June is Pride Month, and a time for New Hampshire Audubon to proudly reaffirm our continued support of the LGBTQ+ community. One of our four core values is our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and every day we work to protect nature for all people and create more opportunities for people of all identities to connect with nature.
Over the past year, we’ve deepened our connections with local LGBTQ+ organizations, aiming to better understand their experiences, support their initiatives, and bridge our communities. Queerlective, an organization dedicated to the inclusivity of Queer, BIPOC, and other marginalized people through art, was extremely helpful in preparing jack-o-lanterns for our Enchanted Forest event last October. We had a great time bonding over art and nature together and look forward to more experiences together. We also hosted both a birding outing at our Silk Farm Sanctuary and a snowshoe hike at the Massabesic Center with LGBT+ Outdoors, a group connecting LGBTQ+ people with opportunities to get outdoors. It is always a pleasure to meet new folks at our sanctuaries and enjoy the beauty of birds together. We are excited to continue fostering and creating new relationships with LGBTQ+ groups and will continue our work to make natural spaces more inclusive and accessible.
We recognize that folks in the LGBTQ+ community have unjustly faced and continue to face stigma, exclusion, and underrepresentation in outdoor spaces. At New Hampshire Audubon, we strive to amend these injustices by uplifting our partners’ voices and making the natural environment, specifically our centers and sanctuaries, a welcoming place for all.
Article by Devin Guilfoyle and Zoe Dawson.