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Overcoming Extreme Division Starts With Us

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Join the 87% of Americans who are over toxic polarization. Get the skills to engage across our differences and move our country forward.

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Eight Ways to Encourage Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Discussions at Conferences

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Eight Ways to Encourage Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Discussions at Conferences

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Eight Ways to Encourage Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Discussions at Conferences - Eos

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Getting scientists to engage in sessions about issues of scientific culture is challenging, but these best practices for meeting organizers can help.

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Rebooking International Women's Day to calendars after Google removed it. Don't let them erase it. Rebook it.

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Erin In The Morning | Erin Reed | Substack

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News and discussion on trans legislation and life. Click to read Erin In The Morning, by Erin Reed, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

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Contingency Planning for the Veterinary Profession - Pride Veterinary Medical Community

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PrideVMC’s mission is to create a better world for the LGBTQIA+ veterinary community that embraces wellbeing by being their authentic selves.

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Steps For Transgender People Preparing For Federal Crackdowns Under Trump

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Donald Trump has pledged severe federal crackdowns on transgender people. I outline steps for preparing for these challenges, sharing stories from trans individuals who are already taking action.

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Council Post: Why You Must Ditch Shallow DEI Efforts And Embrace Real Inclusion

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Organizations must move beyond lip service and put true efforts toward DEI goals in place if they want to ensure continued success.

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Over the past few years, many companies have poured money and resources into diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Some have made a lot of progress, others have not.

Any diversity and inclusion program needs to emphasize hiring to have a chance of success. Without scrutinizing this critical organizational entry point, it's difficult for diversity and inclusion advocates to do more than play catch-up.

It's encouraging to see so many organizations incorporate inclusive hiring practices to remove bias from the hiring process. But one important group has been overlooked in the current push for inclusive hiring- the neurodiverse community.

Neurodiversity in the workplace

Neurodiversity encompasses an extremely diverse set of conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, and Tourette's syndrome, among others. Despite representing between 15% and 20% of the global population, neurodiverse individuals are severely underrepresented in the workplace. The unemployment rates for neurodiverse individuals reach up to 40%, according to some estimates.

These figures reflect the degree to which our workplaces are out of step with the needs of these individuals. Standardized and formalized processes that are supposed to eliminate bias may actually reinforce inequities that reduce opportunities for neurodiverse candidates. And no part of the hiring process exemplifies this more than the job interview.

Inclusive hiring has leveled the playing field for neurotypical interviewees-by using fixed durations and the same list of questions for each candidate. But these changes are unlikely to make the process more welcoming for neurodiverse individuals. That's because they're less receptive to the implicit social cues these questions contain.

As an example, interviewers typically ask candidates to describe past work experience. If you're familiar with workplace conventions, you know that this question conceals an agenda. The hiring manager wants to know about qualifications or skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for.

A neurodiverse individual, however, might not understand this motive. This is likely due to a combination of neurodiversity and a potential lack of knowledge born of long-standing exclusion from work environments. Because of that, they might not give the response that the manager is looking for, even if they're well-suited for the position.

Another example is the interview-ending staple, "Do you have any questions for me?" Most neurotypical people would know that this invitation is a test in disguise. The hiring manager is testing how much homework the interviewee has done about the hiring organization. But for a neurodiverse person, this prompt might signal a chance to ask questions that are sensible in normal conversations but contextually inappropriate in a job interview. For example, they might ask "Which way is the bus stop from here?"

Making hiring more inclusive

To accommodate the neurodiverse community in a meaningful way, hiring managers would need to do more with their interviews than simply codify unspoken conventions. While there are few existing models for this type of interview, our ongoing research has turned up some good suggestions.

For the past three years, we've been part of the research team responsible for developing a smartwatch application called FeelSense. Initially, we conceived it as a tool to help neurodiverse individuals live more independent lives. Currently, the team is working on adapting the app for use in smoothing the transition of neurodiverse people into work environments that might be stressful or triggering. (This year, the project was awarded a $1.87 million grant through the National Science Foundation.)

App users report on their emotional state and receive reminders to engage in emotion-regulating behaviors, such as drinking a glass of water or going for a walk. As development progressed, we added features such as heart rate monitoring (for automated stress response detection) and a "happy picture" that users could upload to calm them down during anxious moments. The ideas for these refinements came directly out of 30 weekly workshops with a group of 13 adult neurodiverse "beta testers" whose conditions ranged from ADHD to Down syndrome.

We found that our study participants were initially quite reticent to share detailed responses to the technology. They seemed hesitant to give the "wrong" answer. This signaled that the purpose of the exercise wasn't fully resonating with them.

We needed the participants to give us a window into their everyday lives. In turn, we could see how FeelSense was and wasn't working for them, and how we could improve the experience.

Ultimately, we were able to create that sharing rapport. This is thanks to two interview techniques that helped clarify expectations for them and raise their comfort level.

First, we used keywords to focus discussion, with the help of two special education experts. For example, instead of asking participants to describe their emotional ups and downs, we invited them to select from a group of terms ( coping, support, improvement, etc.) to portray their emotional state before, during, and after using the app. They could also add their own keywords.

Hiring managers can adapt these methods. For example, they can write down activities or qualities essential to the position. They can also ask neurodiverse candidates to reflect (either out loud or in writing) upon what those words mean to them.

Second, we adopted visual-based co-ideation. Our participants found it much easier to draw what their ideal app would look or feel like than describe it. As an example, one study participant drew a boy and a girl, which signified her desire for a more interactive, human-to-human experience in the app. Another sketched a rainbow to signify her preference for a more diverse color palette.

Similarly, within a job interview candidates could write or draw if they were having trouble articulating their answers. This is a potentially useful replacement for the "Do you have any questions?" portion of the interview. Interviewers can ask neurodiverse candidates to illustrate their vision of an ideal workplace, or how they see themselves fitting into an organization. Using visuals helps bridge gaps in expectations, ensuring that managers and prospective employees are literally on the same page.

Now, it's important to mention that no organization or neurodivergent individual is the same. But companies need to find ways for neurodiverse candidates to have a "voice" where they're comfortable showcasing their skills and capabilities.

When employees commit to inclusive hiring practices, they're less likely to miss out on talented candidates. The more hiring managers use interview questions to express a hidden agenda over a person's suitability and skills, the less legitimacy their organization will have in calling itself "inclusive."
Niloofar Kalantari is a PhD candidate and research assistant in human-computer interaction at George Mason University. Sarah Wittman is an assistant professor of management at Costello College of Business at George Mason University. Vivian Motti is an assistant professor of information sciences and technology at George Mason University.

Recognize your brand's excellence by applying to this year's Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.

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Niloofar Kalantari, Vivian Motti, Sarah Wittman

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Neurodiversity inclusion starts with the job interview

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Why a company's diversity and inclusion efforts should include neurodiversity, and how to tweak the interview process accordingly.

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The purpose of this survey is to better understand:
1. Safety challenges for individuals from historically marginalized or underrepresented communities in vet med, and
2. Existing and needed resources and tools. The responses will be leveraged to identify resource gaps and to support our request that the VIRMP change the rule that bans folks from the intern and residency match program for three years if they withdraw after accepting and before starting. This rule change request is being made because with a governor’s executive order or a state legislature vote, the landscape could quickly change from a safe to an unsafe environment. While the VIRMP does offer exceptions to the 3-year ban rule, having someone reveal why the environment is no longer safe for them could be problematic.

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Online classes are here to stay, but we're also opening a physical location for classes and events, anchored by a bar, to help us stabilize financially and keep call classes pay-what-you-can! Check out our Kickstarter and help us get our doors open! Click on the image below to learn more.

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Online classes are here to stay, but we're also opening a physical location for classes and events, anchored by a bar, to help us stabilize financially and keep call classes pay-what-you-can! Check out our Kickstarter and help us get our doors open! Click on the image below to learn more.

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Teams undergo asynchronous training modules corresponding to each of the following BLEND pillars:

Lead the transformation of veterinary team culture.

read more →

of employees prefer employers who prioritize DEI

increase in team productivity
when DEI initiatives are implemented

of consumers want companies to act for the good of society

"Numerous studies have shown the benefits of a diverse, equitable workplace for business performance, innovation, customer loyalty, and employee trust. Diverse teams better represent the customers they serve, make decisions with fewer blind spots, and bring more varied and innovative thinking to problem-solving."

- Harvard Business Review

We train & certify veterinary teams in DEI through self-paced modules, hands-on workshops, and facilitated discussions.
BLEND cultivates a thriving hospital culture of belonging, builds trusting relationships within diverse communities, and empowers teams to increase the pipeline of underrepresented minorities (URMs) within veterinary medicine.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

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BLEND | DEIB Certifications for Veterinary Teams

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Teams undergo asynchronous training modules corresponding to each of the following BLEND pillars: Lead the transformation of veterinary team culture. read more → of employees prefer employers who prioritize DEI increase in team productivitywhen DEI initiatives are implemented of consumers want companies to act for the good of society "Numerous studies have shown the benefits of a diverse, equitable workplace for business performance, innovation, customer loyalty, and employee trust.

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What is

Journey for Teams?

JOURNEY FOR TEAMS provides a pathway for veterinary professionals to deepen knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and foster the advancement of DEI in veterinary workplaces. To support this purpose, JOURNEY FOR TEAMS will deliver ongoing releases of practical, actionable and impactful resources and educational modules-all designed with busy veterinary workplaces in mind!

Why

Journey for Teams?

There are many reasons to deepen your understanding of DEI that range from personal to professional. Watch the Reasons video to see why your peers think diversity, equity, and inclusion are important for the veterinary profession.

Get ready for the journey. This map shows you where we're heading and helps you make the most of the JOURNEY FOR TEAMS content as it is released.
Printer-friendly JOURNEY MAP

This 15-minute video is the best place to start on your JOURNEY FOR TEAMS. It introduces you to all of the program elements and how they work together to enrich DEI knowledge in your workplace.

JOURNEY FOR TEAMS works best for groups when there is a workplace advocate - a NAVIGATOR - committed to downloading content, organizing meetings and facilitating discussion.

JOURNEY FOR TEAMS provides resources to support the NAVIGATOR in this important role.

NAVIGATORS are passionate about DEI and are willing to make a valuable contribution. NAVIGATORS with the full support of leadership will have the greatest success.

JOURNEY FOR TEAMS is organized into DEI topics. Each topic is written by a DEI topic champion in the field and presented as a video introduction followed by a facilitated group discussion. The activities are designed to be brief and the discussion is focused on finding one thing that the group can agree to do that will further their committement to DEI.

