Hey, everybody. This is your co-host and friend, Ellen Weatherford. You may have noticed that we didn't

release an episode last Wednesday like we usually do. And if you follow us on social media,

you may have seen our accompanying explanation. But if not, I want to take a quick moment to address it.

Last week was a really heavy time for us in the United States, as I'm sure you're

all aware of the demonstrations all over the country demanding justice for black lives lost to

systemic racism. We didn't feel it was an appropriate time for us to be taking any attention

away from the important conversations happening around that topic.

So we took the week to step back.

And I spent the week exploring some amazing hashtags on social media and lifting up the voices

of black scientists and naturalists, including Black Birders Week, Black A.F in STEM,

black in nature, and ask a Blackbirder. They are all great, and I found

like over 100 new people to follow, so I highly recommend. And if you're wondering what

racial justice has to do with wildlife science, the simple answer is that we can't have science

without the people doing the work. And because of racism,

black people face systemic obstacles to their careers, as well as threats to their safety,

that make doing that work inaccessible. For the longer, more nuanced answer, I encourage you

to read through the stories and experiences shared by these scientists, not just for visibility,

but to learn how you can help support making the world a kinder place.

And with that, please enjoy this week Ellen Weatherford, and I'm here as usual with Just the Zoo of Us,

your favorite animal review podcast.

And this week I have a special guest who I normally introduce my guest as new friends,

but you're a little less of a new friend.

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