The Mississippi Valley Traveler Podcast · Dean Klinkenberg

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

·47 min·1 clip

The river literally saved my life back in 2010.

This episode features host Dean Klinkenberg, a Mississippi River author and guide, in conversation with Michael Anderson, the Director of Outreach and Education for the organization One Mississippi. They discuss the inaugural National Mississippi River Day, set for June 2nd, 2025, and the broader River Days of Action from June 1st to 15th. Michael Anderson shares that the Mississippi River personally saved him from deep depression in 2010 through mindfulness practices by its banks, which inspired his lifelong advocacy. He explains that One Mississippi has cultivated a community of over 20,000 "river citizens" and coordinates a network of 75 member organizations dedicated to the river. The goal of establishing a National Mississippi River Day is to raise the river's profile beyond its role as a transportation corridor and foster deeper public connections. Anderson has personally canoed over 3,000 miles of the watershed, removing more than 7,000 pounds of trash and connecting over 10,000 people to the river through guiding and education. He describes the vast variety of ways people engage with the river, from recreation and art to meditation and political advocacy. A key surprising fact is that 20 million people get their drinking water from the Mississippi River, and 60% of North America's migratory birds use it as a flyway. The campaign for the new national day has already secured official proclamations from 10 different cities along the river. A major current threat discussed is the potential defunding of the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program, which has 40 years of scientific data and has restored 110,000 acres of habitat. One Mississippi's action alert to protect this program generated over 3,000 emails to Congress from 1,060 people in just five days, showing strong public support. An online "Mighty Day for Our Mighty River" event is scheduled for noon Central on June 2nd to officially launch the celebration. The River Days of Action will feature local events like habitat restoration, cleanups, kayak courses, and even a Dakota plant walk highlighting Indigenous cultural connections. Anderson emphasizes that the river, as a common resource, can be a unifying force in a politically divided nation, connecting communities from Minnesota to Louisiana. The tone is conversational, educational, and deeply personal, blending Anderson's emotional story with practical calls to action and ecological facts. The style is inspirational and community-focused, aiming to empower listeners to find their own unique connection to the watershed. This episode is perfect for environmental advocates, Midwest residents, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone interested in community building or American natural history. Listeners seeking highly produced narrative storytelling or debates on contentious political issues might find other episodes more aligned with their tastes.

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