Each topic can be covered in a 15-minute meeting. If the team wants to learn more about certain topics, additional resources are listed to encourage self-learning and further discussion.

Collaborating Partners

Educational Partners

Adventurers

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JOURNEY FOR TEAMS provides a pathway for veterinary professionals to deepen knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and foster the advancement of DEI in veterinary workplaces. To support this purpose, JOURNEY FOR TEAMS will deliver ongoing releases of practical, actionable and impactful resources and educational modules-all designed with busy veterinary workplaces in mind!

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UK Coaching Participation Team

About the Author: The UK Coaching Participation Team is relentlessly passionate about getting more people active. Brimming with energy and abundant of ideas, we're sharing over 50 years of combined experience in coaching, teaching, leading, activating, educating, engaging and keeping people active. We strive to create the habit in children, sustain the habit in young people and adults and change the habit for people to reconnect positively with sport and physical activity.

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UK Coaching - Understanding Unconscious Bias

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UK Coaching Participation Team About the Author: The UK Coaching Participation Team is relentlessly passionate about getting more people active. Brimming with energy and abundant of ideas, we're sharing over 50 years of combined experience in coaching, teaching, leading, activating, educating, engaging and keeping people active.

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Labor Acknowledgement In Advance Of Black History Month

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Indigenous Land Acknowledgements  - Anton Treuer

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Indigenous Land Acknowledgements  - Anton Treuer

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Nuts and bolts of good land acknowledgement

1. Local and specific

2. Acknowledge local injustice

3. Acknowledgement of contemporary Native existence and resiliency (Indigenous peoples are more than a sum of their tragedies)

4. Specific to institution in form of a call to action (these are the specific tribes that have called this area home, these are some of the specific injustices that they have endured, we acknowledge their contemporary existence and resiliency, and we as an institution are making a call to action to address injustice in all its forms)

5. Be brief - one paragraph max

6. Vocab that is accessible to all

7. Process just as important as final product - collaborative, conversations with all stakeholders, etc

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The first time coworkers commented on how unpronounceable they found my "exotic" name, I couldn't quite put my finger on why I felt uncomfortable. They insisted it was a compliment.

This was at a time when "diversity" referred to the progress of upper-class white women and when addressing racism in the workplace was taboo. In 2007, Derald Wing Sue, a psychologist, brought the term "microaggressions" - coined in the 1970s by Harvard University professor Chester Pierce to describe the subtle, everyday ways that Black people experienced discrimination from their white counterparts - back into the public consciousness. In 2016, use of the term became more widespread, relating mostly to how college students of color were navigating these subtle everyday putdowns, insults, or offensive remarks from well-meaning white peers and faculty.

"Microaggressions" finally captured the essence of how I was feeling. I did feel slighted, but the real issue was the cumulative effects of hearing something about my difference as a woman of color called out every day, in seemingly benign ways.

It's powerful to have a commonly understood way to articulate these issues and address the impact they have on the experiences of marginalized people, including in the workplace. As more leaders focus on creating inclusive work cultures and strive to make meaningful change in their organizations, more need to be aware and understand the effects of these exclusionary, biased actions - and they must stop using the term "microaggressions" to describe them.

Why "Microaggressions" Is Inadequate

The term "microaggression" doesn't fully capture the actions' emotional and material effects or how they impact women and people of color's career progressions. In fact, researchers found that experiencing what we know as microaggressions can be just as harmful, if not more, than more overt forms of racism.

"People say that microaggressions are small things, but our studies indicate that microaggressions have a macro impact as they affect the standard of living of a marginalized group," Sue says. Daily microaggressions "create a lowered sense of psychological well-being. They deplete psychic energy or problem-solving and work productivity." Why? Microaggressions are cumulative. "They occur to people of color from the time they awaken, until they go to bed, from the time they are born until they die," Sue adds.

The inclusion of "micro" in the term minimizes the actions' harmful effects and prioritizes the comfort of those in the majority by centering their intentions instead of their impacts. I prefer the term "exclusionary behaviors." Tiffany Jana, founder and CEO of TMI Consulting and coauthor of Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions, told me, "I like to call them 'subtle acts of exclusion' (SAE) as a more neutral descriptor of the phenomenon. The behavior might be subtle and not intentional, but it serves to exclude people and pushes them further on the margins. So we need more descriptive and useful language so that we can invite people into a more healing conversation." And Ibram X. Kendi writes in his book, How to Be an Antiracist: "I do not use 'microaggression' anymore. I detest the post-racial platform that supported its sudden popularity. I detest its component parts - 'micro' and 'aggression.' A persistent daily low hum of racist abuse is not minor. I use the term 'abuse' because aggression is not as exacting a term."

Inclusive Leadership Requires Awareness and Acknowledgment

The widespread nature of exclusionary behaviors in organizations today signals the urgency for white and other people with workplace privilege to develop awareness and empathy. For leaders to be truly inclusive, they first must be able to recognize these behaviors. We all know that it's unacceptable to call a team member a racial slur, but some people may not always be aware of more subtle acts of bias or understand why they're harmful.

For example, consider the white manager who didn't mean any harm by commenting on his Korean-American employee's "good English." Scholars like Sue call this particular action - which communicates to the person that they're a foreigner because they're not white - " alien in own land." These constant implications that you're an outsider in your own country are not only painful, but they could also materially impact whether white managers would consider an employee competent enough to "fit" a leadership position. As another example, consider a well-meaning male employee complimenting a female manager on her coding skills, remarking that he didn't think "women enjoyed technical challenges."

Women of color I interviewed for my book reported feeling most excluded when they received these kinds of subtle comments or gestures from peers because they reinforced that they didn't belong there. Hardest of all was when the offending party didn't even realize why what they said was problematic. It may be easy for a white man to laugh off jokes about his hometown or skin color, but that isn't even remotely similar to expecting someone to laugh off derogatory comments if they or people from their community have disproportionately experienced violence or persecution.

The interviewees also said they felt most ready to raise these issues when a leader demonstrated that they understood what constituted exclusionary behavior. But in addition to being aware of this kind of behavior, inclusive leaders must also make it safe for people to point it out when they see it. "We've been socialized not to disrupt particularly, a white equilibrium, and just say nothing," says Jana. To create that sense of safety, Jana says "there has to be a collective acknowledgement that none of the people in the organization are perfect - that this organization's culture is not perfect - but we're not going to allow it to create a perpetual cycle of harm for our employees." They add, "the only way we do that is by acknowledging the presence [of exclusionary behaviors] and acknowledging them when they happen."

Be Curious, But Thoughtful

While curiosity is important and necessary, there's a time and place for conversations about a person's identity, especially in the workplace. Going up to someone on their first day of work to ask, "what are you?" (as one of the women I interviewed told me happened to her) isn't the right approach. It's a dehumanizing way to express curiosity about someone's background. But even if you ask it in a more tactful way, a conversation about identity and background in the middle of a meeting, for example, or marching over to a colleague's desk to inquire about it, has a very different tenor than at a casual networking event or over a work lunch. The former relates, "I demand answers to my questions that don't impact the work we're going to do together." The latter communicates, "I'm genuinely curious and interested in you and want to take some time to get to know you. I'm also inviting your questions about me."

Recognizing this difference requires cultivating empathy, especially if your experience in the majority wouldn't make anyone question your background, ability, or competence.

If someone tells you that something you said was biased or a microaggression, apologize sincerely, seek to understand why it may have been harmful (sometimes, they may tell you; other times, it's up to you to do your own homework), and then refrain from doing it again.

. . .

When we brush off "microaggressions," we minimize the huge impact they have on underrepresented and marginalized employees. To make change, we must first be able to name, recognize, and acknowledge the harm they cause.

"When we learn better, we do better," says Jana. "The term 'microaggression' is an insult to everyone who's ever been on the receiving end of it, and it's a copout for the people who continue to initiate them." Whatever term we land on - microaggression, subtle act of exclusion, racial abuse, or exclusionary behavior - Jana reminds us that "it needs to be something that doesn't let people off the hook so easily and doesn't minimize the harm that it causes to actual people."

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We Need to Retire the Term "Microaggressions"

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The first time coworkers commented on how unpronounceable they found my "exotic" name, I couldn't quite put my finger on why I felt uncomfortable. They insisted it was a compliment. This was at a time when "diversity" referred to the progress of upper-class white women and when addressing racism in the workplace was taboo.

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This book is aimed at large animal veterinarians who have Spanish-speaking clientele. There is a chapter at the end for dogs & cats, and admittedly there is a lot of content that could apply to both large & small animals.

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Spanish for Veterinarians: A Practical... book by Bonnie Frederick

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Buy a cheap copy of Spanish for Veterinarians: A Practical... book by Bonnie Frederick. Designed to help vets rapidly learn working Spanish for clinical conversations, the presentation of the language in this book is not traditional - explanations are... Free Shipping on all orders over $15.

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AAVSB RACE-CERTIFIED
LANGUAGE COURSE F OR BUSY PEOPLE

How many times have Spanish-speaking clients come to your veterinary clinic and no one could communicate properly? Was there a breakdown in communication? Did you wish you knew some Spanish to be able to help your clients? If so, this course was designed for you.

These are a series of fun courses designed specifically for veterinary professionals wanting to learn Spanish to better serve their clients. The classes are online with an experienced teacher and designed specifically for client interactions in the veterinary clinic.

Desde la Primera Consulta hasta hablar de Finanzas, nuestro curso está diseñado precisamente para todos que trabajan en la industria veterinaria.

TAILORED COURSES

Flexible hours to fit around your busy schedule

TARGET LANGUAGE FOR THE VET CLINIC

You'll learn verb conjugations but relevant ones!

We provide useful and targeted language to maximize the your time, presented in a fun and interactive way. Look through our module descriptions for more information.

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AAVSB RACE-CERTIFIED LANGUAGE COURSE F OR BUSY PEOPLE How many times have Spanish-speaking clients come to your veterinary clinic and no one could communicate properly? Was there a breakdown in communication? Did you wish you knew some Spanish to be able to help your clients? If so, this course was designed for you.

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Recently, a client asked us to put together a program to accelerate promotion opportunities for what it referred to as its "diverse talent." Based on our additional research, we realized the requirements for promotion at this company were skills that many employees were struggling with at the time - both those folks with marginalized identities and those without.

