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Flock Together: Outsiders
Flock Together: Outsiders: Connecting people of colour to nature – AS SEEN ON TV | Nadeem Perera, Ollie Olanipekun
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AS SEEN ON BBC ONE'S THE ONE SHOW 'Nature is a universal resource. For too long Black, Brown and people of colour have felt unwelcome and marginalised in spaces that should be for everyone.' -Flock Together Nature is a powerful source of creativity, inspiration and healing; however, it has not always felt like a safe space for people of colour. Flock Together is here to change that, by inspiring everyone, regardless of race, religion or economic status, to build their relationship with the outdoors and embrace all that nature has to offer. Founded by Ollie Olanipekun and Nadeem Perera in summer 2020, Flock Together is the UK's first birdwatching collective for people of colour. Ollie and Nadeem share a mutual love of nature - it is their outlet when faced with neglect and prejudice, it is a place for deep thought and discovery, and it is the foundation on which their friendship and community is built. Part memoir, part manifesto, Outsiders is Flock Together's call-to-action. Divided into six parts, each chapter focuses on a key pillar in the Flock's mission: 1. Make Nature a Must explores the contrast between urban and rural lifestyles. How does the urban environment disconnect the individual from nature? How is nature beneficial to us all? 2. Challenging Preconceptions shows the complexities people of colour face when they are stereotyped. How can we change these preconceptions? 3. Nature as My Healer assesses the systemic issues impacting the mental health of people of colour. How can nature help mitigate this? 4. Building a Community offers guidance to building your own community. How can a community bring systemic change? 5. Who Runs Nature? outlines what we can do to benefit nature. How do communities around the world cooperate with the ecosystem and how can this be introduced more to the western world? 6. Creative Mentorship looks at the obstacles young people of colour face when shut out of particular spaces. How does mentorship help reclaim those spaces?
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Nadeem Perera and Ollie Olanipekun have masterminded a grassroots movement with enormous potential to bring communities together across intergenerational groups. I am in awe at the wonderful waves their Flock Together movement 'pebble' is creating. They are regulars on the BBC One show and Autumnwatch.
This book explores how they came to meet, the setting up and running of a group to encourage more people outdoors, specifically POC. ⬇

AllDebooks They speak of how out of place POC can feel in these predominantly white areas of natural beauty. This makes me so angry. Nature is a beautiful free resource that everyone should be able to access without feeling they don't belong. It broke my heart when an incident is recounted where a school friend states nature is not for us.
This is where the book comes into its strength as both men explore what nature/outdoors means to them, ⬇
1y
AllDebooks their urban upbringing, school life, entrenched racism, and their means to escape that and take others with them. They emphatically acknowledge the important role that the natural world has on their mental state, self-esteem, self-worth and confidence. It's an exciting time for this movement to crest now. On the back of the pandemic, where so many people are isolated and stuck, this proffers an opportunity to engage with others and build our ⬇ 1y
AllDebooks communities into something that represents us all.
I can see so much potential for this, such as Surfers Against Sewage plastic-free communities, the Right to Roam campaign or Incredible Edible community groups. People leading the way in their own community.
This should be in all schools and taught in the curriculum. It should be brought into policy for fair access for all.
1y
bnp Sounds like a cool book and organization. 1y
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