Unity Trail Project Components: • Activities that highlight themes of the Unity Trail project, including opportunities for public educational materials and County programs and events. • An interpretive trail that recognizes the contributions and experiences of Black, Indigenous and people of color. This will include seven interpretive points located on the Mississippi River Greenway as well at Inver Hills Community College, Inver Grove Heights Community Center, Simley Island Park and Inver Glen Library. The interpretive points will include mosaic art benches that celebrate and honor the contributions of Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color as well as sidewalk poetry. During the project’s public engagement phase, community members expressed a strong interest in public art as the format for the installations, increased seating and gathering spaces and themes that celebrate Black, Indigenous and people of color, including: • Influential Black, Indigenous and individuals of color who have had an impact on the world • Representation of a broad diversity of cultural groups. • Locally focused stories, such as histories of the land, locally focused Indigenous representation, and stories of Black, Indigenous and people of color that live in Inver Grove Heights. • Highlighting different countries and cultures through symbols such as flags, food, art, and history. • Stories of activism, resilience, and social change that highlight fighting injustice and overcoming discrimination to make a positive difference in the world.