By targeting only a select few with this promotion program, it created a false narrative that only individuals from underrepresented backgrounds needed help developing these skills and that something was inherently wrong with how they performed. What's more, these kinds of programs set a single standard for professionalism and therefore promote and lead to assimilation - the opposite of real inclusion.

Approaches like these might broadcast that the company devalues the need for change at all levels. It is not uncommon to see the group with the least privilege expected to change its behavior to help achieve equity in an organization. Rarely does anyone feel safe and included in any dynamic where they are the only ones expected to change. We suggest examining your company's expectations of professionalism, reframing professional development programs, adjusting feedback processes, and focusing on relationships. This way, your organization can create an inclusive culture that celebrates diversity instead of flattening it.

What Expectations of Assimilation Does Your Workplace Have?

It's time to rethink your expectations around assimilation. Assimilation means absorbing the cultural traditions of a population or a group, and every one of us makes decisions to assimilate or not assimilate in the workplace. Nearly all companies have implicit and explicit expectations of "professional" assimilation in the workplace when it comes to language, behavior, or processes.

Examples of positive assimilation will vary depending on the organization and its mission. A great example of a realistic and healthy expectation of assimilation is when a company asks employees to be on time. Cultural norms regarding punctuality vary and can have a significant impact on behaviors and perception, but not being on time could have severe consequences depending on the nature of the business. When there is a vital need for assimilation to achieve a meaningful outcome, it is important for an organization to be transparent and clear about the need to assimilate and why. For example, some organizations might set strict policies for dress code, whereas others might have unspoken rules about appropriateness, leaving the burden on employees to interpret what will and will not be acceptable. Assimilation becomes a huge problem when the expectation falls primarily on the shoulders of those whose backgrounds are underrepresented and these expectations for assimilation have been unclear or unspoken from the beginning.

Showing up at work without expending all of your energy to assimilate is a privilege. Imagine the emotional effort required to analyze, monitor, and perform to consciously assimilate into a workplace. You might have to adapt your accent, for instance, or avoid certain words that are common in your culture while at work. All of this energy requires emotional and mental sacrifices, thus impacting an employee's ability to feel psychologically safe and their ability to perform. After all, when we do not feel we are part of a safe and stable environment, it is difficult to focus our energy on growing and developing personally and professionally.

For these reasons, asking others to assimilate will likely sabotage diversity-focused professional development by promoting conformity. This conformity can be reinforced by managers who are supporting certain cultural standards. To analyze your workplace's expectations of assimilation, ask yourself:

How am I contributing to a culture of conformity?

What's the motivation behind my request for assimilation?

Does my motivation align with our DEI initiatives and values?

DEI efforts work best when they are centered on identifying a realistic and healthy expectation of assimilation that still allows employees to thrive and contribute in unique ways.

Reframing Your Professional Development Initiatives

With the above in mind, it's important to ask the following questions when designing your professional development approach:

Why is this training important?

Who needs to participate?

What message are we sending to the participants?

What is systemically contributing to the problem we are trying to solve?

Acknowledge how the organization contributes to the challenges that employees are experiencing. The mindset of "if we could fix them, our problem will be solved" is a sign that your organization is moving in the wrong direction.

The solution for getting traditionally marginalized employees into leadership positions isn't just about expecting them to adapt to the current standards of professionalism. Instead, it requires creating the right conditions for employees to contribute, receive developmental feedback to grow and develop their talent, and gain equitable access to promotions. Many organizations will need to examine their existing processes and criteria to reveal gaps that disrupt opportunities.

Here are a few steps you can take to set more individuals from diverse backgrounds up for success in leadership within your organization:

1. Reevaluate your relationship with the idea of "professionalism."

Carefully explore the biases and mindsets underpinning how "professionalism" is defined, and the expectations that employees must meet to get promoted into leadership that disproportionately affect employees of color. It's important to note that this step is not about lowering your standards of leadership qualifications and behaviors. It is about recognizing when you might have "standards of convenience" that change depending on who is being evaluated.

When evaluating an employee, prioritize being aware over being right. Many leaders have biases about clothing choices, body language, and what vernacular they deem is appropriate to use in a business setting. If you are not aware of your own assumptions, you will likely operate with self-righteous ideals that could derail someone else's career. Take the time to challenge how you perceive someone and the standards you hold them against. Think about where those standards originated. Imagine what it is like to be in their shoes. Are you there to help them grow and develop, or are you looking for a reason to determine that they are not a "good fit?"

Leaders can challenge their own beliefs about professionalism by asking themselves the following questions:

How are my beliefs about professionalism aligned with the organization's values?

How does my unconscious bias impact my ideas and beliefs about professionalism?

How do my beliefs about professionalism support the growth and development of others?

Honest answers to these questions will help you reveal outdated views and embedded biases within your own mindset. If you are struggling, engage an extra pair of eyes and ears to help you check your bias at the door and make sure your definition of professionalism aligns with your diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

2. Reconsider how you use and give feedback.

Feedback has long been touted as a critical component for leading and developing talent. It's also necessary to think about the purpose of your feedback models and how they might be contributing to or detracting from a DEI-focused environment.

Research has shown that managers are more likely to give actionable and in-the-moment feedback to men than to women. Similar dynamics have been observed based on race, ability, and sexual orientation. Employees who aren't given actionable feedback are less likely to become aware of potential areas of improvement and leverage the benefits of that feedback. In many cases, they might become frustrated or feel like they aren't recognized for their work, often resulting in negative outcomes such as reduced engagement, impostor syndrome, and even turnover.

This is especially important when those who aren't given actionable feedback are leaders. At most organizations, there is less diversity at higher levels. As more women and people of color achieve higher levels of leadership, there is more pressure to be successful, set an example for others, and "justify" their role. Stress about being seen as a good leader makes it more difficult to seek feedback and grow from it.

Another important aspect of feedback is to limit it to work-related topics and what is actually necessary for someone's role. Our expectations are usually a reflection of ourselves. When we focus on creating employees who are just like us, we either ignore people who have different experiences and knowledge or create strain for employees to work extra hard to emulate us - which is effort that could be better used to develop their skills. Here are a few questions to identify productive versus harmful feedback models:

Is the feedback based on subjective criteria and biased expectations?

Is the feedback aligned with the requirements of their role and a business need?

Am I expecting employees to assimilate unnecessarily?

3. Focus on the quality of your relationships.

It's important to be aware of the beliefs, biases, and mindsets that might drive our behavior. What's equally important is developing relational maturity that reflects our values and supports our vision. Without the ability to think and behave relationally, we will be unable to sustain any progress that we make.

Upskilling our capacity to actively listen and be more empathetic, vulnerable, and compassionate are a few ways that we can ensure that our diversity-focused professional development will stick. This work requires patience, understanding, and grace in the face of our challenges. We truly believe that diversity-focused professional development is a relational practice that requires conscious, intentional focus and commitment no matter what program you choose to implement.

Along those lines, it's vital to remember that authorship is ownership. We see many companies trying to create DEI programs to support a particular group without including this group in the process. It's surprising how often this piece is missing.

To serve marginalized employees, you need to give them a say in these initiatives, design programs that consider their needs, and gain their buy-in. At the same time, ensure that your efforts don't place the burden or responsibility solely on them. Be clear about your rules of engagement and clarify your efforts to avoid "spotlight stress" and tokenization. You need to ask:

What role have the program participants played in the decision-making process?

How did I determine the needs of the participants?

How will I check in with the participants to determine whether the program was successful?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren't realized as a result of a program or because of good intentions. If your organization's process for professional development places the burden solely on the individual, it's time to reexamine your approach and expectations. Just like the need to prioritize this work is unquestionable, so is the understanding that if employees change and their environments don't, diversity-focused professional development won't lead to progress.

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Do Your Diversity Initiatives Promote Assimilation Over Inclusion?

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Recently, a client asked us to put together a program to accelerate promotion opportunities for what it referred to as its "diverse talent." Based on our additional research, we realized the requirements for promotion at this company were skills that many employees were struggling with at the time - both those folks with marginalized identities and those without.

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"Difference is an acquired preference," a colleague once told me. The statement seemed rather strange to me at first. Upon reflection, though, I understood what my colleague was saying: Difference is uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and sometimes even unsafe. Whether it is an opinion that is opposite of our own, a way of working we are not used to, a person who approaches work in a way that is radically different from ours (and maybe also one we disagree with), or someone of a different background or race, differences are likely to bring about discomfort.

Yet as my colleague's observation implied, we can come to prefer difference, with time-to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. We took on this idea while teaching Inclusive Leadership to first-year MBA students at Harvard Business School last academic year. I teach the course with my remarkable colleagues Frances Frei and Hise Gibson. To help us, we brought on stage a group of performers from Second City, the Chicago-based company that established the first ongoing improvisational theater troupe. Second City is the place where Tina Fey, Bill Murray, and many other comedy greats got their start.

Here are a few things that stood out to me from the day that may be helpful to anyone interested in becoming a more inclusive leader:

1. Not knowing brings about learning

Improv performers trade in the currency of unpredictability. They don't know what their partners will say next, how others will react, or even when a scene will end. The other players may bring up topics that a performer knows nothing about. That's okay: The goal is to always react purely in the moment. Consider the strategies required in two popular games, chess and ping-pong. When you play chess, you need to think ahead. You focus on following your own strategy, as well as anticipating your opponent's. By contrast, ping-pong requires split-second instincts. You can try to anticipate the next volley, but a better bet is to focus on where the ball is moving in the moment. The same goes for improv: You can't "pong" until the other player has "pinged." When others think like us or look like us, we are likely able to predict their moves and perspectives. But when they don't, we need to be open to learning about them.

2. Reserving judgment opens us up to curiosity

In improv, you go with the flow. Maybe you're not crazy about the choices of the person who came before you, but you accept the terms of the scene and add to it, rather than contradicting it. So, if the first player says, "Here's an apple," you shouldn't reply, "That's actually a small melon." That might buy you a laugh, but it would kill the scene. It's much better to follow the "yes, and" principle that lies at the heart of improv: "Yes, and we can fill it with poison before we offer it to the queen."

"Dissent is welcome, but only when there is shared respect and everyone feels they are on the same team."

Some companies rely on this principle to create synergies in their collaborations among talented people. At animation studio Pixar, when writers and directors are working on a story, group leaders encourage "plussing," a strategy for improving ideas without using judgmental language. Instead of criticizing a sketch, the director might "plus" by saying, "I like Woody's eyes, and what if we ..." Someone else might then jump in and add her own plus. People listen, respect the ideas of others, and contribute their own. This type of collaborative atmosphere requires great effort to maintain. We all seem to feel an urge to judge others and their ideas. Sometimes our disapproval takes the form of silence-"the death pause," as Pixar's Ed Catmull describes it. Improv comedy teaches us to keep an open mind, understanding that communication drives insight and that closed conversations generally fail. Dissent is welcome, but only when there is shared respect and everyone feels they are on the same team.

