“All this is healing, all this is medicine. All this changes who you are.”
Rodney Stotts
For Rodney Stotts his love of nature and wildlife changed the course of his life. As a teenager growing up in one of the most dangerous parts of D.C. in the 1990’s he became involved in the world of drug dealing. However, in order to rent an apartment he needed a W-2 and found work with the Earth Conservation Corp (ECC), an environmental non-profit working with at-risk youth, cleaning up the Anacostia River. From a world overshadowed by death and run-ins with the law, Stotts has forged a unique and powerful story. Upon his release from prison in 2003 he continued his work with ECC, being particularly drawn to their developing work with birds of prey. Stotts eventually undertook the demanding training to become a Master Falconer, one of only about 40 Black falconers in the country.
Through his organization, Rodney’s Raptors, he has made a commitment to bring hope and make a difference to at risk youth by sharing his story and his passion for these magnificent birds.
Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife by Rodney Stotts
