Learn more.
Grow together.
Diversity is a source of our strength.
Learning more about each other:
NVA strives to create an environment where every team member feels safe, welcome, and valued. We believe diversity is a source of strength and will continue building an inclusive community, united by our love for animals and the people who love them.
To help us understand each other’s experience, we have launched Learn More. Grow More. Today, we are starting with learning more about the Black experience. In the future, we will add additional resources about other issues we care about, including gender equity, the LGBTQ community, and others.
Learning more about the Black Community:
Now and always, we stand with our Black colleagues and caregivers. We begin by listening, learning, and asking ourselves the tough questions. We encourage you to explore this website to learn more about the Black Community’s history, the experience of being Black in America, the realities of systemic racism, and what it’s like to be Black in Veterinary Medicine.
Taking a stand is the first step, but change is up to all of us. NVA is committed to being part of that change. We are building a community of Inclusion Groups (one for Black Allies) to establish networks that foster a sense of belonging and advocate on behalf of the communities we serve. Look for more information on how to join one of our Inclusion Groups, to engage with fellow teammates and learn how you can make a difference.
History of the Black Community & Systemic Racism
Podcast
1619
An audio series on how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling.
TED Talks
Racism has a cost for everyone
Racism makes our economy worse -- and not just in ways that harm people of color, says public policy expert Heather C. McGhee. From her research and travels across the US, McGhee shares startling insights into how racism fuels bad policymaking and drains our economic potential -- and offers a crucial rethink on what we can do to create a more prosperous nation for all. "Our fates are linked," she says. "It costs us so much to remain divided.”
Website
Talking About Race Portal
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture.
Learn to listen, appreciate, and empathize
Be an Ally of the Black Community
TED Talks
The difference between being "not racist" and antiracist
There is no such thing as being "not racist," says author and historian Ibram X. Kendi. In this vital conversation, he defines the transformative concept of antiracism to help us more clearly recognize, take responsibility for and reject prejudices in our public policies, workplaces and personal beliefs. Learn how you can actively use this awareness to uproot injustice and inequality in the world -- and replace it with love
TED Talks
How racial bias works and how to disrupt it
Our brains create categories to make sense of the world, recognize patterns and make quick decisions. But this ability to categorize also exacts a heavy toll in the form of unconscious bias. In this powerful talk, psychologist Jennifer L. Eberhardt explores how our biases unfairly target Black people at all levels of society -- from schools and social media to policing and criminal justice -- and discusses how creating points of friction can help us actively interrupt and address this troubling problem.
An audio series on how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling.
TED Talks
Color blind or color brave?
The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it's a "conversational third rail." But, she says, that's exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring -- makes for better businesses and a better society.
TED Talks
How we can make racism a solvable problem - and improve policing
When we define racism as behaviors instead of feelings, we can measure it -- and transform it from an impossible problem into a solvable one, says justice scientist Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff. In an actionable talk, he shares his work at the Center for Policing Equity, an organization that helps police departments diagnose and track racial gaps in policing in order to eliminate them. Learn more about their data-driven approach -- and how you can get involved with the work that still needs to be done.
Book
How to Be an Antiracist
The author takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.
How to take action in support of the Black Community?
What does engagement look like inside of a family, work environment and community?
Podcast
Ideas to increase diversity and inclusion in Vet Med
(Host: Dr. Bobbi Conner; Guests: Dr. Brittany Southern, Dr. Carl Southern)
Article
How Brands Can Follow Through on the Values They’re Selling
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Article
An overdue awakening: Addressing systemic racism in veterinary medicine
The demand for equity, diversity, and inclusion is being heard throughout the nation. In the veterinary profession, affinity groups are demanding less talk and more action.
Video
Why So Few "Diversity Candidates" Are Hired
How to reduce biases in hiring by diversifying the pool.
Course
Making a change: From comfort zone to brave space
Making a commitment to diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine—as in life—requires levels of engagement that may be discomforting. Breaking through our comfort zones can be one of the biggest barriers to advancing change in our environments. Join Lisa Greenhill, Ed.D., senior director for institutional research and diversity at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), to discover activities that can help you move from your personal comfort zone to a brave space, allowing you to advance diversity and inclusion initiatives in your workplace.
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