3. Supporting one another leads to what would otherwise be impossible.

There are two key foundations of improv: trusting our inner voice and supporting others unconditionally. These ideas allow performers to create memorable, funny scenes. Improv is all about performing without preparation or a script-responding to others in the moment, listening to your inner voice, and bursting out with whatever comes to mind. In my book  Rebel Talent, I noted that improvisation is like steering a car by looking through the rearview mirror: You don't know where you're going; you can only see where you've been. It's so much easier to work with others (especially across difference) to shape the future-of a scene, a decision, or a collaboration-when we start from a place of trust, knowing that, whatever happens, others will give us their support.

These principles may sound intuitive, but they can be difficult when working across differences. Throughout the day, we practiced these ideas with short exercises in the hope of building a muscle for discomfort. Discomfort and joy may seem incompatible. As it turns out, they are a very good match in fostering connection.
This article originally appeared on LinkedIn. Follow Francesca Gino on LinkedIn to read more of her posts.
You Might Also Like:
Feedback or ideas to share? Email the Working Knowledge team at hbswk@hbs.edu.
Image: Unsplash/Dan Meyers

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Inclusive Leadership Advice: Get Comfortable With the Uncomfortable

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"Difference is an acquired preference," a colleague once told me. The statement seemed rather strange to me at first. Upon reflection, though, I understood what my colleague was saying: Difference is uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and sometimes even unsafe.

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The AAVMC affirms the value of diversity within the veterinary medical profession. The membership is committed to incorporating that belief in its actions by advocating the recruitment and retention of underrepresented persons as students and faculty and ultimately fostering their success in veterinary medicine.

Contrary to societal trends, veterinary medicine remains one of the least diverse professions in the United States. However, our efforts to attract a student body that is more reflective of society as a whole have resulted in diversification of the applicant pool. The number of racially and/or ethnically underrepresented students currently is about 20 percent of total enrollment. That figure continues to grow and has increased substantially since the 2005 launch of the DiVersity Matters initiative.

To achieve results, we conduct career fairs, disseminate information about veterinary career options, work to generate interest in veterinary medicine, present at key diversity meetings and conferences, and help lead students through the application process.

The AAVMC has been a champion of equality since its inception. Explore some of the links below that detail some of our many programs in diversity and inclusion and glimpses of some of the successes we have achieved over the years.

Diversity and Inclusion on Air:

Conversations about Diversity, Inclusion & Veterinary Medicine

In fall of 2015, AAVMC launched Diversity & Inclusion on Air: Conversations about Diversity, Inclusion & Veterinary Medicine.

Although there has been in an increase in the amount of diversity programming hosted by AAVMC, its member institutions and student organizations, there is still a dearth of available programming within the veterinary profession. Diversity & Inclusion on Air has changed this by delivering more diversity programming to a wider veterinary audience. The program regularly covers a wide range of topics and features guests from across the profession and beyond.

The podcast produces new episodes on a regular basis through YouTube and Soundcloud, and each show features engaging interviews on a wide range of diversity and inclusion topics. During special live-casts of the show, [participants and viewers are able to access the program on YouTube, post questions, engage in a chat room during the program. Audio only versions will also be available via most podcast applications, such as iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.

The "on air" feature allows us to include international members, which is a high priority for AAVMC, and the YouTube feature allows for broader access by members of the profession including possible usage by faculty to augment any diversity content in classes.

The Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine certificate program at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine will also count viewing or listening of the Diversity and Inclusion on Air podcast as meeting the "attending a diversity program" requirement, provided participants complete the accompanying summary.

Below you will find links to the YouTube page as well as the podcast channel on SoundCloud.

Organizational Assessment Tools

These organizational and meeting assessment tools can help you improve your culture and your conferences.

AAVMC DiVersity Matters Climate Survey

When "Climate" Change Might be a Good Thing
Assessing and Enhancing Diversity in Academic Environments
The AAVMC periodically conducts a climate survey to assess the state of organizational culture on campus with respect to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). See the most recent results below:

Map of CVM's and Minority Serving Institutions

In an effort to promote recruitment, collaboration, and increased access and opportunity for underrepresented students, AAVMC has created the interactive map above featuring locations of colleges of veterinary medicine and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

The visualization shows existing relationships between colleges of veterinary medicine and MSIs, as well as the numerous MSI institutions where colleges, veterinary organizations and individual veterinary professionals can foster relationships that strengthen pathways to careers in veterinary medicine for underrepresented students.

You may also view a full-page version of the map.

Greenhill, L. M., & Carmichael, K. P. (2014). Survey of College Climates at All 28 US Colleges and Schools of Veterinary Medicine: Preliminary Findings. Journal of veterinary medical education, 41(2), 111-121.

For more information about the AAVMC DiVersity Matters Climate Survey, please contact Lisa Greenhill at lgreenhill@aavmc.org.

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DIVERSITY - DiVersity Matters The AAVMC affirms the value of diversity within the veterinary medical profession. The membership is committed to incorporating that belief in its actions by advocating the recruitment and retention of underrepresented persons as students and faculty and ultimately fostering their success in veterinary medicine.

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Visualizing Health Equity: One Size Does Not Fit All Infographic

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Download and share this image to #PromoteHealthEquity, which means a fair and just opportunity for all.

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July 2021

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A new music service with official albums, singles, videos, remixes, live performances and more for Android, iOS and desktop. It's all here.

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21-Day Racial Equity Challenge — America & Moore

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In 1996, America & MOORE, LLC was established to provide comprehensive diversity and leadership trainings, workshops, keynotes and consultation for schools, businesses, colleges and universities. After 20 years, our list of challenging and action-oriented sessions includes, but is not limited to White Women Teaching Black Boys, The N!gga(er) Word, America Is Changing: Are You Ready?, The Personal Achievement Gap, #Zero2Hero: An Addiction and Success Story, White Privilege 101, Diversity, Power, Leadership & Moore. Founder, Dr. Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers, educators and consultants, especially for his work with students K-16.
Dr. Moore is co-founder of the on-line journal Understanding and Dismantling Privilege, co-editor of Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories and the forthcoming book, A White Women’s Guide to Teaching Black Boys. Dr. Moore received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in Education Leadership. His PhD research is on Black Football Players at D3 Schools in the Midwest. (T): @eddieknowsmoore | (IG): eddiemoorejr

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Racism is a public health issue, and every sector of society has a role to play in finding a cure. Here's what we're doing ...

The AAVMC has been a champion of equality since its inception. Explore some of the links below that detail some of our many programs in diversity and inclusion and glimpses of some of the successes we have achieved over the years.

Diversity and Inclusion on Air

On this special episode of Diversity and Inclusion on Air, Drs. Cara Williams, Tyra Davis, Tierra Price and Michael Blackwell sit down to talk about being Black and being veterinarians. They share personal and sometimes painful experiences and realities and how they cope with racism. In the end, they are hopeful that this moment in our history leads to meaningful change.

Some Important Data ...

Thanks to a deep commitment on the part of the AAVMC and its member institutions to increase diversity and inclusion in academic veterinary medicine, substantial progress has been made in increasing the level of underrepresented minority populations seeking careers in veterinary medicine.

Organizational Assessment Tools

These organizational and meeting assessment tools can help you improve your culture and your conferences.

FASHP Statements

FASHP Statements Most members of the Federation of Associations of the Health Professions (FASHP) have issued a statement denouncing racism and affirming their positions on diversity and inclusion, according to CEO Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe, who is also president of FASHP. Click here to view excerpts of statements from other FASHP organizations.

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Racism is a public health issue, and every sector of society has a role to play in finding a cure. Here's what we're doing ... The AAVMC has been a champion of equality since its inception.

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AVMA policy on diversity and inclusion

The AVMA is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the profession of veterinary medicine so that we can best serve the animals, the public, and our members. Our goal is to mirror the growing diversity of the communities we serve and to promote an understanding of their varied needs. To this end, we are committed to actively promoting and maintaining diversity and inclusion in our membership, leadership, and organization, and educating our members regarding the value of diversity and inclusion. This commitment embraces the value of the many areas of the veterinary profession, and the value of our members' and their clients' varied backgrounds, including but not limited to race; ethnicity; physical and mental abilities; gender; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; parental, marital, or pregnancy status; religious or political beliefs; military or veteran status; and geographic, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds.

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Diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine

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The AVMA is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the profession of veterinary medicine so that we can best serve the animals, the public, and our members. Our goal is to mirror the growing diversity of the communities we serve and to promote an understanding of their varied needs.

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DEI Definitions Please send suggestions/additions to miacarydvm@gmail.com. Ally An ally is someone from an overrepresented or nonmarginalized group who uses their privilege to advocate for someone in an underrepresented or marginalized group. They transfer the benefits of their privilege to thos...

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Talks, people, playlists, topics, and events about "diversity and inclusion" on TED.com

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Introduction What Is Social Justice? Communal Agreements Icebreaker: Respect Activity Activities: Introducing Identity: "My Fullest Name" Understanding Privilege and Systems of Power: "Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" Gender and Sexuality Workshop: Creating Gender-Free Nouns Race and Ethnicity: Diversity Profile Intersection Identity and Privilege: Crossing the Line Recap and Closing Activity Closing and Recommended Resources
Introduction

This toolkit is meant for anyone who feels there is a lack of productive discourse around issues of diversity and the role of identity in social relationships, both on a micro (individual) and macro (communal) level. Perhaps you are a teacher, youth group facilitator, student affairs personnel or manage a team that works with an underserved population. Training of this kind can provide historical context about the politics of identity and the dynamics of power and privilege or help build greater self-awareness.

The following activities are intended for groups of 10 to 60 people. For larger groups, you can break into multiple sessions with additional facilitators to ensure the conversations and activities remain focused. The diversity toolkit outlined here may be used as a guideline and can be modified to better fit your group's unique needs.

A note on facilitators: Facilitators should be well versed in the topics and themes we will be discussing, but they do not need to be experts. This workshop is organized as a popular education activity where the majority of the outcomes are learned from the experiences and knowledge of the individuals participating rather than a teacher/student relationship.

