Volunteer Spotlight: mari lopez gonzalez

Photo courtesy of mari lopez gonzales

This month, we chatted with mari lopez gonzalez, a newer member of our volunteer community who is already making a huge impact. mari currently sits on our board of directors and is leading the efforts of the reactivated Equity and Justice committee. We’re excited to be sharing a little more about mari in a Volunteer Spotlight.  

How long have you been involved with Birds Connect Seattle?

I have been involved with BCS since my move to Seattle as a neighbor in 2023 and leaped into a fuller commitment in 2026 when I joined the Board.

What is something you have enjoyed about your time volunteering?

Ooof! It is such a lovely community of people who have such different backgrounds and all care about our feathered relatives. It is a place where there is such a commonality in care and curiosity. Oh! And I find that folks who are more experienced or who have ornithological backgrounds are truly generous to share their knowledge and wisdom.

Can you share a message or story about community and nature that resonates with you? 

There are so many stories that want to flow, but I think I might just share a thought that brings me such deep gratitude. I have this belief that birds are animal kin that have mutual curiosity about us and have not given up on us as neighbors. They find ways to stay connected even in our concrete cities, they show themselves to us when we look, they continue to share their songs with us, and many lead their babies through our parks and streets. The way that they try to relate to us compels me to be more curious and do what I can to protect them. Let’s keep being considerate and caring neighbors!

What do you love about birding, and if you have to choose one, your favorite bird?

I love that everyone can have their own relationship to birds and birding, it does not have to be or look any one way. I think of the quote from Subcomandante Marcos, “El mundo que queremos es uno donde quepan muchos mundos. La patria que construimos es una donde quepan todos los pueblos y sus lenguas, que todos los pasos la caminen, que todos la rían, que la amanezcan todos.” (The world we want is one where many worlds fit. The homeland we are building is one where all peoples and their languages ​​fit, where all footsteps walk, where all laugh, where all awaken.)

For me, birding is an opportunity to witness the many worlds that live inside our own that the birds build. Their worlds are so alive, and birds get to be goofy, silly, adorable, wise, stunning, vicious, resilient, soft, and responsible. As you can imagine, I do not have a favorite bird as much as I have families on which I am focusing my learning, and currently those are woodpeckers!