Celebrating Juneteenth: An Organizational Update
In honor of Juneteenth, the federal holiday when we commemorate and celebrate the end of slavery in the United States, the ACVIM would like to share an update to the to create tangible change in our organization.
In the fall of 2020, the ACVIM convened the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, comprised of eight members across specialties as well as one Diversity and Inclusion Advisor. Evidence of lack of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the US veterinary profession was gathered and presented to the ACVIM Board of Regents (BOR) by the Task Force. The Task Force provided recommendations on DEI self-assessment tools for the ACVIM after evaluating multiple available tools. Additional recommendations on DEI consultants for the ACVIM were presented after vetting multiple options.
Further accomplishments of the D&I Task Force include:
- A Gender Identity Bill of Rights for the Veterinary Profession was co-authored by a Task Force member. An opportunity for endorsement was provided to the ACVIM Board and Task Force members.
- The ACVIM committed to provide the entire Board and staff with formal DEI training.
- The Board voted to elevate the Task Force to a standing DEI Committee.
- The ACVIM collaborated with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) on a survey to better understand the factors that contribute to clinician wellness.
- The ACVIM expanded the demographic characteristics captured during registration and membership renewal to be more inclusive of historically underrepresented groups.
The ACVIM, guided by our values and with the support our members, is unwavering in its commitment to learning and growing so that we can help shape a world where all of our members can one day feel fully free. We look forward to sharing our continued efforts throughout the year and beyond.