![[Image: Text: Welcome New Co-Chairs! @ BirdersFund. Image of Yamina Nater-Otero and Samantha DeJarnett.]](https://i0.wp.com/amplifythefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/1200x675-New-Co-Chairs-Announcements-2021.png?fit=870%2C489&ssl=1)
Birders Fund has new co-chairs.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Orietta Estrada, Tykee James: hello@amplifythefuture.org.
December 27, 2021
When we founded the Black and Latinx Birders Scholarship, our goal was to start small, learn how we could effectively grow a fund for BIPOC-identifying folx, eventually go national, and aim to amplify the voice of the people while centering and uplifting Black voices in birding and conservation.
We understood that our roles as co-chairs to the Black and Latinx Birders Scholarship, now Birders Fund, was temporary and after two successful cycles and $30,000 given in scholarships to Black and Latinx Birders in STEM, we are proud to announce two new co-chairs. Samantha DeJarnett and Yamina Nater-Otero are the new co-chairs of Birders Fund. Samantha has been an avid supporter of Birders Fund since its inception and joined the committee for the second cycle in 2021. Yamina has been supporting Amplify the Future as its board of directors’ secretary and also joined the birders fund committee in 2021.
Together they will also be managing a new mini grant aimed at supporting BIPOC graduate students. We, as founders, are honored to be a part of this fund and look forward to supporting Samantha and Yamina as they manage and administer such an impactful and important program of Amplify the Future.
We will continue to build Amplify the Future for our communities, together. Tykee James will be chairing the board of Amplify the Future and Orietta Estrada will be acting executive director of Amplify the Future.
With respect and gratitude,
Orietta and Tykee, founders: Amplify the Future and Birders Fund.
“I am overjoyed to be a part of Amplify the Future and now serve as the co-chair for the Birders Fund. The only thing I want to see in this world is for Black and brown people to succeed in whatever brings them joy and ignites their passion. I am honored to be able to support and aid those passions for students and help them realize their dreams.”
– Samantha DeJarnett, Co-Chair, Birders Fund.
“I’m excited and honored to serve as Co-chair of the Birders Fund. The birding and conservation communities are not always very welcoming or accommodating so it’s amazing to do work that helps Black and brown birders feel supported. I want to be the sort of advocate I needed as a student.”
– Yamina Nater-Otero, Co-Chair, Birders Fund.