#Waymakers
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ajcousins.bsky.social
If you haven't seen Lauren's amazing bird art for the @theyoungcenter.bsky.social's annual Waymakers event, you should check out Lauren's posts!
tinylongwing.bsky.social Lauren @tinylongwing.bsky.social · 3d
Yellow-headed Caracara for @dwmmphotography.bsky.social ! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #BirdArt #SciArt

With that, all donations have been accounted for! So many birds, and so many generous people. Thanks to all of you, and I'm looking forward to next year's Waymakers race!
Illustration of a Yellow-headed Caracara perched on a lichen-covered branch. The bird is peering down to its left/our right. It has orange facial skin, a brown eyestripe, brown wings, and a yellow-cream head and belly covered in long soft feathers.
October 14, 2026 at 6:45 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Yellow-headed Caracara for @dwmmphotography.bsky.social ! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #BirdArt #SciArt

With that, all donations have been accounted for! So many birds, and so many generous people. Thanks to all of you, and I'm looking forward to next year's Waymakers race!
Illustration of a Yellow-headed Caracara perched on a lichen-covered branch. The bird is peering down to its left/our right. It has orange facial skin, a brown eyestripe, brown wings, and a yellow-cream head and belly covered in long soft feathers.
October 13, 2026 at 7:39 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Barred Owl for Ryuunoyuki on tumblr! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt

Waymakers raises funds to benefit @theyoungcenter.bsky.social 's critical work to help unaccompanied immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a Barred Owl perched on a branch amid light falling snow. The bird peers down as if above the viewer. It has a narrow yellow beak, solid black eyes, and a barred brown and white head, breast, and wings. The belly is mostly white with long brown streaks.
October 9, 2026 at 5:14 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Southern Ground Hornbill for @mochamustelid.bsky.social ! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation and for your support of immigrant kids in the US! 🎨🪶 #BirdArt #SciArt

This individual is the @oregonzoo.bsky.social 's famous Maybelline. She's definitely born with it, look at those lashes!
Illustration of a Southern Ground Hornbill peering at the viewer. The perspective exaggerates the long silvery bill, which is curved downward on the left side of the image. The bird's silver eyes are rimmed in luscious black lashes. She has rich orange and black facial skin around the eye and down the throat, and a matte black feathered body.
October 12, 2026 at 7:33 AM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
A Killdeer chick for meadowpaints on tumblr! Such a cute choice. Thank you for the #Waymakers donation and your support for immigrant kids!

🪶🎨 #BirdArt #SciArt
Illustration of a fluffy baby Killdeer inspecting some green soggy vegetation in a shallow wetland on a gray day. The little plover has a speckled gray-brown back, white belly, and black stripes on its head, neck, and sides.
October 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Purple Finch for a kind anon! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🪶🎨 #SciArt #BirdArt

Waymakers raises funds to benefit @theyoungcenter.bsky.social 's critical work to help unaccompanied immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a male Purple Finch on a branch, perched and alert but comfortable with his belly toward us and his head pointed to our left. He has a very thick gray bill and a rich raspberry-red color all over the rest of his body except for a white lower belly. The background is mostly dark but with bright warmly-lit berries, blurred in the distance.
October 8, 2026 at 1:25 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Secretarybird for friendsofabracadaver on tumblr! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🪶🎨 #BirdArt #SciArt

Waymakers raises funds to benefit @theyoungcenter.bsky.social 's critical work to help unaccompanied immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustrated portrait of a Secretarybird, with its long neck with elegant gray soft plumes, bright red-orange facial skin, and long black feathers jutting like spikes from the back of its head which cast shadows on its shoulders. The background is a soft dusty brown-purple, suggesting a broad expansive grassland.
October 7, 2026 at 6:53 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Green-cheeked Conure and Pink-necked Green-Pigeon for bookwyrmbran on tumblr! Thank you for your generous #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt

