Sacred Water Shared Future is a growing movement in the Twin Cities dedicated to the health of the Mississippi River. The campaign celebrates a century of progress and inspires continued action to care for the river.
In 1926, a water quality study identified severe pollution and found only three fish living in 42 miles of the Mississippi River from the Twin Cities to Red Wing, Minnesota. The results confirmed what scientists and residents already suspected: the Mississippi was effectively dead. The study sparked collective action to restore, and eventually protect, this vital waterway over the next 100 years.
Sacred Water Shared Future is celebrating community, storytelling, education, and conservation as part of a year-long campaign in 2026. The campaign honors the central role the Mississippi River has played in our region while acknowledging its deep history, sacredness, and resilience. Our hope is that the campaign will inspire collaboration and shared action in 2026, and set the stage for the next 100 years of healing for both the river and the life it supports.
About the Brand
Sacred Water Shared Future’s planning team partnered with Seiche, a local social impact strategy and communications firm, to develop the campaign name, theme, logo and brand assets. Seiche reviewed internal planning documents, surveyed planning partners, and conducted community partner interviews to obtain broad feedback about the project. After their initial project review, Seiche sub-contracted with local Indigenous artist, Tiana LaPointe, to develop our name and logo.
Tiana LaPointe is a Sicangu Lakota Media Artist, producing and developing MKW Media. Since 2016, she has captured the growing story of Mni Ki Wakan, Indigenous Peoples, and youth who have invested their energy and efforts in Indigenous water rights. She specializes in Indigenous storytelling media methodologies and practices.
To finalize the Sacred Water Shared Future branding, the planning team workshopped the proposed brand name, logo, and tagline with the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors Arts and Culture Committee.
We are proud of our beautiful logo and campaign name that acknowledges the sacred nature of water and the Mississippi River for all Twin Cities residents.
Leadership and Partners
This campaign was created by the Sacred Water Shared Future leadership team, which is made up of representatives from the following organizations:
- Capitol Region Watershed District
- Freshwater
- Metropolitan Council Environmental Services
- Mississippi Park Connection
- Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
- One Mississippi
- U.S. National Park Service
In addition, many other organizations are actively participating as partners and supporters of Sacred Water Shared Future.
See our full list of partners >
Your Role
Looking forward, what dreams do you have for the river 100 years from now? How will we — as a movement — value and care for the river? Join us by sharing river centered events, activities, programming, artistic endeavors, and more throughout the 2026 centennial year.