TENNESSEE RIVERLINE ANNOUNCES 2023 DEI Grant Awardees

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SECOND COHORT OF DEI GRANT AWARDEES

The Tennessee RiverLine is proud to announce our 2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Community Impact Grant recipients! Made possible through the generous support of our principal partners, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and  Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), funding granted to these three Tennessee RiverTowns communities will support initiatives that foster inclusive engagement with the Tennessee River landscape, enable diverse participation in Tennessee River experiences, and establish pride and ownership of river spaces by historically underserved populations. 

"The Tennessee RiverLine DEI Community Impact Grant program helps overcome barriers to river access so that the Tennessee RiverLine can be an inclusive and welcoming space for all. We recognize that socio-economic, cultural and physical factors prevent some residents in river communities from enjoying river recreation,” said Brad Collett, Director of Tennessee RiverLine and professor in UT’s Herbert College of Agriculture and College of Architecture and Design. “Funding provided through these grants supports programs and partnerships designed to address barriers to river spaces and experiences and continue building a culture of inclusive outdoor recreation. We are grateful for our community partners and their collaborators doing this important and intentional work."

Communities enrolled in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program were invited to apply for up to $10,000 in support of DEI-focused initiatives and programs. Inspired by our vision to uplift community leaders and empower progress, each grantee will implement funded programs and events alongside strategic community partners that work directly with the populations each initiative seeks to serve.

“At TVA, we know that diversity and inclusion bring new perspectives and ideas, and we celebrate when these values are translated into exciting activities across the Valley. The Community Impact Grant recipients will help ensure that more underserved communities will have opportunities to learn, play and share experiences this year on the river and public lands. When we do this often enough, it creates the desired result - change,” said Allen Clare, TVA vice president, River & Resource Stewardship and Inclusion with Diversity Council Co-Lead.

Inspired by our vision to uplift community leaders and empower progress, the Tennessee RiverLine has awarded 2023 DEI Community Impact Grants to the communities of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Bridgeport, Alabama; and Hardin County, Tennessee. 

Chattanooga, Tennessee: WOW Ambassadors, Rock the Riverfront, and Environmental Education 

The River City Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee will partner with The H2O Life and WaterWays to provide a series of accessible events for residents of all ages. Leadership in Chattanooga identified three primary goals for their DEI programming in 2023: foster a passionate and confident group of women of color to be outdoor recreation ambassadors, reconnect residents to their river on the South Shore, and educate about the environmental history of smaller waterways in South Chattanooga. 

Resident feedback informed the bundle of programs proposed by The River City Company, who will use RiverLine funding to “create a multi-pronged approach to address fears, break down barriers, provide youth and adult education along with a variety of engagement opportunities to meet people at their comfort level”.

In partnership with Shawanna Kendrick, founder of The H2O Life, DEI grant funds will support an eight week curriculum for women of color to build confidence recreating safely on open waters like the Tennessee River. Participants will graduate as Women on Water (WOW) ambassadors. Simultaneously, Rock the Riverfront programming will occur on the Tennessee’s South Shore, in accordance with the ONE Riverfront plan to reconnect residents to this stretch of shoreline. Finally, grant funds will also support environmental non-profit WaterWays in educational programs on Chattanooga Creek. Smaller bodies of water like Chattanooga Creek are neglected as recreational assets because of the historical perception of water contamination. WaterWays aims to educate recreationists on how to engage with these smaller, urban landscapes in a healthy way. 

Bridgeport, Alabama: Youth Engagement Civil War and Natural History

Right across the Tennessee/Alabama state line from fellow recipient Chattanooga, Bridgeport, Alabama is an awardee of 2023 DEI grant funding. Leadership in Bridgeport acknowledges the area’s deep history as a key asset to both outdoor recreation and economic development. This history is also incredibly valuable as a cultural asset, which Bridgeport’s programming will aim to pass on to the town’s school aged children. In partnership with Russell Cave National Monument, The 18th Alabama Volunteer Regiment of Civil War Reenactors, and North Alabama Canoe and Kayak, Bridgeport’s Local Leaders will host a day of paddling and historical interpretation for the students of Bridgeport Middle School

At Bridgeport Middle School, “73% of students are on the federal free/reduced lunch program” and “many of these students do not have access to river activities”. While middle school students in Bridgeport face a high degree of poverty, these DEI funds will help guarantee wealth will not determine a child’s engagement with the cultural and historical assets of their home. 

The event, to be held in May 2023 at Bridgeport Ferry Dock, will feature talks from Civil War reenactors, local historians, and National Park staff from Little River Canyon National Preserve and Russell Cave National Monument. These talks will be followed by a guided group paddle to show students the historic bridge and 19th century steamboat construction site. Food, music, kayak instruction, and gear will be provided for attending middle schoolers. 

Hardin County, Tennessee: Youth Paddling and Hiking at Pickwick Landing State Park

Hardin County, Tennessee was awarded funding for their proposed youth event to be held at Pickwick Landing State Park in summer of 2023. Leadership in Hardin County has no shortage of partners with Tennessee State Parks, Friends of Pickwick Landing State Park, The Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tennessee River Museum, and the local 4-H chapter all involved in the DEI event. 

With Pickwick Landing State Park as the primarily recreational access point in the county, Hardin County leaders built their program to encourage “a county-wide paddle culture while targeting our underprivileged youth by providing them with the opportunity to enjoy water recreation through the educational format of the 4-H program”. While it utilizes the 4-H educational format, Hardin County’s DEI event will have no participation cost, which is often cited as a barrier to entry at similar youth summer events and camps. 

At the event, to be held June 15, 2023, a Pickwick Landing Ranger will guide attendees on a hike through the park’s butterfly garden. Music and food will be provided during lunch and the closing remarks that day. Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards will be provided for all participants who wish to get on the river. As the winners of the 2022 Excellence in River Stewardship Award, Hardin County consistently incorporates both historical and environmental education into programming demonstrated again as “education and enjoyment of participants” being this event’s primary goal. 

Promoting Equitable Access 

The Tennessee RiverLine is proud to celebrate all 2023 DEI Community Impact Grant recipients, and we look forward to witnessing the impact of their collaborative efforts over the coming year. You can also learn about the 2022 DEI grant awardees: The Shoals, Alabama, Paducah, Kentucky, and Clifton, Tennessee. These funded projects nurture our shared vision of promoting equitable access to river experiences and establishing the Tennessee RiverLine as an inclusive and welcoming space for all, and with the generous support of our principal partners, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Tennessee Valley Authority, we are committed to continuing this program in the future. Follow the Tennessee RiverLine on social media for ongoing updates about this year’s funded initiatives throughout 2023!

About the RiverLine
The Tennessee RiverLine is North America’s next great regional trail system, a historic multi-generational initiative that offers economic development, public health, resource stewardship and equitable access benefits to 2.4 million people in diverse Tennessee River communities in four states. The Tennessee RiverLine is an initiative of the UT Institute of Agriculture, with principal partners, UT Knoxville and TVA, in collaboration with the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership, a diverse consortium of organizations committed to realizing the vision for the Tennessee RiverLine.