Decolonizing Birding

Instructors: Rachel Katz (rkatz@goldengatebirds.org) and Joe Joseph (jjoseph@goldengatebirds.org)

Description: This class is for curious individuals interested in reflecting on the practice of birding through a decolonial lens. Participants will engage in active birding, discussion, reading, art making, and other forms of communal learning. Birders of all experience levels are welcome.

By engaging with ideas rooted in indigenous principles and scientific inquiry, our aim as a community of birders will be to each answer the question: “Why do I bird?”

The instructors will hosts one 1.5 hour introduction class on Zoom followed by 6 three-hour excursions on Sunday mornings.

Field trip locations in both the East Bay and in San Francisco. There are 3 sites total; we visit each site twice. Most field trips will involve 1 to 2 miles of travel, with opportunities for rest breaks. The locations will be transit-friendly and/or carpooling will be encouraged.

The instructors invite people interested in participating in this class to let them know about their accessibility needs before the class begins and will tailor the field trips accordingly.

Recordings of the first session via Zoom will be available to class participants for a limited amount of time.

One Wednesday evening Zoom session September 3: 6:00 to 7:30 pm

 (Zoom link will be provided when you register.)

Six three-hour Sunday field classes, September 7, 14, 21; October 5, 12, 19: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Class Size: Limited to 20 participants.

Price: $290 ($232 for GGBA members, a 20% discount).

Field Trips: 

9/7 - Lake Merritt
9/14 - Elsie Roemer
9/21 - Golden Gate Park North Lake
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10/5 - Golden Gate Park North Lake
10/12 - Elsie Roemer
10/19 - Lake Merritt
 

Registration opens at 1 pm on Wednesday, August 6 and closes at 11pm on Monday, September 1.