Have you ever wondered what it's like to canoe or kayak all ~2,300 miles of our Mississippi River? Join us for a powerful conversation featuring acclaimed author and speaker Eddy Harris, Mississippi River Network Director of Outreach and Education Michael Anderson, Mississippi Park Connection Program Manager Devin Brown, and renowned canoe guide and inclusivity advocate Cory Maria Dack. Eddy, Michael, and Cory have paddled thousands of miles, including the whole Mississippi River, and Devin is preparing to launch her Mississippi River 'source to sea' paddle this spring!
Hosted by Great River Passage Conservancy and 1 Mississippi at Bad Weather Brewing Company in Saint Paul, where food and drink will be available for purchase.
Unable to join us in person? Register to watch the event online here.
Eddy L. Harris is a critically acclaimed author, lecturer, filmmaker, and above all a traveler. He is the author of four critically acclaimed books in English, Mississippi Solo: A River Quest, Native Stranger: A Black American’s Journey into the Heart of Africa, South of Haunted Dreams: A Memoir, and Still Life in Harlem: A Memoir, all of which partake of memoir, travelogue, adventure tale, and cultural reportage. A longtime resident of France, Harris is also the author of two books written and published in French: Jupiter et Moi, and Paris en noir et black.
Michael Anderson is a student of the River and in 2010 the Mississippi saved his life. Nowadays, to quote one of his mentors, John Ruskey, Michael offers his energy “as a worker bee in service to our queen, the Mississippi River.” He aspires to canoe/kayak all the rivers of the Mississippi River Watershed and has paddled over 3,000 miles to date while removing 7,000 pounds of trash by hand and boat (did you know that bowling balls float?).
Devin Brown is a Program Manager at Mississippi Park Connection and is responsible for the creation and implementation of recreational, educational and community-based initiatives within the park to enrich the life of the river and the lives of all people who experience the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. In 2013, Devin set a goal to become the first Black woman to solo paddle the entire length of the Mississippi River, and in 2024 - she will pursue this dream! You can support Devin's adventure here.
Cory Maria Dack was born on the equator in Quito, Ecuador’s capital city, and raised in the Northwoods of Duluth, Minnesota. When she's not on trail she splits her time between living in Quito and Minneapolis. She's been guiding canoe trips in the BWCA since 2007 and has spent the last few years leading eco-tourism & adventure trips through Costa Rica, Patagonia, Ecuador, Belize, and Guatemala - and canoeing over 130 days on a winter source to sea paddle of the Mississippi River.