Facilitator Sensitivity

Facilitators will be experiencing and addressing the feelings that come with confronting participants' notions of identity, privilege, race and sexuality. Some participants may be required to attend this workshop (through work or school, etc.), so facilitators should be clear that participants are there because these are issues that affect everyone and that there will not be personal judgment of anyone's feelings about a particular issue. Facilitators should remind participants that:

Facilitators should emphasize that what is shared during the workshop is private and confidential. Participants can talk about how the workshop affected them personally and what they learned generally, but they should respect the privacy of the personal information of the other participants.

What Is Social Justice? Setting a Stage for Discussion

Before beginning, it's important that everyone have a basic understanding of two core concepts related to privilege and identity. This will allow everyone to start the conversations on the same page and ensure that the participants have a foundation upon which to build future knowledge.

The first core concept is culture, which is:

The second core concept is identity, which is:

Everyone Has Many Identities

Age, gender, religious or spiritual affiliation, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status are all identities. Some identities are things people can see easily (like race or assumed gender), while other identities are internalized and are not always easy to see (like a disability, socioeconomic status or education level). There are two types of identities that need to be defined in order to spark a discussion on social justice. The first type deals with identities that are part of a majority status - or "agent" - while the second includes identities that are part of the minority status - or "target."

Agent: Members of dominant social groups privileged by birth or acquisition who knowingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of the target groups.

Target: Members of social identity groups who are discriminated against, marginalized, disenfranchised, oppressed, exploited by an oppressor and oppressor's system of institutions without identity apart from the target group, and compartmentalized in defined roles.

After participants understand the difference between agent and target groups, the facilitator can begin a discussion on oppression. The key features of oppression are:

But remember:

When the facilitator talks about these concepts with the group, it is helpful to start with an understanding that everyone experienced being a target or agent at some point in their lives. This helps create a dialogue of understanding. This is not to say that some target statuses are more salient (for example, people can see I am a woman, or a Black woman, before they even speak with me) and others may be easier to conceal (for example, if I am lesbian). But each creates a burden on the individual and each has its own set of challenges to overcome.

Communal Agreements

Before initiating any activity, it is critical that the group builds communal agreements. Rather than naming these "rules" that are then placed upon the group, we will call these "agreements" because these are the guidelines built by the group that all members agree to follow during the course of the workshop. Once an agreement has been put forward, the facilitator should then ask for a definition of what that agreement means to ensure that there is a communal language. Below are several suggested agreements.

Icebreaker: Respect Activity

Source: Critical Multicultural Pavilion

Ask participants to find someone in the room they don't know and make an introduction. Talk for five to 10 minutes about respect. What does it mean to you to "show respect?" How do you show respect to others? After the allotted time, ask all participants to sit and open the discussion. How did people define respect? What were some of the core concepts discussed?

Common responses will likely include:

All responses are worthy of reflection in terms of their cultural and hegemonic influences. Ask participants where their ideas of respect come from and whom they are meant to protect. If the group raises any of the common responses above, challenge them to answer the following questions:

The point of the discussion is to reflect critically on assumptions and socializations regarding respect. The point is not to agree and to learn from each other's differences.

This activity helps to establish a basis of respect within the group, helping the participants take the first steps toward creating and maintaining a constructive discussion of social justice and equity. At the very least, participants meet someone new and exchange ideas with that person. The group also gets its first look at the similarities and differences between participants, potentially in ways that reflect privilege and power.

Activity One: Introduction Identity

Definition
Everyone has a personal and social identity. Personal identities include an individual's name, unique characteristics, history, personality and other traits that make one different from others. Social identity includes affinities one has with other people, values and norms that one accepts, and the ways one has learned to behave in social settings.

Objective
The following activity is particularly useful when working with participants who don't know one another very well. The goal of this activity is to warm up participants to sharing about themselves and start revealing a bit about each participant's background.

Materials
Markers and 8-by-10-inch sheets of paper folded horizontally.

Instructions
Write out your fullest name and tell your story. On the back of the piece of paper write the top three identities you feel closest to. The facilitator encourages participants to go around the circle to share any meanings, significance, culture, significant ancestors and the top three identities they hold dearest. Everyone will have a chance to share and be heard by the group.

Suggested questions if participants need help getting started:

Facilitators should encourage students to be creative. Make it clear that it is acceptable to write poetry, list adjectives that describe them, include humor, etc.

If your group is large, break into diverse small groups of five or six to make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their story. Ask for volunteers to get the group started and tell participants they can share their stories from memory, or read them.
Facilitator Notes

Discussion
When everyone has shared, ask participants how it felt to share their stories. Why is this activity important? What did you learn?

Activity Two: Understanding Privilege and Systems of Power

Activity
"Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"

Objective
The objective of this activity is to confront entrenched systems of power and privilege, and identify common situations when privilege is not acknowledged, to the detriment of the disadvantaged and oppressed.

Discussion
What is privilege? We all have privileges. What are yours? Were you surprised by any of the privileges you found in your invisible knapsack?

Activity Three: Gender and Sexuality

Group Definition
Have the group describe what they believe to be the definition of the terms "gender" and "sexuality."

Objective
The objective of this activity is to reconsider male-gendered nouns that we consider "generic." Generating gender-free nouns and pronouns will help participants incorporate more inclusive language in their daily speech and writing.

Instructions
Break participants into small groups and give them a printout of the chart below. Instruct participants to convert the suffixes of the nouns into gender-free, inclusive terms by changing the noun root word or substituting a non-gender-specific root word from another language. Tell participants that since male endings are so pervasive, it is OK to invent new words by replacing the endings of existing words with something non-gendered.

Discussion Questions
The facilitator should ask the following questions of the group while also encouraging them to share personal experiences that speak to their point. What are characteristics of what society believes a [woman/man/girl/boy] should be? What are the norms for appearance/behavior? What happens when someone falls outside of this norm? How do the words we use influence the way we think about certain professions?

Activity Four: Race and Ethnicity

Definition
Race is a social construction that has real consequences and effects. Race is colloquially used to refer to a person's skin color, religion or area of origin (e.g., Black, Jewish or African). Technically, however, race is based on national origin, sociocultural groups and self-identification. The U.S. government, including the Census Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, does not attempt to identify race according to biology, anthropology or genetics. Religious belief is not considered a race, but can be a factor in identifying one's sociocultural group. (For a full explanation of how each racial category is defined, refer to the U.S. Census About Race page). In a historical context, race has played a large part in how our society has evolved, and it shapes the way we see others and how we experience our lives. (For more on race from a historical perspective, read " A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America," by Ronald Takaki.)

Objective
The objective of this activity is to help participants take stock of the multicultural diversity in their lives. It should help participants get a clear image of how diverse or homogenous their surroundings are and identify ways to improve their exposure to multiculturalism on a daily basis.

Instructions
Fill in the appropriate boxes:

Activity Five: Intersectional Identity and Privilege

Activity
Crossing The Line

Objective
The purpose of this activity is to explore the diversity among the members of our community. How a person identifies can affect many facets of his or her life. We will use this activity to get to know one another on a deeper level. What are our values, backgrounds, and visible and invisible labels? This activity requires everyone to step outside of his or her comfort zone. Participants being vulnerable can help the group learn more about the identities they do not share.

Instructions
Have all participants line up in a straight line facing the facilitator. If the room is too small to have each participant standing shoulder to shoulder, an alternative is to have the group stand in a circle and step into the circle. The facilitator should explain that they will read a statement. If the statement describes you, then silently step across the line. Everyone should quietly notice who stepped across the line and who did not. After a moment, the facilitator will thank those who stepped forward and will then have everyone step back in line.

Discussion
Activity Six: Recap and Closing Activity

This toolkit was designed to address human issues that everyone faces and help participants recognize how they can better understand and work toward solving, or at least improving, these issues. Participants were often forced to confront socialized and entrenched notions of privilege, identity and social justice. Anything that was difficult to confront during the training will be even more difficult to confront in practice, but if these were easily solvable issues, they wouldn't be issues for long. Participants should feel better equipped with newfound knowledge and empathy, and prepared to apply the lessons they learned in their own lives and communities.

Objective
To practice giving positive feedback and to have participants leave the workshop feeling energized.

Instructions
Have participants mingle randomly in a large group and then instruct them to stop and share with the person in front of them one way in which that person "shined" during the workshop. Repeat several times so that each person gets feedback and support from different people in the group. If there are an odd number of participants, the facilitator should address the odd person out each time.

Completing this training is not the end, but merely the beginning. Hopefully, this toolkit has helped to create new understanding among your participants. Individuals should have learned about their own identity and of those around them, as well as the implications of socially constructed labels and stereotypes of an individual's experience. Those interested in this type of work may be interested in a career in social work, facilitation, advocacy or sociology. At the end of the training, facilitators should be prepared to provide additional resources for participants who want to learn more about issues of identity, power and privilege. Below we cite several resources to help you get started.

Recommended Resources

Resources for Additional Activities

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Citation for this content: The MSW@USC, the online Master of Social Work program at the University of Southern California.

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Diversity Toolkit: A Guide to Discussing Identity, Power and Privilege

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This training is meant for anyone who feels there is a lack of productive discourse around issues of diversity and the role of identity in social relationships, both on a micro (individual) and macro (communal) level.

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The Genderbread Person | Gender Revolution

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Heard the term "implicit bias" but not totally sure what it means? Interested in reading the seminal studies? Just like TedTalks? Animated videos? This is the place for you...

Want to take an implicit association test? Visit Project Implicit - it only takes ten minutes!

Scholarship

Guides & Reports

Real World Consequences

Bertrand, M. & Mullainathan, S., , 4 Are Emily and Greg more employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A field experiment on labor market discrimination Am. Econ. Rev.94 (2003).

Hugenberg, K. & Bodenhausen, G., ,FACING PREJUDICE: Implicit Prejudice and the Perception of Facial Threat 6 Psych. Sci.14 (2003).

Milkman, K. et al., , 100 What Happens Before? A Field Experiment Exploring How Pay and Representation Differentially Shape Bias on the Pathway into Organizations J. Applied Psych. 1678 (2015).

McConnell, A. & Leibold, J., Relations among the Implicit Association Test, Discriminatory Behavior, and Explicit Measures of Racial Attitudes, 37 J. Exp. Soc. Psych.435 (2001).

Reeves, A., et al., Written in Black and White, (Nextions 2014).

Rooth, D., Implicit Discrimination in Hiring: Real World Evidence, IZA DP. No. 2764 (2007).

Rudman, L. & Glick, P., Prescriptive Gender Stereotypes and Backlash Toward Agentic Women, 57 J. Soc. Sci.743 (2002).

