We spend a lot of time creating the resources on our website. We do this to empower others and to share what we know. We have been asked why we don’t charge for such valuable information, but removing financial barriers to access enables more people to participate, and we want as many people as possible on board with this work! Putting it out into the world — through our website, social medial, presentations and newsletters — helps others learn too. And, to paraphrase Maya Angelou, when we know better we can do better.
We also do our best to support local birding groups who work intentionally in their communities to create opportunities for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and disabled birders through our Good IDEA for Birding community. This work can be amazing, but it can also feel isolating, and sharing what we have learnt with others who have similar values helps us all reach our goals sooner. Over the last year we have learnt a lot about setting up and running a nonprofit, and it’s easy to share what we’ve learnt with, for example, the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, as they work towards nonprofit status themselves. We believe that when we work together and uplift and support each other, we all win.