Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Actions & Commitments
The fight to protect birds and nature is not separate from the fight for equity and justice, and to succeed at one we must succeed at both.Â
Birds Connect Seattle for Everyone
Birds Connect Seattle advocates and organizes for cities where people and birds thrive.Â
Centering Antiracism
We know that the threats facing birds are immense. The ideologies and institutions that exploit and degrade nature also exploit and degrade people, particularly people of color. The fight to protect birds and nature is not separate from the fight for equity and justice, and to succeed at one we must succeed at both. We are committed to identifying and dismantling systems of oppression in our organization and community, and to actively working toward an antiracist future. Communities of color world-wide are leading in this effort, as agents of their own liberation and for the protection of the environment.Â
Broad Inclusion and Engagement
Birds Connect Seattle will truly be for everyone when it is led, staffed, and supported by people of many different backgrounds and perspectives. We celebrate and value people of every age, race, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, class, ability or disability, sexual orientation, and political or religious belief. We also acknowledge that these categories, and especially their intersections, play a significant role in how power and resources have been inequitably distributed historically and today. We are committed to using our position and influence to challenge the systems of oppression that have created and uphold these inequities.
We understand that the fight for equity and justice never rests, and we believe that ongoing investments in this work will lead to systemic change, a healthier environment, and community solidarity over the long run.
Actions and Commitments
- Name change to remove a barrier to inclusion and antiracism work.
- Audit internal culture and business and hiring practices to identify and remove barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion;
- Mandate staff, board, and volunteer training in inclusive leadership and antiracism practice;
- Overhaul recruitment practices, requirements, and selection process to increase diverse racial representation and leadership on the board of directors, and
- Be attentive to people of color and other historically marginalized voices and be open to reshaping programs and practices.
If you’d like to provide input or be involved in leading these efforts, please contact Executive Director Claire Catania at clairec@birdsconnectsea.org.
The above statement and commitments were approved by the Birds Connect Seattle Board of Directors May 13, 2021.
Anti-racism Resource List
Birds Connect Seattle’s Equity & Justice Committee prepared a curated list of antiracism resources for self-guided learning to share with our community.Â
Grievance Policy & Procedures
The Birds Connect Seattle Board of Directors approved policies and procedures to ensure that all perceived violations and complaints of discrimination and harassment are considered seriously and dealt with in a manner that is fair, urgent, and consistent.Â
Working Towards an IDEAL CBCÂ
Several impactful changes are coming to this year’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Read more about the work to make CBC more inclusive for our whole community.
Who Speaks For the Trees?
Tree Equity Network, co-founded by Birds Connect Seattle with Seattle Parks Foundation, is bringing together stakeholders to identify our collective strengths and resources to help Seattle meet its goal of 30% equitable tree canopy coverage by 2037.
Community Speaker Series: Growing, Centering, and Connecting to Environmental Justice
Community and social connection seem to be something we both crave and need. With the recent return of our newly named Community Speaker Series, we have chosen to
focus these presentations on the themes of Grow, Center, and Connect. In doing so, we believe we can foster a more inclusive and impactful conservation movement that more clearly illustrates the interconnectedness of avian
conservation and environmental justice and will shape the future of urban conservation.