Flock Together: Outsiders

AS SEEN ON BBC ONES 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 UKs 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 Togethers call-to-action. Divided into six parts, each chapter focuses on a key pillar in the Flocks 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?