Black Birders Week

Black Birders Week was announced on Twitter on May 29, 2020.[3][1] The initiative was prompted in part by the Central Park birdwatching incident and episodes of killings and police brutality against Black Americans such as Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.[4][5][6] According to co-founder Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, the goal of the initiative is "normalizing the fact that Black people exist in the birding and natural sciences community".[7] Black people have historically been excluded from academic and professional spaces and lack visibility and representation in the natural sciences community and among birders in particular. Lack of representation also has a chilling effect on the ability to enjoy the outdoors and nature.[7][8]

The week-long event was conceived and organized by members of a group of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals and students known as BlackAFinSTEM collective, founded by Jason Ward.[9][10] In addition to Opoku-Agyeman, other co-founders include Sheridan Alford, Danielle Belleny, Chelsea Connor, Joseph Saunders, and Tykee James.[11][12]

The event series ran from May 31 to June 5 using the #BlackBirdersWeek hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. Through these events and others, the series highlighted research carried out by Black birders, the happiness they find in nature, the racism experienced, and the importance of inclusivity in the outdoors.[13] Furthermore, the series drew attention to several Black birders and naturalists, including Birds of North America''s host Jason Ward, wildlife biologist and author J. Drew Lanham, wildlife conservationist Corina Newsome, National Audubon Society's government affairs coordinator Tykee James, and herpetologist and science communicator Earyn McGee.[14][15]

In response to the 2020 series, the National Wildlife Federation planned to dedicate part of their Conservation Fellowship and Intern Programs[16] to young biologists of color.[17]The organisers intend to continue the series in future years.[4] The event also inspired other similar week-long events celebrating Black people in various STEM fields, #BlackInAstro week, #BlackBotanistsWeek, #BlackInNeuro, and #BlackInChem.[18][19]

The series was endorsed and promoted by advocacy groups, conservation organizations, and government agencies including: the National Audubon Society,[1] the American Birding Association,[20] the American Bird Conservancy,[21][22] the North American Association for Environmental Education,[23] the National Wildlife Refuge System,[24] the US National Park Service,[7] the California Coastal Commission,[25] Outdoor Afro,[26] Orion magazine,[27] and the Ecological Society of America.[28] The 2020 series was also highlighted by several science and popular media and news outlets including: CNN,[7] Forbes,[29] The Guardian,[30] Science,[31] Scientific American,[13] National Geographic,[32] Smithsonian magazine,[11] Audubon magazine,[1] Bird Watching magazine,[33] Sierra Club,[34] Backpacker magazine,[35] and NPR.[36]

• Birding While Black: A Candid Conversation - Session 1, organized as part of the 2020 Black Birders Week
• Birding While Black: A Candid Conversation - Session 2, organized as part of the 2020 Black Birders Week