Since we have begun the name change process, we have learned of two groups of Audubon chapters who are meeting to support each other on the journey to find a new name. We are now a member of one of them and keeping informed about the other.
The Chicago Audubon Board and the CAS Board Committee working on the name change feel strongly that picking a name in concert with other groups is the most effective way to continue to benefit from a unified brand. We will continue to work with other interested chapters. We have decided not to do any sort of formal polling of our members at this time, in favor of engaging with a unified process. We do invite members to send feedback, especially name ideas, to cas@chicagoaudubon.org, and we thank those of you that have reached out.
In July and August, we are looking at the ideas generated by these groups of chapters. We like names which center the word “bird” and which allude to work with partners. We are considering “Birds Connect Chicago”, which is our version of Seattle Audubon’s new name, and others.
This is a great opportunity for us to coin a more welcoming name. If you have ideas, now is the time to contact us.
February 2023 -
Chicago Audubon Society will be finding a new name. We called on the National Audubon Society to change its name, but they have decided against it. Our press release with our reasoning for the name change is below. This is a disappointing result, but also an opportunity for us to select a name that is welcoming and not offensive.
We will consult with the 4 other chapters who also took this action, and will announce a process for deciding on a new name soon.
If you’d like to explore this issue further, here is an article in the Washington Post which quotes our president, and here is a panel discussion that she participated in.
February 13, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
Chicago, IL — Today the Chicago Audubon Society announced that it has sent a letter to Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO of National Audubon Society, encouraging the organization to find another name. Chicago Audubon Society is a chapter of National Audubon Society that serves much of Cook County, Illinois. National Audubon Society has appointed a committee to study the idea of a name change. That committee is expected to make a report as soon as the annual meeting in late February 2023.
If the National Audubon Society does not announce a new name, the Chicago Audubon Society will determine a new name for itself within the year.
The text of the letter is below:
Dear Dr. Gray:
As the National Audubon Society considers an organizational name change, Chicago Audubon strongly encourages a more inclusive and welcoming choice. Our board has reached this decision as a result of both ethical and practical reasoning.
Carrying John James Audubon’s name does not serve us well ethically. Scientists of his era were not “discovering” our nation’s wealth of resources; they merely described them for mostly white audiences alongside a genocidal campaign waged against the continent’s inhabitants. It is time for us to re-examine these naturalists’ place in history, including the role they played in establishing a culture of exploiting both people and natural resources.
The Audubon name, artworks and stories inspired outstanding bird conservation for over a century. But much of John James Audubon’s biography offers little cause for celebration. He was a proud slave-owner and -seller who participated in the phrenology science of the day: removing the heads of dead Mexican and indigenous people from a battlefield and sending them to Dr. Samuel Morton, who practiced “scientific racism,” or the idea that cranial capacity proved the superiority of white people. In addition, Audubon lied about some of his field sightings. Audubon is not an appropriate standard-bearer for our organization.
On a practical level, the name may be an impediment as we CAS conduct a search for our first executive director. We were surprised at how many colleagues asked – “are you changing your name?” – because they felt the name “Audubon” would discourage the candidates who are most likely to push forward a more inclusive and welcoming agenda. This is just one indication of the strong support within our community to dissociate John James Audubon’s name from our chapter’s advocacy and conservation efforts.
We realize that many financial bequests come to Audubon on the strength of its name alone. Our chapter has benefited enormously from this support. However, we are willing to accept negative financial consequences in the name of creating more welcoming and inclusive spaces for our members
If NAS decides against changing the Audubon name, CAS will embark on its own process to select a new name for our chapter.
Thank you for considering our stance on an issue we view as critical to our organizational mission.
Warmly,
Judy Pollock
President
Chicago Audubon Society