Connecting Cultures Newsletter
from Environment for the Americas

November 2014

In This Issue

Celebrate Shorebirds Internship Program

Latino Engagement Research

Opportunities

Keep In Touch

Meet Carlos Lerma

Carlos Lerma began his internship in EFTA's Boulder, Colorado office last month. He is originally from Boulder and went to Northern Arizona University to obtain a BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. He has a background mentoring youth and tutoring students in math and science. Carlos enjoys the outdoors and is looking forward to learning about bird conservation.

International Migratory

Bird Day

International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) is the educational focus of the Connecting Cultures diversity engagement work. The 2014 IMBD theme is Why Birds Matter- The Benefits of Birds to Humans & Nature. Learn more and participate!

Art sculpted by Elias St. Louis

Spanish Language Resources

Find free Spanish language teaching materials on our website!

Use the 2014 International Migratory Bird Day PowerPoint presentation in Spanish.

Celebrate Shorebirds Interns Gain Experience

This fall, three interns participated in programs that will increase their bird research and education skills. Erica Gaeta travelled from her research site in Alaska to shorebird wintering grounds in Colombia to work with Asociación Calidris. She monitored wildlife in bird-friendly rice and coffee fields and facilitated education progams at schools and International Migratory Bird Day festivals.

Erica Gaeta with participants in her bird education program.

Thanks to a partnership with Klamath Bird Observatory, Lucila Fernandez and 2013 intern Stephanie Loredo participated in a bird banding training for over two months. Both passed a rigorous certification process and look forward to applying this new skill in future positions.

Please visit our blog to learn more about their adventures:

Celebrate Shorebirds Program.

EFTA Shares Research Results

View the "Key Findings"

Join EFTA in November at the National Association for Interpretation conference in Denver, Colorado. We have the opportunity to share the "Key Findings" from our research, Engaging Latino Audiences in Informal Science Education. This information will help educators understand the factors that influence decisions to participate in science programs at natural areas and to adapt programs to better engage this audience.

Visit our Latino Engagement Toolkit or contact Natasha Kerr (nkerr@birdday.org) for more information.

Opportunities

Asian American Environmental Partnership is looking for volunteer contributing writers.

Redefining Progress has four intern openings in environmental justice and climate change programs.

SustainUS is looking for youth between 16-26 for a fellowship that improves community environmental wellbeing.

Sustainable South Bronx is hiring an outreach coordinator.

Natural Resource Defense Council is hiring a Latino Engagement Coordinator.

National Environmental Justice Conference & Training Program is scheduled March 11-13, 2015 in Washington, D.C.

Environment for the Americas

Environment for the Americas (EFTA), home of International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), is a non-profit organization working to increase awareness of birds and their conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. EFTA provides the framework and education materials for bird festivals and events, hosts a directory of bird education resources, offers bird workshops for educators, and motivates people of all ages to get outdoors and learn about birds. Find out more at www.birdday.org.