birdgirl: 2018

Monday, 19 November 2018

Camp Chew March 2019 Flyer

Black2Nature

Camp Chew 2019 - Fri 29 - Sat 30 Mar 2019

Camp Chew 2017
Copyright Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig

A nature weekend for children aged 7 to 11, who will love

Having fun outside in nature
Using the outdoors to get active & improve wellbeing
Trying new things like camping
Making new friends

How to Book

Book on Eventbrite

Text or phone Helena on 07798818772

E-mail campavalonuk@gmail.com

£10 per child with free places offered

Free transport from Bristol

Food all veggetarian (or halal fish and chips if available for lunch)

Location - Compton Martin Amenity Field BS40 6JN

Children supervised at all times by DBS checked adults

About the Author

Young environmentalist and birder Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig

Camp Avalon and Camp Chew are the ideas of Mya-Rose Craig, who also organised the first events in 2015. She is organising the 2017 camp with the organisation she has formed Black2Nature and hopes to attract more young birders and inner-city teenagers.

She has been involved in the UK organisation of the Youth Strikes encouraging young people from around the world to not go to school once a month and protest instead demanding immediate action to prevent climate breakdown. This is an interview in New Statesman.

She was a Bristol European Green Capital Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer-songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people.

She organised four nature camps for children and teenagers since 2015 and is helping to run four more in 2019. She also organised a conference, Race Equality in Nature, in June 2016 aiming to increase the ethnic diversity in nature and plans two more in 2019. She has also set up Black2Nature with the aim of working with organisations to increase the access to nature of Visible Minority Ethnic people and is President. Please connect with her on LinkedIn (Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig) so that she can invite you to join the Race Equality in Nature LinkedIn Group and be part of the change.

She has given over 50 talks, speaking at conferences such as being on a panel with George Monbiot and Caroline Lucas on Sustainability and the Future of Cities. She is a Minister in Chris Packham's Manifesto for Nature in 2018 and spoke in front of 10,000 people at the Walk for Nature. She has also appeared on TV and radio and is particularly proud of being in Silent Roars, a short film which was part of Listen to Britain 2017 https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-silent-roars-2017-online.

She has been awarded the Bath and West Show Environmental Youth Award 2017 for Bristol for her Black2Nature work EYA 2017. She was also listed as one of Bristol's BME top 100 powerlist.

She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and Penguins in Antarctica over Christmas 2015, her 7th continent. She became the youngest person to see 5000 birds in 2019 age 16 and is looking forward to visiting Brazil birding in 2019 and hopes to see half the birds in the world there. Please also like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter. If you would like to contact Mya-Rose about her work, please e-mail helenabcraig@hotmail.co.uk.

Sunday, 21 October 2018

A must read for children - The Adventure of Horatio Mowzl

The Adventures of Horatio Mowzl is a trilogy of illustrated novels for children and young adults by the brilliant Paul Thornycroft

Volume One: “Little Humans”

Children –– change the World!

Mya-Rose Craig interviews the author, Paul Thornycroft

Mya-Rose: What are your books about?

Paul: The Mowzl books are about rediscovering the healing magic of the natural world and realising how the damage to Nature caused by human activity has reached a crisis point.

Mya-Rose: Why is it a fairy-story if you want to look at real-world issues?

Paul: Because the dominant culture and world view is, unfortunately, one of duality. The global economy depends upon the exploitation of Nature, a behaviour requiring the suppression of sensitivity and empathy. In fact, Nature is not dualistic, rather it is infinitely complex and nuanced. The Mowzl books bring together fairy-story and ‘real world’ drama to allow space for something magical to happen in the way we experience meaning.

Mya-Rose: You have been working on these books for nearly ten years; what made you begin?

Paul: I’m 70 years old, I’ve witnessed 7 decades of climate breakdown and ecological collapse on a global scale. Politicians, and the corporations that control them have no consciousness of the significance of what is happening. It is children –– who are inheriting a broken world –– that are now making the leap needed to trigger change on a meaningful scale.

Mya-Rose: In the years you’ve been writing the books, what have you seen change in the world?

