Nicole Jackson

The Urban Naturalist and Supreme Nature Lover

Portrait of Nicole Jackson holding the plush birds. Nicole has a passion for the real thing and was a co-organizer of the inaugural #BlackBirdersWeek. Nicole is also the founder of Black in National Parks Week.

In the spring of 2020, Nicole Jackson was part of a core group of black scientists who launched the #BlackBirdersWeek movement. The initiative, which sought to amplify and encourage diverse participation in outdoor environments sans discrimination, won support from Smithsonian magazine, Forbes, CNN, NPR, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Audubon Society, and other organizations. Nicole also founded Black In National Parks Week in 2020, an initiative created to highlight, celebrate, and explore black experiences, history, and contributions in U.S. national parks.

Portrait of Nicole Jackson and a Gray Catbird. Illustrated by Daniel J. Middleton.

Nicole Jackson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 22, 1988. She is the third oldest of eleven children (eight girls and three boys). Sometime between the ages of five and six, Nicole and one sibling entered foster care, and both experienced abuse. To cope with the trauma derived from her caregivers, Nicole often ventured outside, which was the only place she felt safe.

What I was going through with my foster parents, I didn’t feel safe with them. I leaned on my sister a lot. She leaned on me. But I found comfort in being out in nature. That started in the backyard of the home that I stayed in.”

Nicole took in the trees that surrounded her and listened to the birds and squirrels that occupied them. It distracted her mind from what she endured in the foster home. In this way, nature was early therapy, and it would continue to play a central role in her life over the years. Nicole eventually reunited with her mother and the rest of her siblings, but her interest in the natural world only intensified.

Nicole Jackson with a juvenile spectacled owl named Edison. Adapted from a photo courtesy of Nicole Jackson.

She pursued the subject in school and learned a great deal about plants and various habitats, but her studies were broad. Anything nature-related drew her attention. In her spare time, Nicole consumed books and documentaries expounding on nature. For a moment, she believed that her career path would lead to being a teacher or librarian. Nicole also considered becoming a veterinarian and took pre-vet courses at The Ohio State University. But during her second year of college, she realized that veterinary medicine was not the answer.

A summer internship changed everything. While working with a few graduate students, Nicole conducted field research as part of a wildlife science program. She collected data on two types of birds: northern cardinals and Acadian flycatchers. With two months spent in the field, Nicole learned to identify various birds. She also learned the importance of bird habitats and what efforts were needed to help support them. The internship opened up a new world for her. Nicole wanted to extend her experience to others. That led to her exploring environmental education as a career path, which she has been doing for over a decade now. She is also going on four years as a Next Generation Advisory Council member with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). The fellowship allowed her to advocate for and explore America’s national parks.

Nicole is currently launching a coaching and consulting business focused on the mental health of black women, which will have nature, outdoor recreation, and self-care at its center.

• Where you can find Nicole Jackson:

  Twitter:
  @wildlifegirl09
  @BlackInNPsWeek

  Instagram: @nicky.j10

You may also be interested in:

This article appears in 12 Modern Black Birders.

Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, and other retailers.