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  • 1.  Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-17-2024 02:41 PM

    Updated 10/21/24 at 4:33 pm PT: Recording now available to watch on-demand!

    If you missed our Community Conversation on Monday, 10/21/24 at 11am PT with a panel discussion on Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession, you can watch the recording above. 

    Join us as we discuss the barriers and battles for veterinary professionals that are compounded for persons of color. By increasing our awareness (by listening to and honoring lived experiences) of these barriers, we can each contribute to the success of the profession and their role in animal well-being.

    The growing shortages in the veterinary field are straining the ability of animal health professionals and animal organizations to provide services to pet owners. Racial inequities are further compounding these challenges in the profession. We can all contribute to positive changes when we increase our own awareness. We will be discussing these lived experiences with four brilliant veterinary professionals.

    Panelists:


    Register for Community Conversations hosted via Zoom: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConvoRegistration2024

    If you are unable to make it live on Monday, this thread will be updated with the recording and resources so you can watch and share whenever you'd like.  After you watch the recording on-demand or attend the call live, be sure to complete this new October 2024 entry form to enter to win up to a $5,000 grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-oct24-giveaway.htm


    #AccesstoCare
    #Diversity,Equity,InclusionandJustice
    #Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
    #OrganizationalManagement

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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 2.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-22-2024 08:56 AM

    Thanks to the 128+ people and paws who joined us on today's Community Conversations call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. Below you'll find a recap of today's call and the resources shared. 

    Call Recap

    • Question of the Day: Who has been a key mentor or influence in your journey in this field?
      • "The Kitten Lady" - Rosalie Hathcock
      • "Don Jordan, former Seattle Animal Shelter director" - Chris Fitzgerald
      • "Gillian Lange (Lange Foundation) and Melanie Pozez (Bark Avenue Foundation)" - Christy Schilling
      • "Allison Cardona & Jordan Craig ❤️" - Rae Williams
      • "The president of our society, @MelissaRhoades." - Janette Martin
      • "My grandmother was the original influence into wanting to help animals. I have not had 1 specific mentor as unfortunately, there is so much competition in rescue which I do not understand. I would love to have a knowledgeable mentor." - Sunny Levine

    • National Updates
      • Camp Maddie: Pet-Inclusive Housing Edition is coming on November 13! A free virtual half-day event on Wednesday, November 13th from 9AM-1PM PT / 12PM-4PM ET.
        At Camp Maddie: Pet-Inclusive Housing Edition, we will cover a variety of topics related to pet housing in presentations, videos and question and answer sessions.
        Register: https://maddies.fund/CampMaddieHousingRegistration
        Agenda, speakers info: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/campmaddiepetinclusivehousing
        Topics include: 
        • Understanding human homelessness response systems for better animal welfare advocacy and program design
        • Dog-inclusive housing
        • Legal protections for tenants with pets and the eviction process
        • Engaging rental housing providers with pet-inclusive approaches and pet owners with information they need to access pet-inclusive rental housing
      • Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection this Thursday at noon PT/3 pm ET. Play Aggression in Cats with Dr. Mikel Delgado. https://maddies.fund/BehaviorConnectionOctober2024

      • In celebration of Maddie's Fund 30th anniversary, Maddie's Fund and Cuddly have partnered to provide $1,000 in prizes monthly, for engaging on a special anniversary-related post on Maddie's Pet Forum. This October, simply comment on this thread telling us who has inspired your work and you'll be entered to win a $1,000 Cuddly prize pack: https://maddies.fund/30YearsGiveawayOctober2024

      • Maddie's Pet Forum Monthly Giveaway: Maddie's Fund® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie's® Pet Forum member. You'll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post. More info: https://maddies.fund/mpfmonthlygiveaway

      • Maddie's Fund Monthly Giveaways!  Enter here for a chance to win CA$H: 
        https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-oct24-giveaway.htm  
        Open to all who are watching live or on-demand! Be sure to enter each week you attend!

