Bianca Sanchez, bianca.sanchez@sierraclub.org
BRIDGEPORT, CT. – Connecticut environmental groups hosted three successful local events this Black Birders Week. At these gatherings, Black birders and outdoor enthusiasts, plus the general public, celebrated the critical role Black birders play in conservation efforts, environmental justice, and community care. Now in its fifth year, this national annual week of in-person bird walks, educational talks, and community events began on May 26 and will be observed through June 1.
Here in Connecticut, Sierra Club and partners held events in Bridgeport and two New Haven nature locations. During a bird walk in Bridgeport, participants identified, observed, and noted more than 40 bird species, including shorebirds, seabirds, raptors, and the famous Bridgeport parakeets. Throughout the week, many local residents participated in birding for the first time. There was a keen interest and enthusiasm for birding, wildlife observation, and environmental education among the present community members.
Black Birders Week was started in 2020 by a group of young Black scientists and bird watchers in response to the series of highly publicized negative encounters between Black people and members of both law enforcement and the general public. Since 2020, the reach of Black Birders Week and the Black in STEM movement it inspired has expanded worldwide and spread to various science fields, from botany and geology to marine science and astronomy.
“Black Birders Week serves as a vital communal celebration and science project,” said Jhoni Ada, Community Organizer, Sierra Club Connecticut. The participation and enjoyment observed during Black Birders Week here in Connecticut offers a tangible example of how conserved spaces can serve the local community. Our communities are ready and eager to engage with nature. Therefore, it is crucial that we continue to fight for the conservation of natural spaces, like Bridgeport’s Remington Woods, that help combat harmful emissions and provide escape and enjoyment for Connecticut families.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.