PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Corina Newsome is a Philly native making national waves in wildlife conservation. Her career today has set her on a path more monumental than she imagined for herself growing up.
"Growing up in Philadelphia, I was from a low-income neighborhood and didn’t really have access to professional expertise when it comes to 'What does a kid do who really loves wildlife?'" Newsome said. "I had a lot of books from Mom, Dad, and Grandma about wildlife, but I didn’t know that I could be the people I saw in National Geographic."
She says it was all thanks to a friend of a friend who worked at the Philadelphia Zoo, that she figured out there were more opportunities available to her than becoming a veterinarian.
"What seemed like by chance, someone at my church had a sister who was a zookeeper at the Philadelphia Zoo, and he offered to introduce me. I met her and she was this dynamite, incredible Black woman who was the lead carnivore keeper there. That introduction to her changed the entire trajectory of my career," Newsome said.
She says seeing someone like herself, a Black woman, working in conservation changed what she saw as opportunities for herself.
Now living in Georgia, the 27-year-old biology graduate student and birder says her own experience with the lack of representation and access for Black and brown people in the industry has inspired her journey.
"Since I know the power of representation and of exposure, every chance that I’ve had, I've tried to replicate that experience for other young people," she said.
Following an incident last year in New York City's Central Park, in which a white woman called 911 on a Black man who was birdwatching, Newsome co-organized Black Birders Week, to help bring visibility and awareness to Black experiences in the birding and natural sciences community. Newsome says there have been times where she has feared for her own safety as a Black woman in the field.
"It can feel very isolating when you are oftentimes, almost always, the only Black person, especially the only Black woman in a space, when it comes to wildlife and many different STEM fields. It can be very exhausting."
She says the big picture is what helps keep her going: defying the stereotypes and blazing the trail for more Black and brown young people.
"Lack of equity in outdoor education and community science actually negatively impacts conservation science itself," she said. "I kind of want to work on those communities of people who are experiencing lack of access as well as lack of representation. Connecting all of us, as much of us, and putting effort into communities that have been previously ignored by wildlife sciences."
Newsome explained why she chose her Instagram handle "hood__naturalist."
"I wanted people to know that, while I am absolutely a nerd, absolutely geeked out about outdoors, I am also from the hood."
Her Twitter and Instagram platforms have also become connectors for minorities across the STEM community.
"Social media has been a really powerful mechanism for connecting Black people across STEM, whether you’re in wildlife, engineering -- whatever field you specialize in. We’re kind of building community virtually because of these social media platforms."
While Georgia is home for now, she hopes her efforts will ripple out and reach back to Germantown, where she has her roots.
"I 100% hope to kind of impact Philly in that same way. Philly made me who I am. I don’t know if I would have had the grit that I have, had I not been raised in the city of Philadelphia. I will definitely be sowing back into the community that poured into me."