Steinpreis, R., et al., , 41 The Impact of Gender on the Review of the Curricula Vitae of Job Applicants and Tenure Candidates: A National Empirical Study Sex Roles509 (1999).

Unkelbach, C., et al., The Turban Effect: The Influence of Muslim Headgear and Induced Affect on Aggressive Responses in the Shooter Bias Paradigm, 44 J. Exp. Soc. Psych. 1409 (2008).

Countermeasures

Capers, Q., Clinchot, D., McDougle, L., & Greenwald, A.G., Implicit racial bias in medical school admissions, Acad. Med. (2016).

Dasgupta, N. & Asgari, S., Seeing is Believing: Exposure to Counterstereotypic Women Leaders and its Effect on the Malleability of Automatic Gender Stereotyping , 40 J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 642 (2004).

Goldin, C. & Rouse, C., Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of "Blind" Auditions on Female Musicians , 90 Am. Econ. Rev.715 (2000).

Parsons, C., et al., Strike Three: Discrimination, Incentives, and Evaluation , 101 Am. Econ. Rev. 1410 (2011).

Price, J. & Wolfers, J., Racial Discrimination Among NBA Referees , 125 Quarterly J. Econ. 1859 (2010).

Pope, D., et al., Awareness Reduces Racial Bias ,NBER Working Paper No. 19765 (2013).

Meta-analyses

Greenwald, AG., et al., Statistically small effects of the Implicit Association Test can have societally large effects , 108 J. Pers. & Soc. Psych. 553 (2015).

Oswald, Frederick L., et al., Predicting ethnic and racial discrimination: A meta-analysis of IAT criterion studies , 105J. Pers. & Soc. Psych.171 (2013).

Greenwald, AG., et al., Understanding and using the Implicit Association Test: III. Meta-analysis of predictive validity , 97J. Pers. & Soc. Psych.17 (2009) [non-technical summary ]

The General Campus Faculty Demographics Dashboard provides 5 years of data on the gender and racial/ethnic composition of UCLA faculty (Senate and non-Senate). Users have the option to filter the data by School/Division, Department, Academic Series, and Title.

The Non-Academic Staff Demographics Dashboard provides 10 years of data on the gender and racial/ethnic composition of non-academic staff at UCLA. Data are presented as headcounts and FTE (full-time equivalents) counts. Users have the option to filter by Year, Personnel Subcategory, School/Organizational Unit, and Department.

Student Enrollments charts and data tables reflect the declared majors of enrolled students at the end of the third week of a term. Enrollments are reported as fall term snapshots and three-quarter averages (averaged across fall, winter, and spring quarters of an academic year).

Undergraduate Admissions charts and data tables provide information on freshman and transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees.

The Leadership Demographics Dashboard provides 9 years of data on the gender and racial/ethnic composition of UCLA Department Chairs, Deans, and Senior Administrators.

Student Enrollments charts and data tables reflect the declared majors of enrolled students at the end of the third week of a term. Enrollments are reported as fall term snapshots and three-quarter averages (averaged across fall, winter, and spring quarters of an academic year).

Undergraduate Admissions charts and data tables provide information on freshman and transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees.

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Heard the term "implicit bias" but not totally sure what it means? Interested in reading the seminal studies? Just like TedTalks? Animated videos? This is the place for you... Want to take an implicit...

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Radical Candor - Kim Scott

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American Association

of Veterinarians of Indian Origin

American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin (AAVIO) is established to provide a forum for medical, educational, cultural, and social interaction among its members.

Know More

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American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin

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American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin (AAVIO) is established to provide a forum for medical, educational, cultural, and social interaction among its members. Know More

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https://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/inclusive-leader-book/assessment

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Dr. Ron Young, Founder and Board Chair of . Ron specializes in psychological coaching & transition consulting.
In the business world, do we require people from different cultures to act American? We do not. Instead, organizations provide cross-cultural awareness so that communication between cultures can happen.

Companies are learning about the benefits of understanding different worldviews. Best practices in diversity, equity and inclusion continue to evolve, and the number of protected classes continues to increase. As organizations move toward more inclusive workplaces, I believe they should acknowledge and celebrate another type of diversity: neurodiversity.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines diverge as "to move or extend in different directions from a common point." Neurodiverse individuals' worldviews and behaviors diverge from common, mainstream social norms and societal institutions.

Neurotypical norms are not the only valid way to be. Rather, neurological differences should be recognized and respected as a natural part of human diversity, like race, gender or sexual orientation. As a psychological coach, I use assessments to identify how individual needs and behaviors differ so that people can experience mutual understanding and respect.

The Neurodivergent Brain

Research finds that around 15% to 20% of the population is neurodivergent and that neurodivergent brains work differently than neurotypical brains. A report published by the Cleveland Clinic states that differences may be found in social preferences, ways of perceiving the environment and ways of communicating.

Neurodivergent individuals may have brain structure, function or chemistry variations that can affect their cognition, behavior and sensory processing. Neurodivergent brains, specifically the brains of those with autism, tend to have more gray matter than neurotypical brains. In an article from NIH's National Center for Biotechnology Information, Palau-Baduell, et al. (2012) found that patterns of connectivity in autistic brains differ from those in neurotypical brains.

The neurodivergent brain is hyperaware, allowing more sensory input and taking in more data. Neural pathways in the neurodivergent mind fire more rapidly and frequently than in the neurotypical mind. It constantly scans and processes the internal and external environment and creates connections between these data points. If data points were stars, the neurodivergent mind creates new constellations.

Privilege And Unconscious Bias

When trying to communicate with neurotypicals, neurodivergent people encounter two cultural barriers.

The double empathy problem refers to the difficulty that neurodivergent people have in understanding and empathizing with neurotypical individuals and the parallel difficulty that neurotypical individuals have in understanding and empathizing with individuals with autism. It is a two-way issue.

Neurotypical privilege is the unique and unearned advantage afforded to those with the most common cognitive expression. It is wrongly assumed that neurotypical communication styles are superior because they are the majority. But common does not mean superior; rare can be valuable. Based on evidence from their lives, many experts believe that Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Vincent Van Gogh and Thomas Jefferson were neurodivergent. Their unique way of thinking allowed them to make scientific breakthroughs, create beautiful art, write the Declaration of Independence and develop the theory of relativity.

Closing The Gap In Communication

The path forward requires leveling the playing field by acknowledging the fact that neurodivergent people often have different communication styles than neurotypical people. By recognizing and adapting to these different communication styles, we can avoid misunderstandings, build trust and foster better connections with those around us.

In my observation, small talk, humor, sarcasm and gossip may be misunderstood by neurodivergent people. It's better to ask specific (not open-ended) questions and to clearly state your feelings, leaving nothing to interpretation.

Keep instructions short and precise, and prioritize them in order of importance. Ensure understanding of assignment parameters, priorities, time, precision, innovation and robustness. When neurodivergent people start an assignment, they may discover new inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and unintended consequences, so encourage frequent communication, like reaching out with additional questions.

When scheduling time for a critical discussion with neurodivergent individuals, provide an itinerary in advance. Essential conversations can lead to heightened emotions and charged wording. Promote the best outcomes by stating communication goals and desired feedback. Clearly state the reasoning and context for the conversation. Be very direct, but use neutral delivery.

Why This Is Important

The unique and unusual strengths of neurodivergent people enable them to visualize, think and solve problems differently than neurotypicals. They bring other valuable strengths to a team, like attention to detail, analytical thinking and creativity. Embracing neurodivergence on your team also limits groupthink.

Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, neurodiversity is a protected class. Best practices in DEI require addressing equity and inclusion with neurodivergent individuals just as much as with race, religion, gender, national origin, etc.

Neurotypical communication styles are not superior just because they are the majority. Neurodivergent styles are different but not deficient. Awareness of this protects against the double empathy problem and neurotypical privilege, which contribute to the lack of mutual understanding between neurotypicals and the neurodiverse.

The path forward requires leveling the playing field by embracing these different communication styles, fostering empathy and redefining leadership models to accommodate more perspectives. Effective leaders will emphasize and leverage the strengths of neurodivergent individuals to bring value to the organization.

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

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Council Post: Neurodivergence And Diversity, Equity And Inclusion

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As organizations move toward more inclusive workplaces, I believe they should acknowledge and celebrate another type of diversity: neurodiversity.

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Created in 2019, “The Look” uses historical references and contemporary stories to highlight the bias experienced by Black men in America. The film helps to build empathy, change perspectives, prompt personal introspection, and bring people together for conversation.

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OpenDyslexic is a typeface designed against some common symptoms of dyslexia. If you like the way you are able to read this page, and others, then this typeface is for you!

OpenDyslexic is free to use: The newest version of OpenDyslexic now uses the SIL-OFL license, giving you freedom to use it for personal use, business use, education, commercial, books, ebook readers, applications, websites, and any other project or purpose you need.
Download Now Get Resources

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OpenDyslexic is a typeface designed against some common symptoms of dyslexia. If you like the way you are able to read this page, and others, then this typeface is for you!

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Mapping

We strive to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world in a way that goes beyond colonial ways of thinking in order to better represent how Indigenous people want to see themselves.

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Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. We welcome you to our site.

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How to Use Your Privilege to Even the Playing Field

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How to Use Your Privilege to Even the Playing Field

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Broker introductions. To you, a friend is exactly that: a friend. To someone else, that same person could be the key to a job, promotion, or opportunity

Be a mentor (or sponsor). If you are in a position to influence project assignment or promotion decisions, make sure that the good people - and not just the visible people - are considered, recognized, and rewarded.

Ensure that everyone can participate equally in conversations. If you find yourself talking a lot and someone else not saying anything at all, consider introducing a topic that everyone can contribute to

Help others be seen and heard. If you hear a good idea from someone who does not typically speak up, or witness good work from someone who is not typically visible, be doubly sure that others hear it, know about it, and give credit where credit is due.

Rotate the non-glamorous work. To prevent non-promotable tasks from disproportionately falling upon women or people of color, consider taking turns so that the load is shared.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here.

Think about your average day at work. How many of the following questions can you answer with "yes"?

1) Did you know someone at your organization (especially high up) on your first day?

2) Do you feel welcome at work without changing how you naturally speak or look?

3) Does speaking up - and being heard and getting credit for your ideas- come effortlessly to you?

Now, try answering these questions again, but from the perspective of a coworker who is having an easier time at work than you, or more challenging time at work than you. Compared to your answers, how many more or fewer times might they be able to answer "yes"?