Paul: I’ve seen the ecological catastrophe unfolding faster than even the gloomiest scientists predicted; I’ve seen conflict and competition for resources escalate at a time when global cooperation could be the chosen way forward. Encouragingly, I have also seen children find their voice! For example, Greta Thunberg, 16-year-old Swedish schoolgirl who has triggered, by means of her solo activism against climate inaction, a worldwide movement: #climatestrike. The Mowzl books are my way to contribute to this rising wave of change.

Mya-Rose: Thank you, Paul, you are clearly passionate about this! When does Volume Two come out? What’s it called?

Paul: Volume Two is called “First Purlings” and is due out in April 2019. There’s more info at www.mowzl.co.uk

Mya-Rose: And Volume Three?

Paul: Ah! That’s under wraps for the moment, but I hope it will be released in time for Christmas 2019!

Mya-Rose: Thank you for talking to me about your writing.

Paul: It’s a pleasure and thank you for your interest and willingness to post this interview as a blog.

Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/2K4tz3U

Reviews:

This book inspired me – and hopefully others too – to do as much as we can to repair the wild web. It’s great that it’s addressing what we’ve done to the Earth, as so many people need to start helping the environment. I think the world would be a much better place if everyone read this book! Can’t wait for the next book!

I decided to Google Mowzl to see if it was available online and was surprised but pleased to see that he has a website, Facebook and Twitter page! I think this will spread the word to help our planet.

Charlotte Blue Age 12

My Aunt (Chuto Ma) Mya-Rose gave me this book to read and I really loved it. I don't usually like reading but I enjoyed hearing about Horatio Mowzl, a mouse from the future, as the story was exciting and so I just kept reading.

Laila Price Age 10

About the Author

Young environmentalist and birder Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig
Copyright Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig

She organised four narure camps for children and teenagers since 2015 and is helping to run four more in 2019. She also organised a conference, Race Equality in Nature, in June 2016 aiming to increase the ethnic diversity in nature and plans two more in 2019. She has also set up Black2Nature with the aim of working with organisations to increase the access to nature of Visible Minority Ethnic people and is President. Please connect with her on LinkedIn (Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig) so that she can invite you to join the Race Equality in Nature LinkedIn Group and be part of the change.

She has been awarded the Bath and West Show Environmental Youth Award 2017 for Bristol for her Black2Nature work EYA 2017. She was also listed as one of Bristol's BME top 100 powerlist.

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

Race Equality in Nature & Conservation and Black2Nature

Chris Packham's Peoples Walk for Nature is this Saturday 22nd September 2018, meeting in Hyde Park, London at 10 am with speakers starting at midday and the march between 1 pm and 2 pm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbQDEb6QX6g&feature=youtu.be

Today, Chris Packham has published "The Peoples' Manifesto for Wildlife" with 18 Ministers or experts in a number of areas ahead of the march http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/a-peoples-manifesto-for-wildlife

Ministers are:

I am unbelieveably proud to have been asked to write the Ministery of Diversity in Nature and Conservation.

This is a Podcast from Lush intervewing many of the Ministers

http://player.lush.com/channels/soapbox/radio/soapbox-voices-peoples-manifesto-wildlife

If you don't know anything about me, this is what I have been up to since I started campaigning and raising awareness about the lack of VME (visible minority ethnic) out in nature and green spaces since January 2015 when I was 12 years old. I have given an explanation of my use of VME below.

I have arranged:
Four Camp Avalons for inner city VME teenagers and children;
A film-making workshop for VME teenagers with Icon Films in inner city Bristol;
The Race Equality in Nature Conference in June 2016 with Bill Oddie, Kerry McCarthy (shadow Environment Secretary at the time), Stephen Moss and Dr Richard Benwell. His most striking comment was when he talked about every citizens' right to access nature in the same as way as their right to access health or education;
Spoken at national conferences, including Science and Geography teachers about how to include nature in lessons and be relevant to VME teenagers
Panel appearances including with Caroline Lucas and George Monbiot discussing "Sustainability and the Future of Cities" and at Hay Festival's "Do You Have to be White and Well-off to be Green?";
Met with leaders of organisations in the nature conservation and environment sector to discuss the issue;
Set up Black2Nature as a campagining oganisation to work with conservation and environmental organisations, to increase on the 0.6% of environmental staff who are VME;
Raised the issue of the lack of diversity in nature on TV (eg BBC West's Inside Out and BBC2's Hugh's Wild West) and in the nature media.

