What is the strength of your song?

The delicate House Finch with its red head and chest is native to Mexico and southwestern United States. Known for its bright, cheerful song, the House Finch was captured by a speculator, relocated to 1940’s New York City, and marketed as the “Hollywood Finch.” This marketing scheme was short-lived after pet shop owners, in an effort to avoid federal prosecution, released their illegal contraband. The liberated House Finch adapted quite well to suburban environments and rapidly colonized the entire East Coast. By the 1990s, there were approximately 40 million House Finches across the United States. [Source] 

As you may have surmised, pet shop owners and their suppliers did not release the captive House Finches because they suddenly developed a conscience. There were several factors that contributed to the birds’ release. One major factor was the House Finch did not survive long in captivity. The sale had to happen quickly before the bird perished. Another major factor was the cost. “Hollywood Finches” did not garner as big a profit as more exotic birds did. 

Thank you Meg for four bouquets shared with the Shakti community. The people who received them felt loved. Please check out Meg’s business The Flower Girl. Her flowers are gorgeous!

But perhaps the biggest incentive for releasing the House Finches and stopping the trade was the persistent inquiries which came from Dr. Edward Fleisher who, upon entering a Brooklyn pet store in January of 1940, discovered the sale of Hollywood Finches. Dr. Fleisher, aware of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 which prohibits the hunting or trade of protected migratory birds, wrote to the National Audubon Society, informing the organization of the illegal practice. 

Since the man designated to handle such matters was out of the office, Dr. Fleisher was referred to the State Game Protector who initially dismissed Fleisher’s concerns, saying the bird sales were not illegal. Fleisher did not agree and continued his pursuit of justice, contacting different entities until an U.S. Game Management agent (Orin Steele) took Fleisher’s claims seriously and eventually took action. In a letter dated April 1, 1940, Orin Steele wrote to Dr. Fleisher: Based entirely upon information furnished by you, we have been able to stop the trapping and transportation from California, and have stopped sales throughout the United States. [Source]

At the time, I did not realize that my simple act of drawing a card from Maia Toll’s The Illustrated Bestiary would inspire me to share the story about the proliferation of the House Finch. In her description of the House Finch, Maia briefly mentions the “Hollywood Finch” marketing scheme. I was intrigued and had to know more. To be clear, Maia’s message is, like the House Finch, to “know your song” despite being deemed “not enough” by the very entity that trapped you. (p.131) She invites us to sit with the question: What is the strength of my song?

The school supplies that you donated were distributed at the Vincent Dial Day by the Tri-Cities Solidarity Project, an organization committed to advocating for and supporting our local immigrant neighbors. Let me know if you are interested in getting involved.

I think that the strength of my song is to bring attention to injustices and to encourage myself and others to take action. Since I can remember, I have deeply felt the wrongness of inequities, of unfair actions, and of malicious acts. Whether the wrongness is committed against a human or an animal or a more pervasive, amorphous structure does not matter. I feel the injustice and want to address it. 

Dr. Edward Fleisher’s actions remind me that: 

• Our choices do make a difference.
• Persistence matters.
• Encouraging others to take action is effective.

I, therefore, invite you to sit with the question: What is the strength of my song? And then to take one, small action utilizing your strength in the service of the greater good. 

One way you can take action is to post your strength on the Shakti Community Support Board, sharing your gift with our community. Another way to take action is to get involved with a local organization that could benefit from your talents. Or maybe you already know someone – a friend, a neighbor, a family member – who would welcome your attention. However you decide to take action, notice how you feel after sharing “the strength of your song.” I hope you feel better. 

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Kim

For nearly thirty years, Kim Bushore-Maki has served Appalachia as both a pioneer and champion of holistic well-being and community health. 

A licensed clinical counseling professional, she became the first Master level clinician at East Tennessee State University's Counseling Center, where she provided therapeutic services and directed the Sexual Violence Prevention Program and the Alcohol and Drug Prevention Program.

During her tenure at ETSU, she was a founding organizer of the Tennessee Coalition for Healthy and Safe Campus Communities as well as Tennessee's representative for the National Prevention Network. She drafted ETSU's first Sexual Violence Response Policy and coordinated the region's first "Take Back the Night" program and fundraiser (the oldest worldwide movement to stand against sexual violence in all forms), the proceeds of which funded the first SANE nurses at the Johnson City Medical Center. Kim also served as Interim Director of Disability Services for 11 months.

In 2010, Kim followed her intuition and vision to found Shakti in the Mountains, a thriving healing-arts center that draws on somatic expressive therapy, archetypal psychology, wisdom traditions, and regenerative economics. Kim continues to maintain a small private therapy practice and also leads healing programs and retreats, guides the Shakti Stewardship Program, and serves as a community-building consultant to justice-oriented initiatives committed to building safe, inclusive, vibrant, and resilient communities.  ​

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