Though an imperfect proxy, the number of times you can answer "yes" compared to your coworker says a lot about who has relatively more privilege at work.

Yes, privilege.

What does it mean to have privilege?

The word "privilege" may appear antagonistic, but the dictionary definition is actually more subtle. It's "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group."

Having privilege doesn't mean you're a bad person. It just means that the playing field is tilted in your favor.

Take the case of the three questions above.

1) Someone who answers "yes" to question #1 is a new hire who already knows someone high up in their organization. This person has an advantage over other new employees because they know someone who can introduce them to important decision makers, navigate the workplace culture, and give them tips around how to succeed.

Anyone who has this kind of "guardian angel" has more access to opportunities for growth, whereas others may not even know those opportunities exist.

2) Someone who answers "yes" to question #2 is an employee who has the ability to show up at work without feeling compelled to change how they authentically speak or look. This person is able to spend more of their time and mental energy thinking about their work as opposed to how they might be coming across to their colleagues.

They feel no need to defy stereotypes about their race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, dis/ability, religion, age, class, nationality, physical appearance, accent, vocal pitch, language proficiency, degree of introversion or extroversion, cultural customs, educational background, or upbringing.

They feel no need to "fit in" or prove themselves over and over again. As a result, they have an advantage. Their only job is to do their job. They aren't burdened with the extra work of performing for the majority demographic.

3) Someone who answers "yes" to question #3 finds it effortless to speak up, be heard, and be remembered. Now, imagine contributing to every bit of small talk without running out of things to say. Imagine speaking your mind without the burden of imposter syndrome. Imagine people seeing you, hearing you, and respecting you just because you are you.

The first two privileges only enhance this third one. If you inherently "fit in," then this is probably your reality. To you, the workplace feels inclusive (not isolating), work events are fun (not a chore), meetings are easy (not a struggle), and being recognized is normal (not a constant fight).

Sure, skill and effort are factors. The more effective you are at networking, public speaking, and navigating the unspoken rules of the workplace, the more successful you will be at building allies and getting heard.

But that doesn't change the fact that the playing field isn't level. Small advantages early on can build and build and build, making it increasingly challenging for someone without this running start to catch up. Think of it this way:

For whom is it easiest to inherit friends in high places? Someone who grew up rubbing shoulders with the insiders, whether through a prior (elite) job, (elite) school, or (elite) social group.

For whom is it easiest to be one's authentic self at work? Someone who looks like, talks like, and/or has the same backgrounds, interests, and/or identities as their coworkers.

For whom is it easiest to speak up? Someone who is confident.

For whom is confidence the easiest to come by? Someone who is an insider - especially the one with friends in high places.

For whom is it easiest to be heard and be credited for their ideas? Someone who "fits in" with the majority.

My point is: privilege compounds.

How can you level the playing field?

Recall that privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." The key word here is "granted." Privilege can be shared. But it can only be shared by someone who already has it. Privilege cannot be willed into existence by someone who lacks it.

That's why it's so important for those who are in a position of privilege to a) recognize their position and b) use their position for good.

If this is you, what can you do to level the playing field? Here are five ways to start:

Broker introductions.

To you, a friend is exactly that: a friend. To someone else, that same person could be the key to a job, promotion, or opportunity. A quick, "I'd love to introduce you to ______ given that you're both interested in ______" can often be all it takes to help someone build their network and unlock opportunities for themselves. And if you are in a position to influence how onboarding is done, consider offering every new hire a buddy to help them acclimate to their new environment.

Be a mentor (or sponsor).

No matter how inexperienced you may be, there is always someone even more inexperienced (or who feels that way). An equally quick, "I'd love to learn more about what you're working on" is often all you need to turn silence into dialogue. And if you are in a position to influence project assignment or promotion decisions, make sure that the good people - and not just the visible people - are considered, recognized, and rewarded.

One way is to navigate this situation is to ask, "How did we come up with this list?" when you are in a meeting where candidates are being considered for a certain opportunity. If you hear an awkward silence followed by, "Uhh ... because they came to mind first," see if there may be someone else who isn't as loud or popular who may be just as, if not more, qualified. Their name might be unjustly missing from the table because they don't look like, talk like, or think like everyone else in the group - but are no less competent and committed.

Ensure that everyone can participate equally in conversations.

Small talk that's enjoyable to you could be exclusionary to someone else. If you find yourself talking a lot and someone else not saying anything at all, consider introducing a topic that everyone can contribute to.

Conversations about your alma mater or favorite sports team can be fun if everyone went to the same school or follows the same sports, but they can also be anxiety-provoking for those who can't relate. If you find yourself speaking more frequently than others, consider pausing to give others room to contribute. While you're at it, try speaking in plain English over dropping lingo or inside jokes that only a few will understand.

Help others be seen and heard.

It can be easy for a group to assume that if someone speaks a lot, every idea they talk about is their own. Misattributing good ideas not only further perpetuates privilege, but also discourages those who are less comfortable raising their voices from speaking up. If you hear a good idea or see good work, amplify it so that people hear it and know about it.

If you hear a good idea from someone who does not typically speak up, or witness good work from someone who is not typically visible, be doubly sure that others hear it, know about it, and give credit where credit is due. And if others' gaze naturally falls back to you, consider sharing the spotlight, whether by allowing someone less visible to send out that email, sit near the front of that conference table, deliver that presentation, and/or answer that question.

Rotate the non-glamorous.

It's hard to be visible when you are stuck doing "office housework" - taking notes, planning events, or completing other tasks that aren't core to your job. While every employee has to do housework from time-to-time to prove that they can take on more serious responsibilities, there is a difference between assigning it as a short-term stepping stone and assigning it to the same groups time and again. That is when this kind of "housework" turns into a long-term shackle. Unfortunately, women are 29% more likely than men to report doing this these kind of chores.

To prevent non-promotable tasks from disproportionately falling upon women or people of color who tend to be "voluntold" more for office housework - and penalized more when they say "no" - consider taking turns so that the load is shared. The next time your boss asks your colleague to take notes during the team meeting or call in the lunch order, consider doing your part.

In the end, leveling the playing field isn't just about doing good. It's also about doing well - by building a higher-performing team. It's hard to imagine how any organization can reach its full potential without including everyone and rewarding the best work. If you've ever found your employer saying that your workplace's most valuable resource is its people, then contributing to a more level playing field can be a great way to invest in that resource.

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How to Use Your Privilege to Even the Playing Field

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Broker introductions. To you, a friend is exactly that: a friend. To someone else, that same person could be the key to a job, promotion, or opportunity Be a mentor (or sponsor). If you are in a position to influence project assignment or promotion decisions, make sure that the good people - and not just the visible people - are considered, recognized, and rewarded.

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The Bystander Effect | The Science of Empathy

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A career in veterinary medicine is possible.

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Veterinary Medicine is one of the least diverse professions in the United States.

Pawsibilities Vet Med is a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups into the veterinary profession.

Our vision

To actively increase the diversity of the veterinary profession
through a novel pipeline approach to recruitment and retention.

Our strategy

To provide mentors and mentees with a long-term competitive
advantage by using our values-driven approach to mentorship and equipping this community of leaders with the tools necessary to ensure long-term
sustainable success.

Who is Pawsibilities for?

Pre-veterinary students, veterinary students, veterinary technician students, veterinary technicians, and veterinarians from underrepresented backgrounds.

We aim to increase diversity based on disability status, ethnicity, gender, non-traditional path, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, and veteran status.

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Join us! Veterinary Medicine is one of the least diverse professions in the United States. Pawsibilities Vet Med is a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups into the veterinary profession. About us Get involved! How will we do this?

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Consider the following questions in the context of your current workplace. Or if you are currently in a career transition, consider the questions as they relate to a previous work environment.

1. Is there a publicly posted anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy?

2. Has the current staff team been trained on the workplace anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy?

3. Do all staff members know what to do if they hear a statement or see an action that does not align with workplace policies?

4. Is periodic training offered for all team members, so it is clear what types of behaviors are acceptable and what are not?

5. Does the workplace celebrate diverse holidays and months of focus?

6. Do the pictures on the walls mirror a diverse society?

7. Do the pictures and images on the website and social media channels mirror a diverse society?

8. Does the workplace have a gender-neutral restroom?

9. Are client materials offered in languages other than English?

10. Are team members encouraged to proactively share all languages that they can communicate in?

11. Do client forms contain gender neutral and inclusive wording (eg spouse/partner instead of husband/wife)?

12. Is including pronouns on name badges and email signatures offered?

13. Is feedback viewed as a gift by all team members?

14. Has the team reviewed and signed their support for the Gender Identity Bill of Rights ?

15. Does staff recruitment occur via a diverse variety of outlets (eg Black Chamber of Commerce)?

16. Does the workplace publicly post any symbols, such as the Pride flag, that signify a LGBTQ+ friendly workplace?

17. Is mentoring offered to all team members?

18. Are exit interviews offered to all employees as they leave the workplace?

If you answered no to more than four of the questions, then your organization likely has a workplace inclusivity problem.
You've Identified a Problem - Now What?
Regardless of role, career stage, and workplace setting, every team member can choose to be a leader and be part of the solution. Common characteristics of everyday leaders include:

Approaching challenges and new ideas with a growth mindset

Being adaptable in a constantly changing environment

Communicating with radical candor by speaking directly and caring deeply

Tap into your leadership strengths as well as the following resources to create a plan of attack to be part of the solution in creating a more inclusive workplace for yourself and those you serve.
Resources Brave Space Certificate Program Increasing workplace inclusion: The promise of leader-member exchange Multicultural Calendar 2021 Performative Allyship is Deadly PrideVMC Allyship Resources PrideVMC Gender Identity Bill of Rights (GIBOR)

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How Inclusive Is Your Workplace? Pic cred AirFocus on Unsplash Consider the following questions in the context of your current workplace. Or if you are currently in a career transition, consider the questions as they relate to a previous work environment. Is there a publicly posted

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Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals

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AAVMP Home | Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals

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Welcome to the Association of Asian Veterinary Professionals (AAVMP). Check out our Instagram @asiansinvetmed

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Connect with Black Veterinarians | BlackDVM Network

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BlackDVM Network is a networking community that serves as a safe space for Black veterinarians, technicians and assistants to connect, learn and empower one another.

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Established in 2020,The Black Veterinary Association of Canada (BVAC) was founded to be the unified voice of Canada's Black veterinary community. Historically, Canada's veterinary profession has not adequately reflected its cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. BVAC believes that diversity is crucial and beneficial to every society and that nations are truly enriched when their institutions and industries reflect the makeup of the peoples that they serve.

