The ongoing Black Lives Matter movement continues to challenge us and to confront deeply-entrenched attitudes and assumptions about race that affect so many individuals and communities negatively. This includes the vibrant and growing communities of Black scientists, naturalists and birders, in the Caribbean and beyond. At BirdsCaribbean, we have been similarly inspired to reach out directly to the organizers of Black Birders Week, who swiftly took action following the Central Park incident – a blatant display of white privilege. We applaud this strong response, because their goals reflect our own: inclusivity, diversity, solidarity, teamwork – and of course, the common love of birds that brings us together.
Here is an article co-authored by three co-organizers of Black Birders Week, Amber Wendler, Alex Troutman, and Chelsea Connor, who met up with Executive Director Lisa Sorenson and other BirdsCaribbean leaders recently on Zoom. We look forward to continuing the dialogue, to building our relationship, to sharing ideas and to working together on concrete plans and actions that will empower Black birders and shine a light on their amazing work. Rome was not built in a day, as the saying goes, but we at BirdsCaribbean are committed to supporting Black Birders Week, fighting discrimination, and bringing hope. We are stronger together!
Black Birders Week was created in response to a racist incident in New York City’s Central Park: Amy Cooper, a white woman, called the police on Christian Cooper, a Black birdwatcher, and lied, saying, “There’s an African American man threatening my life,” when he politely asked her to put her dog on a leash in an area that required her to do so by law. Many people do not realize that racist incidents, such as this one, happen every day – they are just not captured on video. The recording of this incident highlighted some of the challenges Black people face when going birdwatching or participating in other outdoor activities. In addition to not feeling safe, many Black people feel as if they do not belong in outdoor spaces predominantly occupied by white people. Black Birders Week was organized by individuals of BlackAFinSTEM, which is a collective of Black birders, nature enthusiasts and scientists. The goal of Black Birders Week was to increase the visibility of Black birders and nature enthusiasts and promote inclusivity in the outdoors.
After Black Birders Week, co-organizers Amber Wendler, Alex Troutman and Chelsea Connor virtually met with members of BirdsCaribbean, so that we could all share our experiences and discuss how the birding community can take action to become more diverse and inclusive. It felt as if we all already knew each other and were friends, catching up after a few years of being apart. It was inspiring to hear everyone’s stories and the projects that they have worked on and plan to do in the future. We’re excited to meet in person next July at the next BirdsCaribbean International Conference in Trinidad, and we’re looking forward to continuing these conversations virtually in the meantime.
What does Black Birders Week mean to you?
Amber Wendler: Black Birders Week means a lot to me. It has given me a sense of community. I could not be happier to finally see so many other birders who look like me and have had similar experiences to me. I am blown away by all the support this week has received and it has given me hope for the future.
Alex Troutman: Black Birders Week means freedom, inspiration, and growth. Freedom to immerse yourself in nature. It has been inspiring to see all the people supporting Black Birders Week and saying that they are going to make a stand to make sure birding is inclusive for all people! Black Birders Week means growth, not only because I grew as a birder and individual by telling and hearing other birders’ stories; but also because the birding community is growing stronger in numbers and morally. More people stand to make a change, or call out actions and behavior discouraging others who do not fit the typical birder profile of an older white male.
Chelsea Connor: Black Birders Week meant getting my voice, and the voices of others like me amplified. We had been talking on and off about the struggle we face with the outdoors, but now we were more widely heard, and invited to share. I got to see so many Black people outside, doing what they love and to hear their stories and the inspiration that this event gave them. I’m so proud and that will all stay with me forever.
What did you take away from Black Birders Week and what do you want others to know?
Amber Wendler: People too often value biodiversity of nature more than diversity of people. Ensuring that Black people and other under-represented groups have access to and feel welcomed in the birding community and outdoor spaces leads to a diversity of ideas and perspectives, which greatly benefits the community and advances scientific research. I am truly amazed by the BlackAFinSTEM group. Individuals from this group saw an opportunity to bring awareness to an important issue, quickly came together to plan and were able to change the minds of many people.
Thanks to Black Birders Week, we increased the visibility and amplified the voices of Black birders. Individuals and organizations started to take action to make the birding community more diverse and inclusive, and many Black birders who previously felt alone now have a supportive community. However, it’s important to recognize that systemic racism was built up over hundreds of years and thus will not be fixed in a week. There is still a lot more work that needs to be done until all Black people will feel safe and welcomed in outdoor spaces. We all must continue to listen to people’s experiences, learn and take anti-racist action.
Alex Troutman: Black Birders Week has not only encouraged me, but it has also given me a sense of pride. First, I am proud that 30+ Black people in the STEM field who identify as birders could make this happen without ever being in a room together and not ever officially meeting each other besides Zoom sessions. Next, I had a sense of pride and encouragement from all of the support that we have been given from people who participated in Black Birders Week in some way, whether it was following with each day’s hashtag or viewing the live streams.
It has been encouraging to see all of the Black birders and Black nature lovers who are out there. I thought I knew a good bit of them, but Black Birders Week has allowed me to connect with so many others who I probably never would have met if it wasn’t for Black Birders Week. Some people were even within the same state. It has also been encouraging to see the younger generation get excited about birding! Black Birders Week gave me community, support, and encouragement to keep going! I hope that others got as much out of BBW as I did. I want others to see that everyone can and should be welcome to go birding without FEAR, DISCRIMINATION, and LACK of ACCESS. It truly takes everyone to make sure that nature can be used and enjoyed by all.
Chelsea Connor: I want people to remember that silence is complacency. A lot of the things that happen that are witnessed by someone can be stopped by the simple intervention of a white ally. Allies should use their platforms as much as possible to amplify the voices and experiences of BIPOC (Black and Indigneous People of Color) and to create paid opportunities and spaces for them where they are fully supported. Too often BIPOC get hired, but then they’re left alone to face discrimination and racism from their coworkers and peers.
I feel like Black Birders Week has definitely made that conversation start happening more. It’s so encouraging and heartening to see everyone who participated and still hearing about the effect it had for them. I expected the event to go over well, but the international recognition it got blew my mind. It makes me feel hopeful, like much needed change can start happening. I’ve also gotten to connect with so many great people and institutions and I cannot wait to see them grow. Depending on your background, you may not know what it’s like to not feel heard and then to finally have that – but I can tell you, it’s been quite an experience and I’m so happy to have had it. I can’t wait to see more representation of us outdoors and in the natural sciences. Thank you for being part of this too.
Sincere thanks to Amber, Alex and Chelsea for talking with us and writing this wonderful article! Big thanks also to our colleague, Andrew Rothman (@The_Rothman), for introducing us. We appreciated tuning into #BlackBirdersWeek events and look forward to further discussions, opportunities to partner, and actions we can take together to make sure Black birders are welcome and supported everywhere. We welcome Amber, Alex, Chelsea, and all others to our BirdsCaribbean community, a diverse network of wildlife professionals, birders, tour guides, educators, community members, and more. Stay informed about Caribbean bird news by signing up for monthly newsletter here. Join us here. And follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@BirdsCaribbean).