Meet the Birder: Indigo Goodson
MAY 31, 2022
Artist Profile: Greg Kozatec
JUNE 7, 2021
Meet the Birder: Indigo Goodson
May 31, 2022
Meet the Birder: Indigo Goodson
MAY 31, 2022
Indigo Goodson is a writer, educator, poet, and birder living in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Hayward, California and has always loved the outdoors. She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Africana Studies from San Francisco State University and a Master of Arts in International Studies from Ohio University. Indigo’s an active member of various online birding communities, and you can follow her @IndigoIndaflow. She’s also a regular model for Bird Collective.
How did you get into birding?
My dear friend Angie gifted me a pair of binoculars and we headed to Prospect Park in late November 2020. As soon as I focused on a White-throated Sparrow, I was hooked!
What's a typical birding day for you like?
A typical birding day for me would be heading to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (BBG) just when they usually open, so around 10am. BBG is a short walk from my apartment and I consider it an extension of my backyard. I feel the safest birding at BBG and I can completely get transfixed waiting for a bird to appear through some rustling in the plants. I can also grab a coffee on the grounds, refuel, and continue birding!
Tell us about your birding community--how did you find or create it? What do you love most about it?
I have a few birding communities. I have a great community of Black birders that I found online through searching “Black Birders Week”. Folks like Corina Newsome, Sam DeJarnett, and others created a welcoming space for me in the online birding community. Additionally, I had the pleasure of birding with Sam in person with her Always Be Birdin’ NYC Tour! I also have my Brooklyn Bird Club community of birders that I was introduced to through my neighbor Tina. And of course, my friend Angie, whom I get to bird with when she comes up from Philadelphia but also we are constantly sharing birding stories, photos, and memes on the phone. There are so many birders that I learn from and feel supported by.
Tell us about how you’ve been participating in Black Birders Week this year.
I’ve been joining many of The Black AF in STEM Collective virtual events that they’ve hosted through their instagram account. I am also co-leading a bird walk with my neighbor Chaz at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden this Friday, June 3, as part of Black Birders Week. I am excited about being in community with other Black birders!
What's next for you and birds?
I am a member of the For the Birds exhibition committee at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. I am really excited for that exhibition to open on June 11th!