    • Presentation: Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession
      • Panelists
      • Key Takeaways:
        • From Dr. Aziz:
          • Severe racial inequities in veterinary medicine have led to 1) unequal access to veterinary medicine as a career option for underserved community members and 2) unequal access to veterinary care for many communities and pet owners. The veterinary education system requires a shift that authentically recognizes these inequities and actively aims at mitigating them. It's critical that veterinary students be trained and prepared to 1) work and engage with diverse communities and clients who face complex inequalities and inequities in life and 2) to recognize that socioeconomic determinants of human healthcare also determine pet health. It is important that students and veterinarians understand the larger societal issues that affect diverse pet owning communities.
        • From Dr. Raye Taylor: 

          • Recognize racial inequities magnify the already ubiquitous strain on an individual veterinary professional by complicating mental health, physical health, and personal satisfaction in the profession.

          • Recognize systemic and unique barriers to diversity in the profession. Recognize the power of representation and acknowledgment.

          • Learn we all play a role in inequities: conscious, subconscious, and unconscious. And such, with self-awareness, we can and should play a role in repairing them.

          • Appreciate that one experience does not represent all experiences, and that lived experience is truth.

        • From Lecia Mata: 
          • Even those you look up to have preconceived biases and sometimes these can show in the form of microagressions. I was not prepared for the veterinarians who wrote me letters of recommendation to also be the veterinarian who casually said "let's have our powwow" for morning rounds or "my grand father had an affair with a reservation women". Navigating the complex realities that people have good intentions but also create barriers between you and them was an unexpected discomfort because of my identity.

          • I wish I would've known that speaking up against micro-aggressions and culture competency is not "stirring the pot" in the workplace, it's essential work to dismantling systemic oppression and if you're at a place that makes you feel otherwise then just say it louder until they listen

      • Related Links:

    • Highlights from the Chat

      • "Thank you, ladies! - Tammy Anckner
      • "The BEST of the BEST!!!" - Rae Williams
      • "Lecia!!! Great amazing work! If definitely shows and proves your passion! <3" - Janette Martin
      • "OMG that breaks my heart!" - Tammy Acnkner
      • "wow, gross" - Nancy Kerns
      • "The sexism and the antiblackness is always lurking" - Rae Williams
      • "Just in general, it used to be mostly male vets, now it seems like lore female. Do you see this in general?" - Anita Selby
      • "Yes, the profession is still predominantly white cis gendered female" - Raye Taylor
      • "This is a very important point." - Kristen Petrie
      • "Then they are even more money-makers by expanding the surgery schedule." - Donna Miller
      • "Have any of you thought of going into large animal?" - Anita Selby
      • "i do mixed!!" - Raye Taylor
      • "Yes! I worked at the equine hospital for two years during my masters and would love to to mixed practice" - Lecia Mata
      • "We need more colleges teaching veterinary medicine. Period. Another way to expand diversity is to have way more slots every year for freshmen vet students!" - Donna Miller
      • "❤️ 👏🏻 Thank you all" - Sharon @Maddie's Fund
      • "Thank you for your commitment to the profession and for sharing your experiences!" - Geraldine D'Silva
      • "I am very grateful for this honest and vulnerable discussion. Thank you all so much!" - Sheila Kouhkan
        "I am so glad I signed up for these. What a thoughtful discussion. Thank you. Cari" - C Schaffer
      • "You are all incredible and brilliant, and I'm so grateful to share this space with you all. Thank you for sharing your lived experience and wisdom with us all." - Nadia Oseguera
      • "Yaaass Lecia! 👏🏽" - Charlotte Otero
      • "Thank you for having me on today's conversation.  If anyone wants to connect, please do not hesitate to reach out.  I am an open book and want to support these initiatives in any way I can.  info@drazaliaboyd.com" - Azalia Boyd
      • "Yay shelter med! 🫶Thank you all for taking your time to share with us" - Alison Lindsay
      • "Thanks for a great conversation." - Tracy McQuarrie
      • "What an amazing panel. So much excellence. Thank you all for sharing with us." - Ivy Ruiz
      • "Thank you all!!" - Maddie Babel
      • "All you ladies are awesome! I am so proud of you for all the education and experiences you have endured to take care of all the fur babies. <3" - Janette Martin
      • "Thank you, everyone!" - Elise Winn
      • "Great job everyone!" - Ken Hopkins
      • "Thank you to all for this wonderful discussion!!!" - Mary Flores
      • "Thank you all for being vulnerable and sharing. This was an eye-opening conversation!" - Kristen Petrie
      • "Thank you, everyone." - Christine Best, UF College of Veterinary Medicine 
      • "Great conversation... thank you!" - LK Allen
      • "Thank you so much! Such a great conversation" - Claire Russell
      • "So incredible. Thank you all!" - Charlotte Otero