Waymakers benefits
@theyoungcenter.bsky.social 's critical work to help unaccompanied immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a cheery little Green-cheeked Conure, a type of small parrot, perched on a branch in warm sunny green forest. The bird has its green cheeks poofed out contentedly as it faces the viewer directly so that we can see its green and red belly and the start of its long tail. A Pink-necked Green-Pigeon swoops into view with wings spread diagonally across the image. It is a chunky bird with a subtle blue-gray crown, pink neck, green back and wings with yellow wingbars, an orange rump and steel blue tail. Its iris is a crazy vivid magenta and neon blue. Cast shadows of leaves from trees above lie across its back.
October 6, 2026 at 1:41 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Redpoll for lazyscience on tumblr! Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🪶🎨 #SciArt #BirdArt

The Waymakers challenge is a race and fundraiser hosted every September by @theyoungcenter.bsky.social to help immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a Redpoll perched delicately on the dead head of a pink flower, part of a cluster growing from below the viewer's perspective. The bird is a small pale finch with a yellow beak and little red crown patch, and brown flank streaking. It looks to be a bright sunny day, which illuminates the spiderwebs strung between the drying twigs.
October 5, 2026 at 3:01 PM
trademarksaremagic.bsky.social
blackbeltvoices.com/podcast/
The Podcast
Blackbelt Voices is rooted in Black Southern traditions of storytelling, solidarity, and resistance. Through conversations with waymakers, culture keepers, truth tellers, and bridge builders, we su…
blackbeltvoices.com
October 7, 2026 at 7:02 PM
theyoungcenter.bsky.social
As we reflect on last month, we want to send a huge thank you to everyone that joined us in this year's Waymakers Mileage Challenge. 👟 Every step made an incredible difference in uplifting children’s stories and in celebrating joy, community, and resilience during these challenging times 💛
A thank you message from the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights for participants in the Waymakers Mileage Challenge, featuring an illustrated person running with a sunflower and a teal heart graphic.
October 6, 2026 at 9:30 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
Blue-footed Booby for magpiesmiscellany - thank you for the #Waymakers donation! I had to get more sulids in here🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt

The Waymakers challenge is a race and fundraiser hosted every September by @theyoungcenter.bsky.social to help immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a Blue-footed Booby perched on a lumpy dark rock overlooking a broad sea. The booby is looking over its right shoulder, showing us its goofy yellow buggy-looking eye. It has a shaggy cream-streaked head, white breast, dark wings, and bright turquoise blue feet, the color of which reflects off the lower belly.
October 4, 2026 at 3:03 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
For Leucrotta on tumblr, this absolute muppet - I mean, Great Horned Owl. Thank you for the #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt

The Waymakers challenge is a race and fundraiser hosted every September by @theyoungcenter.bsky.social to help immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
Illustration of a fluffy juvenile Great Horned Owl trying to look extra-threatening with its huge yellow eyes, angry eyebrows, and fuzzy stubs of its ear tufts. The rest is a lump of downy owl body. Complete muppet. It is tucked away behind spruce branches, huddled next to a tree with rough gray bark.
October 3, 2026 at 2:44 PM
neolithicsheep.bsky.social
Hey y'all, I'm a day late with the wrap up of my participation in the Young Center For Immigrant Children's Rights Waymakers fundraiser BUT! Kit and I walked 56.1 miles in September, supported by 39 donors who gave $2788!
runsignup.com/Race/132916/...
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
👟 Challenge Overview Throughout September 2026, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will host its 6th Annual Waymakers Mileage Challenge to celebrate 20 years of advocating for the right...
runsignup.com
October 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
A very cozy Willow Ptarmigan for tisorridalamor on tumblr! Thank you so much for the #Waymakers donation! 🪶🎨 #SciArt #BirdArt

The Waymakers challenge is a race and fundraiser hosted every September by @theyoungcenter.bsky.social to help immigrant kids in the US. Join us again next September!
A cozy-looking Willow Ptarmigan cuddled up in a loaf with eyes closed, amid grass and leaves and purple flowers. The bird has a short, stout black bill, a red eyebrow, and beautiful mottled gold and black and white feathers for camouflage among the summer browns and dappled sunlight.
October 2, 2026 at 4:27 PM
neolithicsheep.bsky.social
Here is the mileage results page: runsignup.com/Race/Results...