Camp Chew 2017

Race Equality in Nature Conference June 2016

Camp Avalon 2017

Festival of the Future City

Mya-Rose Craig and George Monbiot, Festival of the Future City

Mya-Rose Craig, Caroline Lucas & George Monbiot, Festival of the Future City

Even if you can't make it to the march, please post on Chris' website on his Wonder-wall

http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/wonder-wall

These are links to my previous blog posts on diversity in nature. My linked group, Race Equality in Nature, has a conference summary added.

Race Equality in Nature Conference 6 March 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/03/race-equality-in-nature-conference_8.html

How ethnicity and wealth are impacting on children going into nature 1 June 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/06/how-ethnicity-and-wealth-are-impacting.html

Birdgirl’s 30 Days Wild - for diverse communities - ideas - 1 June 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/06/birdgirls-30-days-wild-for-diverse.html

Birdgirl’s 30 Days Wild, Day 1 - for diverse communities 1 June 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/06/30-days-wild-day-1-for-diverse.html

Birdgirl’s 30 Days Wild, Day 6 - for diverse communities 6 June 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/06/birdgirls-30-days-wild-day-6-for.html

Birdgirl’s 30 Days Wild, Day 9 - for diverse communities 9n June 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/06/birdgirls-30-days-wild-day-9-for.html

Interview with BBC Wildlife Magazine 28 September 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-bbc-wildlife-magazine-october-2016.html

Race Equality in Nature Conference - Black2Nature 1 November 2016

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2016/10/race-equality-in-nature-conference.html

Speaking at the association of Science (ASE) Educators Conference 7 January 2017 - With resource links

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2017/01/speaking-at-association-of-science-ase.html

Minority Ethnic Peoples’ rural heritage (links no longer work) 23 January 2017

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2017/01/minority-ethnic-peoples-rural-heritage.html

Article in Cultures of Nature and Wellbeing 7 February 2017

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2017/02/article-in-cultures-of-nature-and.html

Speaking at Bath Spa University Landscape and Change Festival 25 February 2017

http://birdgirluk.blogspot.com/2017/02/speaking-at-bath-spa-university.html

Comment - VME or not

First - I am no expert. These are just my thoughts and views. I would love to read more research on this topic.

Second - I would describe myself as Dual Heritage British Bangladeshi.

I have chosen to use the term "Visible Minority Ethnic" (VME) in my ministry. This simply means minority ethnic people who describe themselves as non-white; People who might be discriminated against in the street or who might feel worried about venturing to the counryside because of fear of hate crime (due to their visibility as a minority ethnic person). It was suggested to me as an option by a race expert, Monira Ahmed Chowdhury.

There are lots of terms being used as of 2018 to describe collectively people living in the UK, who for want of a better description, are non-white. These are some of them and what troubles me about them:

Non-white or not white
This should never be used (although I have just done that for clarity). It is negative and refers to people by their skin colour alone, which is derogotory.

Black British
My mum shows her age because she started using this term in the 1980's, to include all non-white people, as one political force. I don't like referring to skin colour and think we have moved on from this. I really don't like this term at all.

BAME Black Asian Minority Ethnic
BME Black Minority Ethnic
This is used nationally by most organisations to describle people who are from non-white decent. It specifically includes people whose ethnicity is African or Carribbean, South or East Asia in the first and people whose ethnicity is anything other than English, Scottish and Welsh. Both single out specific ethnic groups, this can be divisive and exclusionary. They include white people who are from places such as Irish or Western or Eastern European. This is not ideal for analysing racism against people of non-white decent. For example 3% of the environmental professionals are BAME but only 0.6% are non white.

Race
"Race and ethnicity are often used interchangeably but it is useful to be clear about the difference. Race is a socially constructed term without biological merit that has historically been used to categorise different groups of people based on perceived physical differences."

"Universities Scotland refer to a 1983 House of Lords decision that suggests an ethnic group would have the following features:

a long shared history of which the group is conscious as distinguishing it from other groups and the memory of which it keeps alive

a cultural tradition of its own including family and social manners, often but not necessarily associated with religious observance

a common, however distant, geographical origin

a common language and literature

It is important to remember that everyone has an ethnicity and 'white British' is an ethnic group. Bhavnani et al (2005, p. 213) point out that it is common in British culture for 'ethnic' to be wrongly used as synonymous with non-white or not-western, for example with 'ethnic clothes' or 'ethnic restaurants'."

