Dr. John Rappole

Today at 1 p.m., Dr. John H. Rappole will lead a conversation, entitled, Migration: A Chance for a New Beginning.

The program will feature personal stories from Dr. Rappole’s recent and most biographical of his 38 books, Migration Mysteries: Adventures, Disasters, and Epiphanies in a Life with Birds (Texas A&M: 2024). The event is sponsored by the New Neighbors Coalition and will take place at the Roger Tory Peterson Institution, 311 Curtis St.

Born and raised in Jamestown, Rappole migrated away from to start a lifelong journey in search of one thing – finding out why birds migrate. The developer and chief proponent of the “dispersal theory” of bird migration, Rappole will not only share his original scientific research, but also from his various migrations around the world. While studying birds around the world, Rappole learned a lot about humanity in the process–exploring new cultures and learning Spanish. All of which has proved invaluable in his retirement as it has prepared him to volunteer with the New Neighbors Coalition to assist others in their cultural integration.

Rappole said the conversation will be “a wild ride!” Migration Mysteries “is an epic account of the struggles, adventures, calamities, mistakes, and disasters involved with figuring out how migration works-as lived by me, my family, and a cast of incredible people with whom I have shared the path. And one more thing-those awe-filled moments when you realize that something you just saw or learned changes everything.”

The conversation is free and open to the public. Rappole will speak for about 35 minutes and then respond to questions from the audience. Refreshments will be served.

The New Neighbors Coalition is a community-based immigration support effort housed at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and funded through a NYS Office of New American grant/. For general inquiry, to volunteer and to stay connected, follow www.facebook.com/NewNeighborsCoalition, email Momina Di Blasio at momina@stlukesjamestown.org or call the St. Luke’s office at 716-483-6405.