My goal was 50 miles so Kit and I actually went over despite things like my joints occasionally being ass and her being an idiot baby horse.
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
The Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge is on Tuesday September 1, 2026 to Wednesday September 30, 2026.
runsignup.com
October 2, 2026 at 2:49 PM
neolithicsheep.bsky.social
The Waymakers Challenge runs every year in September so, yknow, mark your calendars and consider joining me and whichever horse I drag into it next year.
October 2, 2026 at 2:52 PM
courtneymilan.com
If you'd like to donate to my campaign as this challenge closes out, here's the link.

runsignup.com/courtneymilan
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
👟 Challenge Overview Throughout September 2026, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will host its 6th Annual Waymakers Mileage Challenge to celebrate 20 years of advocating for the right...
runsignup.com
October 1, 2026 at 1:41 PM
courtneymilan.com
And if you'd like to donate to the campaign for the winner of this mileage off, Mr. Milan is right here:

runsignup.com/careycuprisin
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
👟 Challenge Overview Throughout September 2026, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will host its 6th Annual Waymakers Mileage Challenge to celebrate 20 years of advocating for the right...
runsignup.com
October 1, 2026 at 1:42 PM
courtneymilan.com
In an ideal world, after yesterday, today would be an active recovery rest day. In this world, today is going to be walk walk walk walk walk so that I can try to beat my husband in Waymakers.
September 30, 2026 at 4:42 PM
tinylongwing.bsky.social
American Tree Sparrow for a J.W. Thank you so much for your #Waymakers donation! 🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt

Together we raised $1594 this year to help immigrant kids in the US. They need it more than ever - it helps find family, ensure their safety, & provide legal support & basic supplies. Thank you all!
Illustration of a very round cute fluffy American Tree Sparrow perched on a thin twig in pale winter sunlight. Falling snow blankets a twiggy shrub in the background. The little sparrow has a rufous crown, eyestripe, and back, a black and yellow bill, and a soft gray belly with a black central spot.
October 1, 2026 at 3:41 PM
courtneymilan.com
Finally, if you look at the top teams (which of course you should do; top 10 is boring), Mr. Milan & I are the highest place team with only two members.

We did a lot!
1 Windy City Waymakers 0:00 2,467.03 miles 2 MobiLIZe for the Dream 0:00 1,456.77 miles 3 Mathey Girls and Friends 0:00 1,374.22 miles 4 Cirque de Sore Legs- Harlingen 0:00 1,317.05 miles 5 Big Apple Fierce Advocates 0:00 1,065.60 miles 6 Desert Roses 0:00 1,015.67 miles 7 Minsky McCormick and Hallagan 0:00 839.31 miles 8 Team X Factor 0:00 812.60 miles 9 Standing for the kids 0:00 599.15 miles 10 Whirlwind Coffee Co. 0:00 564.29 miles 11 Milan v. Milan 0:00 518.37 miles
October 1, 2026 at 1:54 PM
ajcousins.bsky.social
Ahhhhh! Waymakers is at $99,925! We're so close to our fundraising goal. 😍 Thank you to all our awesome Waymakers!

Now I just have to get in my final 2.77 miles in the rain so I can hit my 100 mile goal...

It's not too late to register/donate! Dedicate your Sept steps/miles to immigrant kiddos!
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
👟 Challenge Overview Throughout September 2026, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will host its 6th Annual Waymakers Mileage Challenge to celebrate 20 years of advocating for the right...
runsignup.com
September 30, 2026 at 2:28 PM
courtneymilan.com
Oh wait, I almost forgot: We are doing this to benefit the Young Center. There is a reason I am willing to push my feet into throbbing zone and it's because (a) I really want to beat my husband goddammit and (b) because kids deserve counsel in immigration proceedings.

runsignup.com/courtneymila...
Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge
👟 Challenge Overview Throughout September 2026, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights will host its 6th Annual Waymakers Mileage Challenge to celebrate 20 years of advocating for the right...
runsignup.com
September 30, 2026 at 3:49 AM
theyoungcenter.bsky.social
Throughout the month of September, our Young Center Community celebrated the Waymakers Virtual Mileage Challenge. This year, we raised above our donation goal and walked 20,280 miles across 33 states; totaling 406 participants that formed 62 teams 💛

We are incredibly grateful!
See you next year ✨
Images of participants in the 2026 Waymakers Mileage Challenge.
October 1, 2026 at 8:10 PM