“Bird over there.”

A hush falls over the crowd and eight sets of binoculars rise to search for fluttering wings amid the dappled sunshine.

The University of Manitoba Indigenous Birding Club has been meeting weekly since the spring of 2023. It’s a casual network focused on fostering an appreciation for birds, yes, but also on building a welcoming outdoor community.

“We started the group because we had seen other movements creating space for (Black and Indigenous people, and people of colour) out in nature, so we decided to try it here,” says Justin Rasmussen, club co-founder and director of the university’s Indigenous leadership programming department.

To read the full story, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press. 

They wanted to say maarsi to Rosanna and Kim for joining us in King’s Park for a birding walk and for helping us share the tremendous benefits of getting outdoors and connecting with nature! Chi-Miigwech!..

The title of the episode is “Claiming space in the great outdoors.”

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