equity, diversity, inclusion & Belonging committee
The Audubon Chapter of the Minneapolis Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Committee is a dedicated group of volunteers working towards fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for all individuals interested in birds and nature.
Our mission: Advocate for and promote EDIB principles within our community, leveraging our collective knowledge and passion to create positive change. Through collaborative efforts and engagement with diverse perspectives, we strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or identity, feels welcome, valued, and empowered to actively participate in bird conservation and environmental stewardship.
Our committee's work is ongoing, reflecting our commitment to fostering lasting EDIB practices and creating a more inclusive Land of Lakes Bird Alliance and beyond.
Together, we work towards building a more inclusive and sustainable world, both for our avian friends and the diverse individuals who support their preservation.
Committee Chair: Michael Sawyer
Birds, Birders, Birding: Connecting People and Places
Join Deja Perkins, PhD student in geospatial analytics at NC State University, as she discusses the importance of people in birding and science. Birds connect people and places, but birders play an important role in bird conservation by observing birds wherever they are, when they go birding. Deja studies data gaps gathered from participatory methods like eBird. In this talk, she will share her work looking at inclusion in citizen science and bird watching; ranging from the maps and data she examines in her research, to the community engagement work including her work introducing the people of Raleigh and Durham to bird watching, and her virtual engagement and education with #BlackBirdersWeek. What can be learned from thinking about where we go and who goes birding?
IN SUPPORT OF BIRD NAMES FOR BIRDS
Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis supports replacing all common eponymous and honorific English bird names as listed by the American Ornithological Society with descriptive names: bird names for birds.