Biography:Ashley Gary
Ashley Gary is an American science communicator and co-organizer for #BlackBirdersWeek.
Early life
Gary became interested in birds after watching Sir David Attenborough's "Life of Birds."[1] As a child, Gary recalls loving wildlife and considering a career related to nature by the time she entered sixth grade.[2]
Gary holds a bachelor's degree in Art History and was enrolled in a master's program in environmental science and policy, but did not finish that degree.[3]
Career
At age 29, Gary took an environmental film course at American University, which inspired her to create her Instagram and Twitter page, @thewildlifehost.[4] Both accounts focused on environmental and wildlife education, posting educational content each day.[3]
Gary is a member of Black AF in Stem, an organization of black STEM professionals who created the #BlackBirdersWeek program and hold other ornithology related events.[5] Gary went birding with a group for the first time in 2019 with Jason Ward and Tyus Williams.[1] She cites this experience as inspiration for her involvement with #BlackBirdersWeek.[6] In an interview with the National Audubon Society, Gary remarked, "Going birding with a group of people, especially a group of Black friends, it changed my whole view of birding."[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "#BlackBirdersWeek: Celebrating and Encouraging Diversity in Conservation" (in en). http://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/earth-optimism/2020/06/04/blackbirdersweek-celebrating-and-encouraging-diversity-conservation/.
- ↑ "Meet Your Wildlife Host" (in en-US). https://www.knowtheplacemagazine.com/home/meet-your-wildlife-host.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Conversations with the Inspiring Ashley Gary - Voyage ATL Magazine | ATL City Guide" (in en-US). 2019-10-29. http://voyageatl.com/interview/conversations-inspiring-ashley-gary/.
- ↑ "Moth Night Discovery Kit 2020". 2020. https://www.statenislandmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/MothNight_DiscoveryKit_2020.pdf.
- ↑ "Black Birders Week Is Back in 2023" (in en-US). 2022-05-27. https://www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/birding-basics/black-birders-week-aims-to-break-down-barriers-to-nature/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "'Black Women Who Bird' Take the Spotlight to Make Their Presence Known | Audubon" (in en). 2020-06-05. https://www.audubon.org/news/black-women-who-bird-take-spotlight-make-their-presence-known.
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