Chattanooga-area families gathered in Riverpoint Park on Saturday to pose for a series of family portraits. But the photos were about more than just getting a nice picture.
The Chattanooga branch of the Trust for Public Land hosted the event alongside Bridge Refugee Services. The idea was to help local refugee families explore local parks they might not be familiar with, as well as build visibility for communities of color in public spaces.
Daniela Peterson, senior advisor for community strategies at the Trust for Public Land in Chattanooga, said the picture captures an important memory while also helping families feel ownership of the parks around them.
“When we think about the outdoors, we normally think about white people doing more competitive things, rather than it being a place for families to hang out and do family things,” Peterson said.
Families who came to the park Saturday received a bag of picnic snacks and other recreation items donated by REI.