Here is a concise update on our progress toward equity, diversity, and inclusion over the last three months. As always, we welcome your input, support, and participation in these worthy and long-term efforts.

In our June 30, 2020 EDI report we pledged to 1) listen to and amplify BIPOC voices, 2) increase representation, and 3) remove barriers. Our most direct, tangible effort toward items 3 and 2 was to offer free electronic memberships to Black, Latinx, and other birders who will help diversify our largely white community. Thus far, we have had more than 150 BIPOC birders take us up on this offer in just three months. Of course there is much more progress to be made, but we are thrilled with this initial response.

Our efforts at increasing representation for non-white birders and perspectives are obvious looking over the pages of the August issue of Birding magazine and, especially, the October Birding special issue, A Birder’s Guide to Conservation and Community, which is currently mailing to members and available electronically here. 

Black and other non-white voices and perspectives continue to be featured, and featured in increasing prominence, on our social media streams, including the American Birding Podcast; our @americanbirdingassociation, @birdingmagazine, and @north.american.birds Instagram accounts; and our @ABA Twitter feed.

Our series of informal, short presentations by BIPOC birders for ABA board and staff commenced on August 20 with a great conversation with Tykee James (Twitter: @Tykee_James). If you are interested in being a featured guest at such a session, please contact edi@aba.org or reach us through social media listed just above. An honorarium is offered. 

This is a partial, not exhaustive list of our ongoing EDI efforts. On December 30, 2020 we’ll have another update which will report on several other efforts. Once again, our goal to build a bigger, stronger, more diverse and inclusive birding community depends on you. Please let us know what you would like to se