Photo: Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings, Amy Watts/Audubon Photography Awards
By Lisa Mackem
After the video of a white woman making racist threats against Christian Cooper, a black birder in Central Park, a group of black professionals working across science, technology, engineering and math known as BlackAFinSTEM, organized #BlackBirdersWeek from May 31 – June 5. The effort resulted in nearly nine hours of Instagram and Facebook Live events and received international attention with over 50,000 viewers and thousands of questions.
Corina Newsome, a field biologist and one of the 30 or more Black Birders Week organizers, wrote an article for Audubon about embracing difficult conversations and building a truly inclusive outdoors. “We have seen the discomfort of white hikers and birders when they encounter us, sometimes suspicious and fearful, other times shocked we’re even there,” said Newsome.
Online events in addition to Black Birders Week and conversations at hashtags like #BlackInNature, #BirdingWhileBlack and #BlackWomenWhoBird received an enormous and positive response, and Newsome was encouraged. “We are at the cusp of a turning point that embraces human diversity as joyfully as the diversity of feathered creatures. To get there, white people must value black lives and hear our voices and lean into uncomfortable conversations about racism and privilege that follow. The birding community must show that it is not neutral.”
Throughout the week, black birders shared their own disturbing encounters with hostile white people and with police officers while they were birding. These experiences included being followed, watched or threatened. Some black birders are hesitant to bird in certain areas, or go birding alone. Black birding panelists also took turns describing their personal happy places to bird – where they saw their favorite birds, or an impressive, colorful diversity of birds.
A frequent objection to #BlackBirdersWeek was the suggestion that birding should not be politicized and white birders don’t “see color.” Sheridan Alford, a graduate student in natural resources responded that putting the “political” label on the objection was dismissive, used because the objector simply didn’t want to see the issue. “I think putting that [political] label on it is dismissive and putting a blanket over it, because you don’t want to see it anymore. ‘Political’ is just a cop-out.” Newsome said this objector rejected her humanity, which she wanted to bring into the conversation. Drew Lanham, author, ornithologist and professor of ecology and conservation, said, “The point is not to create Black birders; it’s to realize the diversity of thoughts in nature.”
The American Bird Conservancy is acting on its following statement: “ABC not only celebrates the diversity of birds, but also the diversity of all who celebrate and conserve birds. We unequivocally condemn racism in all of its forms, including threats toward people of color who seek to enjoy nature.”
Sheridan Alford asked white people who consider themselves allies to people of color to try and make those people comfortable. “Go talk to them...start with something like ‘What’s the last cool bird you’ve seen?’ Just an icebreaker.” Christian Cooper said that birders should just help each other. “The birds don’t care. Why should we?”
Additional resources for combating racism and building inclusivity:
Why celebrating Juneteenth is more important now than ever
“For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies”