Becoming a Birding Fan — Bird, Bird, Bird was, in fact, the word.
While currently an environmentalist by trade, it was not until adulthood that I discovered environmentalism as a practice, and later still, that I discovered the joy of birding. It’s a hobby that has enriched my life in so many ways, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it with others.
For me, birding has been a way to connect with the natural world through live observation and interaction, and learn about my cultural heritage. Many Latino cultures have a deep connection to birds. For example, in Mexican culture, the hummingbird is considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity. The eagle is also a sacred animal in many Latino cultures, representing strength, courage, and freedom. As someone who has struggled with cultural connections having not spent much time in Mexico, which has limited connectivity, this is very important to me. The current pop culture meme of being a “yo no sabo kid,” loosely translated to an “I don’t know kid,” referring to Mexican culture, definitely resonates personally.
Birding has also helped me to build community. I have met so many wonderful people through my birding adventures. We share a common love of birds and a commitment to protecting the environment. Birding has given me a sense of belonging and purpose. There are several bird affinity groups, but it has been BIPOC centered groups, such as the BIPOC Birders of Chicago that have elevated my love of nature and environment
Ironically, I discovered birding on Facebook, which is arguably the most non-natural platform one can find themselves in. I follow the Environmentalists of Color Networks page, where someone had posted about starting a people of color led birding group. The prevailing thought was that as people of color, we have experienced nature differently than others. This includes traumatic experiences based in classism, elitism, and even racism in outdoor or natural settings, where those affected have felt that natural spaces are not for them due to anthropocentric discriminatory experiences. Both the BIPOC Birders of Chicago as well as the Environmentalists of Color Networks have grown exponentially in membership, something that I had not imagined as the group was started for the purposes of connection, celebration and commiseration of experiences in environmentalism, so growing the organization was not at the forefront initially. We sought out a sense of belonging, a space for people like us.
One walk at a time, I started to notice the different types of birds that lived on the southwest side of Chicago. To help remember their habits, I assigned fun characteristics: “Hallmark card” birds (cardinals, red-headed woodpeckers), “swaggy” birds (scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings), “gangster” birds (monk parakeets, red-winged blackbirds), “fugazi” birds (blue jays, owls), “beastly” birds (herons, cranes), and so on. I was amazed by their beauty and diversity.
0 Comments