Starting in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, Tykee James was introduced to birding as a job and a responsibility to build trust, power, and coalition in his own neighborhood. He has been a part of the birding community for a decade and earned recognition as an organizer of the first Black Birders Week in 2020. Tykee is the co-founder of Amplify the Future, which seeks to amplify opportunities for equity in higher education, careers in conservation, and joy in outdoor recreation.
In 2018 Tykee moved to the ancestral lands of the Nacotchtank peoples, the District of Columbia, to begin his employment at the National Audubon Society as the government affairs coordinator. There he has been grounded in his specialized role: organizing bird walks with members of Congress and congressional staff.
Tykee is a highly motivated visionary leader. He co-founded Birder’s Fund and the Freedom Birders project, two feature programs of Amplify the Future, and is President of the DC Audubon Society, while sitting on the board for the Wyncote Audubon Society, the Birding Co-op, and Justice Outside, and serves as an elected councilor for Wilson Ornithological Society.
Before moving to D.C. he was an environmental policy advisor for a State Representative and a field director for a state house election. He continues to develop himself as a leader through his membership in the Environmental Leadership Program and the Green Leadership Trust.In his personal time he loves to cook, dance, and he is a producer for Wildlife Observer Network, a wildlife media project he started with some wildlife-friendly friends in Philly, co-hosting two podcasts: Brothers in Birding and On Word for Wildlife.
Websites: www.AmplifyTheFuture.org and https://anchor.fm/wildlife-observer-network
Instagram: @TykeeJames
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