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    Sheila Kouhkan
    Senior Education Specialist
    Maddie's Fund
    CA
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  • 3.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-22-2024 09:03 AM

    Unanswered question from the chat: 

    "How do you separate out the causes of being treated differently when you are a RVT? How do you know whether it is race/gender-based or just general disrespect for the "lesser" profession? I want all associate degree technicians to gain the legal ability to do castrations!" - @Donna Miller



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 4.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-22-2024 11:26 AM

    Hi Donna, 

    I have been in the field a long time and generally do not have issues with gaining respect for my knowledge, but there have been times were veterinarians are not inclined to listen to my suggestions and oftentimes that stems from the something outside of me.  Whether the veterinarian is not secure in their position or feels the need to assert authority or hierarchy.   I often feel veterinarians either love me or dislike my personality of taking charge, ability to make operational decisions and advocate for the pet and pet owner as well.  The same traits some veterinarians love me for, other dislike.  As the field has changed significantly, I feel less disrespect from gender bias, as I usually work with other women. 

    I also agree all licensed techs should be able to perform castrations! 



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    Jessica Lopez
    The PAW Mission
    CA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-22-2024 10:03 PM

    Hi Donna, I'm not an RVT but can share my perspective as a panelist. I feel that any comment or gesture that makes another person feel "othered" is not okay. To address you're asking about, this is how I think about these things: if someone is negatively remarking on the race/gender/beliefs/religion/socioeconomic status of someone from an underrepresented group, then I feel that is a microaggression. Whether it's intentional or not, subtle or not, these types of microaggressions should be addressed by the workplace through policies, trainings, set expectations around culture, etc. 

    When someone speaks disrespectfully to an RVT about their position, I feel this is as an attempt to invalidate or dismiss the person. This is also not okay and should be addressed by the workplace - again through policies around bullying (from clients or from colleagues), through culture expectations, etc. I think as an industry we need to work on changing the hierarchical relationship between our vet techs and vets; this requires a big cultural shift! I also think that clients bullying nurses shouldn't be tolerated and vets should play more of a role in standing up for their staff if a disrespectful comment is made. 



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    Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
    Outreach Veterinarian
    UC Davis
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-22-2024 09:05 AM

    Unanswered question from the chat: 

    "How are you protecting yourselves from these feelings because we are in challenging times for animal sheltering and vet medicine?" - @Michelle Russillo



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 7.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-24-2024 09:47 AM

    Hey! Thanks for the questions.  I focus on the work and the joy of what I'm doing for others in the industry. Simply being in this space (knowing that I am inspiring someone else), making an impact, and helping families and pets is what drives me forward. I also find like-minded individuals who I can share both frustrations and laughter with-it's important to have that support network. I put a lot of energy into focusing on those who are doing things right, treating others with respect, and truly supporting the profession. At this stage in my career, I don't hesitate to call out nonsense when I see it. I address it and keep moving, knowing there's more meaningful work to be done. This approach has worked for me, but not one that works for everyone.  

    I also make sure to practice self-care at home and find other joys to support my personal life. Having that balance helps me stay grounded and continue making a positive impact.

    ~Azalia 



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    Azalia Boyd
    CEO, Veterinarian
    Boyd Veterinary Services and Consulting, LLC
    GA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Community Conversations - 10/21/24 - Racial Inequities in the Veterinary Profession

    Posted 10-25-2024 08:29 AM

    I finally had a chance to listen to the recording of this last night.  Wow, what an incredible panel of speakers.  Thank you all for the content and the education.  I learned so much and have so much more to learn.  Thank you also for making us aware of the Critters and Cultures podcast.  I cannot wait to tune in.



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    Erica Grant
    Board Member and Volunteer
    Runways Animal Rescue
    FL
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