Get Involved

Photo by Dara M. Wilson

Get Involved!

Black Birders Week is a celebration of diversity and inclusion in the birding and natural sciences communities, and there are many ways you can get involved and show your support:

  • Join the #BlackBirdersWeek Conversation: Even if you can't attend in person, you can participate online using hashtags like #BlackBirdersWeek, #BirdingWhileBlack, and #BlackInNature. These are used to share stories, photos, and educational resources during the event week and throughout the year.

  • Spread the Word: Help us spread awareness about Black Birders Week by sharing our posts on social media, using our official hashtag, #BlackBirdersWeek, and inviting your friends and family to participate.

  • Attend Events: Check out our schedule of events (Virtual & In-Person) for Black Birders Week and join us for birdwatching outings, educational workshops, and community gatherings. Click on “Events” tab to see what events are taking place near you.

  • Volunteer: Volunteer your time and skills to help us organize and host events, create educational materials, and promote diversity in the outdoors. Please send an email to blackafinstem@gmail.com.

  • Search for Local Birding Clubs/Groups: Seek out inclusive clubs in your area specifically for BIPOC birders or those committed to diversity, such as the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the In Color Birding Club in Philadelphia, the Urban Bird Collective (serving Minnesota), Chicago BIPOC Birders, The Streets is Cawing in Atlanta, and Black Avian Enthusiasts in Richmond, Virginia.

  • Educate Yourself: Take the time to learn about the experiences and contributions of Black birders, naturalists, photographers, conservationists, and science communicators. Expand your knowledge and perspective on diversity in the outdoors. There are tons of online resources to review from previous years!

  • Donate: Consider donating to support Black Birders Week. Your contribution will help us fund our events and programs and make a difference in promoting diversity in the birding community.

Ways to Connect & Build Community

Real change doesn’t happen when folks just drop a logo on a webpage and call it a day. It happens when organizations actually show up for each other with genuine curiosity, sharing what you got, and being open to listening and learning something new. Throughout Black Birders Week and beyond, we expect our community, partners, and allies to show up—but in ways that respect your own capacity. There’s no room for performative action. Plug in where you can, knowing every genuine effort helps and matters. Above all, we must keep Black voices and experiences at the center—no exceptions, no excuses. Here are some ways you can accomplish that:

  • Cohost a Conversation: Pull up for panel discussions that bring together ecologists, therapists, conservationists, immigration rights advocates, environmental justice leaders, and community storytellers. This is where we listen, we learn, and we find that common ground.

  • Co-lead a Bird Walk with Purpose: Host a walk that gets into the real talk about belonging, access, and how Black people have been historically excluded from outdoor spaces for too long. These aren’t just bird walks. This is a moment to sit with the question: Who truly feels safe in nature alongside others, and who has been left behind?

  • Facilitate an Advocacy Workshop: Drop your knowledge on the policies affecting migratory birds, migrating people, and the spaces they share. Help the community turn talk into action.

  • Amplify Stories: Run a storytelling workshop or give a platform to Black birders, immigrant community members, and displaced peoples to share how they’ve found joy, refuge, and connection in the natural world. Let them tell it.

  • Just Show Up: Sometimes the strongest move you can make is just being there. Pull up to our events. Listen to the conversations. Let your organization be seen standing with us, in community.

Together, we can make Black Birders Week a success and promote a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all outdoor enthusiasts. Join us in celebrating diversity and connecting with nature!