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Dear Friend,
Following recent events involving Ahmaud Arbery, Christian Cooper, and George Floyd, people the world over have been gathering to champion change. While racial injustice and inequity have been prevalent within our society and fatal to black people for decades, the public awakening fueled by these events presents an extraordinary opportunity to achieve more widespread and meaningful progress in creating a fair, inclusive and just environment.
The last few years, Houston Audubon has been striving to grow in diversity and inclusivity throughout all levels of our organization — on our Board of Directors, staff, membership, programming and the birding community as a whole — but this moment calls upon us a duty and responsibility to do more. Today, we call on the Houston Audubon community to help us do more within our sphere of influence.
Houston Audubon is committed to making sure its nature and bird sanctuaries are safe and welcoming to all people no matter their race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, or social status. As we proclaim the benefits of nature to our health and well-being and encourage everyone to spend time outdoors, we should also work to ensure safe and equitable access to those benefits. When visiting Houston Audubon sanctuaries, or birding anywhere, let us be kind and welcoming to everyone, and encourage others to do the same. Let us be open to sharing the wonder of birds and nature with someone new, who may or may not look like you. More importantly, let us strive to simply be open and friendly in our daily lives — the more welcoming we are, the more we can do to protect and preserve birds and the environments they depend on. While we recognize those that are actively doing many of these things, let us encourage each other to do more.
In addition, Houston Audubon will work proactively to build a representative contingent of diverse birders and nature enthusiasts to work side-by-side with us. We know our amazing nature-based education programs serve these communities and schools year-round with commendable impact, but we can always do more. While capacity and resources remain a challenge, we reaffirm our commitment to serve and engage underrepresented communities of color more comprehensively, and you can help. If you know a person of color who has an interest in birds or nature, please ask them to send us a note expressing their interest. In addition, if you see a person of color outdoors in nature, be encouraging and share Houston Audubon’s interest in engaging them.
While it seems the time for affirming statements and equality pledges is just more of the same, this time is different in some ways. My letter comes to you today with the hope that the heightened awareness surrounding the reality of racial inequities will culminate in more widespread progress to create greater equity and inclusion in all that we do at Houston Audubon and beyond. Our genuine interest in being more inclusive and diverse is not a function of recent events, but recent events should inspire us all to greater action.
Our environment, wildlife, and communities need us more than ever as environmental and wildlife protection laws continue to be quietly rolled back. The more we work together, the more we achieve for future generations. The future of birds and our planet as a whole is dependent on the collective action we take as a society.
Our vision of creating a healthier natural environment and more beautiful place to live by leading and nurturing a community that supports birds is achievable when we work together to create a better society for all. Join us in doing our part.
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Helen E. Drummond
Executive Director
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