Chelsea Connor
Born
Chelsea Connor

Dominica
NationalityDominican
Alma materMidwestern State University
Scientific career
FieldsHerpetology

Chelsea Connor is a Dominican herpetologist and birder. Her research concerns the interaction between native and introduced Anolis lizards in the Commonwealth of Dominica. While a student, she co-founded #BlackBirdersWeek. She is an advocate for Black people in the United States being out in nature, and feeling safer when they do so.

Personal life

Connor grew up as a Black, queer woman in the Commonwealth of Dominica, part of the southeast Caribbean island group the Lesser Antilles.[1][2] She developed a love of birds from watching flocks of sugarbirds (Coereba flaveola) and seeing Sisserou parrots (Amazona imperialis) for the first time.[3]

Research

Connor studies the dietary overlap between invasive and native anoles (Anolis spp.) in Dominica. Her undergraduate project at Midwestern State University, Texas in the lab of Charles M. Watson, examined the diets of Anolis oculatus and invasive Anolis cristatellus; she found few prey species in common, indicating possible niche partitioning to avoid competition.[4] She continued working on anoles as a graduate student at Midwestern University in Texas.[5]

#BlackBirdersWeek

In May 2020, birder Christian Cooper was harassed in Central Park while watching birds—a white woman called the police on him. Connor empathised; she had also experienced suspicion while birding, with people believing because a Black person outside with binoculars must be doing something wrong.[6][3] In response to Central Park birdwatching incident, Connor along with several other Black scientists founded Black Birders Week; others include Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, Jason Ward, Sheridan Alford, Danielle Belleny, Joseph Saunders, and Tykee James.[5][3] The National Audubon Society supported the program, which first ran May 31 to June 5, 2020.[7]

Each day the social media campaign #BlackBirdersWeek had a different theme: #BlackWomenWhoBird, posting a picture of yourself in nature, #PostABird, and Question and Answer with Black birders.[6]

Connor celebrates bird watching in Black communities for a week each year.[8] She advocates for Black people and their rights.[1] She encourages people from diverse backgrounds to observe and enjoy nature, especially groups that historically marginalised in predominantly white activities like birding: “It is upsetting to see that it is still so unsafe for a lot of Black people to go outside, and to do what they love doing outside.”[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Newberry, Andy (18 June 2020). "MSU Texas student achieves national attention with #BlackBirdersWeek campaign". MSU Texas News. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  2. ↑ "New Science: Chelsea Connor". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  3. 1 2 3 Kutz, Cat (4 June 2020). "#BlackBirdersWeek: Celebrating and Encouraging Diversity in Conservation". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  4. ↑ Howell, Bailey (6 January 2020). "SICB 2020: Invasive and Native Anoles Have Different Dietary Niches". Anole Annals. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  5. 1 2 3 Richard-Craven, Maya (31 May 2022). "Meet Six Black Birders You'll Want to Follow on Instagram". Sierra Club. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  6. 1 2 "#BlackBirdersWeek Seeks To Make The Great Outdoors Open To All". NPR. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  7. ↑ Mallenbaum, Carly. "#BlackBirdersWeek, #BlackInNeuro: Black scientists, physicians are using hashtags to uplift". USA Today. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  8. ↑ "Black Birders Week | BirdNote". www.birdnote.org. 2021-05-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
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