Freedom Birders: Birding for Freedom and Justice

02Jun2022

Virtual Program

From 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Celebrate Black Birders Week with The Freedom Birdhouse, a project of Amplify the Future, founded  by Tykee James and Jeffrey Train in January 2020. As part of the Freedom Birders movement, it seeks to change the culture of bird watching in the United States by developing a racial justice curriculum and bird education project resourced by the lessons and inspiration of the Civil Rights Movement, the Freedom Riders, the Black Lives Matter Movement, the 1619 Project, and Black Birders Week. The Freedom Birdhouse, a virtual tour, explores the roots of their inspiration, and highlights the connection of the movement of people, observation of birds, and the recognition of land. This program will connect people to Ohio, the river, nature, people, and birds.

Watch a recording of the program.

 

Photograoh of Tykee James and Jeffrey Train in the field birding

Tykee James been part of the birding community for almost a decade. He has served as governmental affairs coordinator for the National Audubon Society, Co-chair for the National Black and Latinx Scholarship Fund, and on the Board of Directors of the Birding Co-op, the IDEAL Committee at the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University, and the D.C. Audubon Society.  He is currently the President of D.C. Audubon Society and co-chair of Amplify the Future. He has earned international recognition as one of the organizers of the first #BlackBirdersWeek and is the audio producer for the Wildlife Observer Network. James hosts two podcasts: Brothers in Birding and On Word for Wildlife.

Jeffrey Train is the founder of Mr. Train’s Life Lessons for Better Birding & Beyond, a curriculum driven program seeking to inspire families and young naturalists to discover the wonder of birds. Train welcomes viewers into his world of wonder by introducing them to the birds inhabiting his neighborhood. An award-winning educator, he has taught, mentored, counseled, and coached for more than two decades, and is a trained racial equity facilitator. Train is an avid birder and leads bird and nature walks in Central Park and northern New Jersey.