I do not like the word "race" (as in mixed race) as there is only one human race and it is wrong to try and say otherwise.

ME Minority Ethnic
This is a group of people who differ in ethnicity, colour, national or cultural origin from the majority population in the country. It does not include religions that span wide distribution, such as Islam (apparantly). Some argue that people of non-white decent are the global majority and describing ourselves as a minority is doing us down. 'Ethnic Minority' tends to be reversed to refer to 'minority ethnic groups' to highlight the fact that everyone has an ethnicity and the issues being referred to relate to minority groups in a UK context and the discrimination and barriers that they face.

EM Ethnic Minority
This used to be used commonly but has fallen out of favour. Sociology Professor Tareq Modood prefers it. 'Ethnic minority' places the emphasis on ethnicity as the main issue. There can be a tendency in our media and language to see 'ethnic' as synonymous with not-white and so the term could be perceived as implying the issue is with people being not-white, or non-white people being the issue.

POC People of Colour
This has been used in the USA for some time. Before this, coloured was used by African Americans to describe themselves. However, this is a word with very negative connotations in the UK, as it was used as a racist slur up until the 1970's. Isnt it confusing to tell people not to use a word because it's racist and then to ask them to use it again? It was also used as a derogotory term to catagorise dual heritage people under apartheid South Africa. I also don't like the reference to skin colour. Sorry, I just can't get behind it.

Global Majority
I understand that non-white people are in the vast majority globally. I could get behind this term, if it was taken up world wide. However, there is something a little strange about it. Doesn't it imply that the issue of racism is only between white and non-white? What about Rohinga slaughtered in Burma? What about the killings in Rwanda? I don't think it is that straight forward. Every country had majority ethnicities and minority ethnicities, that need to be differentiated when talking about racism and discrimination. So I think at the moment I am still going with Minority Ethnic.

Dual Heritage
This is the term I prefer when talking about people with mixed heritage or ethnicity.

Black and Brown
I don't like this because it is a reference to skin colour but nobody is actually Black. I find it quite offensive. If you look at a make up brand that covers all skin tones, such as Mac, not one of their foundations is actually white or black. They are all tones of brown. Not everyone falls in with this colour reference, what about Turkish people or Chinese people, do they really fit into "brown"?

References

https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1983352/chief-khoisan-wants-the-word-coloured-abolished/

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/phrase-people-person-of-colour-bme-black-woman-women-different-experiences-race-racism-a7868586.html

https://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/using-data-and-evidence/use-language-race-ethnicity/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43831279

https://mediadiversified.org/2014/01/23/ethnic-minority-no-global-majority/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_(racial_classification)

http://shadesofnoir.org.uk/b-a-m-e-is-l-a-m-e/

About the Author

Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig in Antarctica
Photograph copyright Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 16-year-old young British Bangladeshi birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, activist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and Penguins in Antarctica over Christmas 2015, her 7th continent. She is looking forward to visiting Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar birding in 2018 and hopes to see her 5000th bird species in the world.

Mya-Rose was a Bristol European Green Capital Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer-songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. She is an Ambassador for See It Her Way and a Charter Champion for The Charter for Woods, Trees and People. She has given over 50 talks, speaking at conferences such as being on a panel with George Monbiot and Caroline Lucas on Sustainability and the Future of Cities. She has also appeared on TV an dis particularly proud of being in Silent Roars, a short film which was part of Listen to Britain 2017 https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-the-silent-roars-2017-online. She organised a conference, Race Equality in Nature, in June 2016 aiming to increase the ethnic diversity in nature and plans to run her fifth Camp Avalon camp in 2018. She has also set up Black2Nature with the aim of working with organisations to increase the access to nature of Black Asian Minority Ethnic people and is President. Please connect with her on LinkedIn (Mya-Rose Birdgirl Craig) so that she can invite you to join the Race Equality in Nature LinkedIn Group and be part of the change. She has been awarded the Bath and West Show Environmental Youth Award 2017 for Bristol for her Black2Nature work EYA 2017. Please also like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter.