Birdgirl

Mya-Rose’s mum, Helena, has struggled with bipolar disorder since her teens. Her parents are strict Muslims, but her father believed in higher education. At university, Helena was lured into the party atmosphere, tried to commit suicide and had a failed marriage. Then Helena met Chris. Her friends warned her that Chris was a twitcher (obsessed with bird-watching). Helena’s passion for it was born when she first saw a Golden Pheasant. As Mya grew older, her mother see-sawed between manic highs and deep, depressive lows and the family came to cope with her mental illness through birding on an international scale, travelling all over the world. In her teens, Mya started a blog called ‘Birdgirl’. Initially worried about her friends’ reactions, she gained confidence and became an ambassador for Survival International, which campaigns for the human rights of Indigenous people and global climate justice. She also started the charity Black2Nature, giving VMEs (Visibly Minority Ethnic people) opportunities to participate in the benefits of nature. Her book is about gorgeous birds and the globe-trotting adventures that kept her family intact. A true story about climate and mental health awareness for young adults interested in environmental and social justice issues.