Barry Treu, director of education programming and exhibition of the Freeport Art Museum, wanted to utilize Cooper's passion for bird-watching to help the city permeate racial barriers and provide opportunities for Black and brown residents.
Cooper flew in from New York to participate in a discussion held by the museum and the Northwestern Audubon Society on Wednesday night to speak on his experience in promoting social justice, antiracism, equity and inclusion.
Then on Thursday morning, he took about 20 children from the Boys & Girls Club birding into Taylor Park, where they observed wildlife with donated binoculars from the Audubon Society.
"You get them to see what they can see. You hopefully feed a lifelong habit or start a lifelong habit." Cooper said.