ensure they'll be here for generations to come.

Father, COACH, TEACHER, CAPTAIN & VETERAN

About Me

I have served Minneapolis as a crossing guard, coach, teacher, park board volunteer, father of 5 park kids, and as a Minnesota National Guard Sergeant

just like Governor Walz.

That is why I humbly ask for your support to continue serving our city of Minneapolis on the Park and Recreation Board.

MPLS Park Volunteer

I also created Tiger Team MMA as a MPLS Park Board volunteer coach at East Phillips Park. Myself and leaders from the Native American Community taught dozens of teens the basics of MMA and Kickboxing for self defense at the first park that served me as child.

Taking Action

I have small business experience. I owned a gym near downtown, and one in uptown. We sponsored MPS teams with free training each year. I owned a deep sea fishing business in Florida and took dozens of disabled veterans on all no-cost paid deep sea fishing trips. We filmed the trips and put them on YouTube channel which has over 10,000 subscribers. I use this experience to get nationwide brand sponsors to underwrite existing Parks programs, and then promote our success on social media to tell the Minneapolis Parks story. We have so much to be proud of with our Parks system, and our Board needs a business-savvy perspective to help guide us to financial success, especially in these budget-starved times.

Join Us

Help Our Cause

Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission or serving the youth of Minneapolis.

Donate

A HAND UP FOR EVERY CHILD

Why