Corina Newsome

Corina Newsome is an American ornithologist, birder, science communicator, and graduate student at Georgia Southern University. In response to the racism faced by Black birder Christian Cooper in Central Park, Newsome co-organized Black Birders Week to celebrate Black birders.

Corina Newsome
Alma materGeorgia Southern University
Malone University
Scientific career
FieldsOrnithology

Early life and education

Newsome grew up in Germantown, Philadelphia,[1] and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in zoo and wildlife biology from Malone University in 2015.[2] She was inspired to pursue a career in ornithology after learning about blue jays in her ornithology field class.[3][4] Newsome is currently a graduate student at Georgia Southern University, focusing on avian conservation.[5]

Career

Newsome worked as a zookeeper at the Nashville Zoo, where she specialised in outreach, environmental education, and training animals.[2] She has also worked at the Philadelphia Zoo and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.[2] Currently, Newsome's graduate research is focused on studying the roles of climate change and predation on MacGillivray's seaside sparrows.[6]

Newsome is also a writer for the magazine BBC Wildlife.[7]

Diversity and outreach

Newsome developed the Pathway to Animal Care Careers program at the Nashville Zoo and served as the director of the Malone University Wildlife Careers Program to provide career exposure to high school students from low income backgrounds.[2]

Newsome runs a Twitter account and blog, using the name Hood Naturalist, to communicate science, advocate for environmental equality and promote diversity in biology and other scientific careers.[8][9] The nickname "Hood Naturalist" reflects her upbringing in an urban environment, and is an attempt to counter the assumption that all naturalists grow up in rural or wilderness areas.[10] Her research and science outreach efforts have been featured in a number of podcasts and radio shows, such as NPR's Short Wave[11] and Science Friday,[12] and was cast in the 2017 environmental documentary film Behold the Earth.[13][14]

In April 2019, Newsome was part of a team of women who criticised Discovery's response to science through song.[15] Their response was a lip-synced music video set to "Let Me Blow Ya Mind", and portrayed a diverse bunch of women doing science, demonstrating that science is for everyone. Later in April 2019, Newsome released a rap music video, "Anything For The Count", a remix of "Clout" by rapper Offset. The video demonstrated her love for birding and why it is important to study and protect birds.[16]

In 2020, to respond to a series of events including the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black man who was shot while running nearby Newsome's field site in southern Georgia[17] and the racism faced by Black birder Christian Cooper in Central Park,[18] Newsome and Earyn McGee co-organised Black Birders Week, a weeklong series celebrating Black birders and Black nature enthusiasts on social media.[19][20] Black Birders Week garnered worldwide media coverage, including features in National Geographic,[21] Scientific American,[22] and Forbes.[23][24] Additionally, the inaugural Black Birders Week produced unique content in collaboration with the National Audubon Society and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.[25][26]

Awards & Honors

Personal life

Outside of her studies, Newsome also enjoys birding.[4][30]

References
  1. Farr, Stephanie. "'It's important you know I grew up in the 'hood,' says this wildlife conservationist from Philly | We The People". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  2. "Interview: Corina Newsome, environmentalist and animal keeper". God & Nature Magazine. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  3. Hou, Kathleen (June 4, 2020). "Black Birding Is About Hope". The Cut. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. Willingham, AJ. "These Black nature lovers are busting stereotypes, one cool bird at a time". CNN. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  5. "'Black Birders Week' Promotes Diversity and Takes on Racism in the Outdoors". Audubon. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  6. Working in Zoos and Marsh Ecology with Corina Newsome - YouTube
  7. "8 iconic birds to see in Georgia, USA". Discover Wildlife. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  8. "First-Ever Black Birders Week Tackles Racism Outdoors". EcoWatch. June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  9. "#BlackBirdersWeek aims to raise awareness, grow community". BirdWatching. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  10. "Peterson Toscano » Meet Corina Newsome — The Self-Described Hood Naturalist". Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  11. "Animal Slander! Debunking 'Birdbrained' And 'Eat Like A Bird'". NPR.org. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  12. "Following The Flock Into The New Year". Science Friday. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  13. "Behold the Earth | A Film by David Conover". Behold the Earth. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  14. "The Naturalist Podcast Episode 29: Seaside Sparrows, Climate Change, and Reaching Out with Corina Newsome from The Naturalist Podcast". The Naturalist Podcast. August 9, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  15. "Female Scientists Respond to Discovery's New Campaign in The Best Way". Science Alert. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  16. "Anything for the Count ("Clout" Remix)". YouTube. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  17. Rojas, Rick; Fausset, Richard; Kovaleski, Serge F. (May 8, 2020). "Georgia Killing Puts Spotlight on a Police Force's Troubled History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  18. "Woman sacked after calling police on black man". BBC News. May 28, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  19. Calma, Justine (June 4, 2020). "How one viral video sparked a black birders movement online". The Verge. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  20. Langin, Katie (June 5, 2020). "'I can't even enjoy this.' #BlackBirdersWeek organizer shares her struggles as a black scientist". Science | AAAS. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  21. Bale, Rachael (June 4, 2020). "Everyone can watch the birds". National Geographic.
  22. Thompson, Andrea (June 5, 2020). "Black Birders Call Out Racism, Say Nature Should Be for Everyone". Scientific American.
  23. Cat, Linh Anh (June 1, 2020). "Opening The Outdoors: Inaugural Black Birders Week". Forbes.
  24. Cat, Linh Anh. "Opening The Outdoors: Inaugural Black Birders Week". Forbes. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  25. "#BlackBirdersWeek Sends the Message That Nature Is for Everyone". WTTW News. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  26. "Black Birders Week celebrates diversity in naturalists | The Wildlife Society". Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  27. Wells, Sarah (December 15, 2020). "The Birder Who Wants Black Youth to See Themselves in STEM". www.vice.com. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  28. Browne, Grace. "Birder Corina Newsome: I want to see a scientist who looks like me". Inverse. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  29. "Grist 50: 2020 Archives". Grist 50 Profiles. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  30. "Following The Flock Into The New Year". Science Friday. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
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