The First National Mississippi River Day: Building Community Around the Big River

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February 1 is National Baked Alaska Day. April 14 is National Ex-Spouse Day, but April 22 marks Earth Day. We’ve had these (and more!) national days celebrating things silly and crucial, but we’ve never had a National Mississippi River Day. Until this year. It’s long overdue. On June 2, we’ll celebrate the first National Mississippi River Day. In this episode, I talk with Michael Anderson, the Director of Outreach and Education for One Mississippi, about it.

Michael begins by sharing a story about how the river lifted him out of a deep emotional hole and inspired him to help other people connect in their own ways to the Big River. He explains how his work at One Mississippi has helped grow a river-based community of 20,000 plus people who enjoy the Mississippi and take action to help protect it. He describes the varied ways people connect with the river and how any of us can find a way to build a new or deeper connection with the Mississippi, perhaps on the inaugural National Mississippi River Day. We talk about the events happening for National Mississippi River Day, as well as for the two following weeks known as River Days of Action. We finish with a few thoughts about what makes the Mississippi such a unique and special place.

In the Mississippi Minute, I offer a few thoughts about our work to protect the Mississippi and what we need to consider to do differently in the days and years ahead.