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What Drives Us

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a safe, diverse, and pluralistic space for Jewish Veterinary Students. We encourage social action and awareness of global and local issues, focusing on animal-related issues; provide continuing Jewish education and leadership opportunities; and exploring Judaism through veterinary outreach work.

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jewish veterinarian veterinary student csu colorado state jewish

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The Jewish Assosciation of Veterinarians

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What Drives Us Our mission is to provide a safe, diverse, and pluralistic space for Jewish Veterinary Students. We encourage social action and awareness of global and local issues, focusing on animal-related issues; provide continuing Jewish education and leadership opportunities; and exploring Judaism through veterinary outreach work.

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About The Latinx VMA

The Latinx Veterinary Medical Association was founded in February 2020 by Yvette Huizar and Juan S. Orjuela. Growing up, they experienced a lack of Latinx representation in the veterinary profession. The absence of role models and support made their journey in veterinary medicine challenging, and at times discouraging. They also observed how language and cultural barriers impacted client education and patient care. The Latinx VMA was created to form a community of Latinx excellence in veterinary medicine. Our community welcomes veterinarians, veterinary professionals, students, and clients. We are also proud to welcome allies that are invested in furthering our mission.

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Latinx Vet Medicine Community | Latinx Veterinary Medical Association

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The Latinx Veterinary Medical Association was founded in February 2020 by Yvette Huizar and Juan S. Orjuela. Growing up, they experienced a lack of Latinx representation in the veterinary profession. The absence of role models and support made their journey in veterinary medicine challenging, and at times discouraging.

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"The state of affairs for Blacks in Veterinary Medicine cannot continue on the current trajectory. The National Association for Black Veterinarians will work collectively toward a more diverse and inclusive profession for both current and future Black veterinarians."

Network

Join over 100 African-American current and future veterinarians in changing the face of veterinary medicine. Discover new opportunities, build partnerships, and join a community that will continue to flourish for years to come.

Learn

Our organization is committed to ensuring that its members are equipped to successfully compete in the field of veterinary medicine. Gain year-round access to professional development opportunities from veterinarians and other medical professionals across the country.

Explore

Through the Jr. NAVB and NAVB Undergrad divisions, high school and college students have a chance to explore the field of veterinary medicine and engage in ongoing mentorship and training.

2020 NABV 2nd Annual Conference
Meet us in Ohio!

Join us June 12-14, 2020 POSTPONED for our 2nd annual conference in partnership with the Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine! This year's event will be themed, "Bridging and Building: Securing the Pipeline and Promoting Advancements in Animal Health". The conference will include several notable speakers, research presentations, a college and career fair, and more. Registration will open in January so SAVE THE DATES!!

We can't wait to see you there!

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National Association for Black Veterinarians - Just another WordPress site

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"The state of affairs for Blacks in Veterinary Medicine cannot continue on the current trajectory. The National Association for Black Veterinarians will work collectively toward a more diverse and inclusive profession for both current and future Black veterinarians." Network Join over 100 African-American current and future veterinarians in changing the face of veterinary medicine.

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Natives In Vet Med

https://nivm.org/

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What is VOICE?

VOICE is a student-run organization that seeks to increase awareness, respect, and sensitivity to differences among all individuals and communities in the field of veterinary medicine. VOICE also aims to celebrate diversity within our profession, to encourage campus environments that embrace diversity and promote the success of all students, and to emphasize the importance of cross-cultural awareness in veterinary medicine in order to meet the needs of our diversifying clientele. Lastly, in order to ensure a more diverse future for veterinary medicine, VOICE chapters provide leadership and mentorship to youth, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, who are interested in careers as veterinarians.

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In each of these regards, we feel that there is a gap in the curriculum of American veterinary colleges, and that it is therefore the duty of VOICE to partner with the colleges to fill this gap in the curriculum by offering promotional and financial support for educational, social, and service events that elevate the topics of diversity and inclusion in the discourse of our profession.

We aim to be an organized and unified student-led voice that contributes to the enhancement of diversity in the profession and to the cultural competence of veterinary students. We plan to work with the AVMA, SAVMA, and AAVMC regarding these issues as they relate to the veterinary profession.

A big thank you to our sponsors at Zoetis!

Zoetis (formally Pfizer Animal Health) is and has been a gracious sponsor to the national VOICE chapter, as well as to each school's individual VOICE chapters. We thank them for providing us with the opportunity to spread diversity awareness in our profession through funding for outreach events.
"We should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color." - Maya Angelou, American poet

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What is VOICE? VOICE is a student-run organization that seeks to increase awareness, respect, and sensitivity to differences among all individuals and communities in the field of veterinary medicine. VOICE also aims to celebrate diversity within our profession, to encourage campus environments that embrace diversity and promote the success of all students, and to emphasize...

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Enter the Code to Join & Vote on a Presentation - Mentimeter

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Enter the code from the Mentimeter presentation to join in and start voting. Make your voice heard!

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Pic cred: Matheus Ferrero
What is a critical attribute needed to lead today? A massive abundance of empathy .

And what is one of the best ways to build trust? Shared experiences.

With both of these facts in mind consider creating a moment of shared humanity and lightheartedness before jumping into your next meeting agenda. Or even better yet, create a standing initial meeting agenda item where sharing on a personal level is invited. Keep in mind some team members, including some of those that identify as fiery red (Insights) or dominant drivers (DiSC), may not be excited to participate in these quick shares. That is okay, let them pass.
Rules of Engagement

Invite a participant to pick a number between 1 and 232.

Use the list below to select the quick share prompt based on the number selected. Note some prompts are more serious, some are more lighthearted. An expanded list that is continually added to can be found here.

As folks introduce themselves (or say hello if already met) they are invited to also answer the selected prompt or question.

Anyone can pass at any time.

Go around once or more at the beginning of the meeting, when you come back from a break, and/or at the end of the meeting.

Humanizing Quick Share Prompts

1. What is one thing that brings you joy?

2. What is your favorite vegetable?

3. Who is one of your role models?

4. Favorite way to eat a potato?

5. Favorite color?

6. Ocean or mountain?

7. Favorite vacation spot?

8. Good book you've recently read?

9. Your walk-in song?

10. What is our claim to fame?

11. Your one song dance party song?

12. Favorite pasta?

13. Favorite vegetable?

14. Road trip or air travel?

15. Do you prefer US or international travel?

16. An early memory?

17. Cat or dog person?

18. Lake or ocean person?

19. What do your friends tell you that you're good at that surprises you?

20. Favorite swimming stroke?

21. Favorite cars game?

22. Favorite board game?

23. What is your favorite number, and why?

24. Favorite way to celebrate your birthday?

25. What is the best thing that happened to you last week?

26. When is your birthday and how do you like to celebrate it?

27. Are you typically early or late?

28. Favorite spot to read?

29. Favorite TV show or series?

30. Favorite movie?

31. Are you a people watcher?

32. What do you hope never changes?

33. Favorite fruit?

34. Favorite dessert?

35. What is the best thing that happened to you last year?

36. Salty or sweet snacker?

37. Favorite salty snack?

38. Hard or soft pretzels?

39. What is one of your superpowers?

40. What do you have doubts about?

41. Favorite way to enjoy nature?

42. What is a risk worth taking?

43. Who inspires you to do better?

44. When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with?

45. What is your go-to system, tool, or app for managing tasks?

46. What is one way you manage stress?

47. What is something you've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to it?

48. Who is a favorite relative?

49. What is a leadership characteristic that inspires you?

50. What is a leadership style that inspires you?

51. What is your favorite color?

52. What is your dream car?

53. What do you take for granted?

54. What is a favorite way to relax?

55. What type of music do you enjoy?

56. What is one thing you are grateful for right now?

57. What is something a ton of people are obsessed with, but you just don't get the point of?

58. What question would you most like to know the answer to?

59. Why did you decide to do the work you are doing right now?

60. If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance of winning a medal for?

61. What gets you fired up?

62. When do you feel truly "alive"?

63. What is something you've been meaning to try but haven't gotten around to it?

64. One good thing that happened so far this year?

65. One thing you are looking forward to this week?

66. Favorite breakfast food?

67. What is your typical morning drink?

68. Do you prefer coffee or tea?

69. What is your favorite season?

70. What is your favorite holiday?

71. What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years?

72. What is the best thing that happened to you last month?

73. What is one of your traditions?

74. What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

75. What is the most impressive thing you know how to do?

76. What is the most annoying question that people ask you regularly?

77. Who is one person that inspires you?

78. If you didn't have to sleep what would you do with the extra time?

79. What could you give a 40 minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?

80. What is the favorite piece of clothing you own/owned?

81. Favorite superhero growing up?

82. A current challenge you are managing?

83. A current joy that is top of mind?

84. One thing that helps you to focus?

85. What is the most annoying habit other people have?

86. Do you prefer to exercise indoors or outdoors?

87. Favorite pie?

88. What do you hope never changes?

89. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

90. What would you rate 10/10?

91. Favorite type of cake?

92. Favorite dinner?

93. Favorite meal of the day?

94. Favorite way to cook/eat eggs?

95. Gum chewer or no?

96. Favorite beverage?

97. How many languages do you speak?

98. Where did you grow up?

99. Favorite place you have lived?

100. What job would you be terrible at?

101. Favorite place to drive to?

102. Dunkin' or Starbucks?

103. Pancakes or waffles?

104. Do you identify more as an introvert or extrovert?

105. Do you love or not love Humanizing Quick Shares?

106. Do you prefer to swim in salt water, fresh water, or neither?

107. Are you a joke teller? If so lay one on us.

108. A favorite road trip you've taken or are planning?

109. One item on your bucket list?

110. Favorite animal?

111. Favorite sea creature?

112. Do you currently have, or have you had in the past, a mentor or mentee?

113. Current pet situation?

114. What movie title describes your life?

115. A favorite pet from your childhood?

116. What are you absolutely determined to do?

117. Favorite sport to watch?

118. Favorite sport to play?

119. What is worth spending more on to get the best?

120. What type of art do you enjoy the most?

121. Are you a fast or slow driver?

122. Would you rather go hang gliding or whitewater rafting?

123. Are you the first or last to arrive at a party?

124. Are you first or last to leave a party?

125. Where would you spend all your time if you could?

126. What is one thing that recently inspired you?

127. Are you a risk taker?

128. What is the most heartwarming thing you have ever seen?

129. What website do you visit most often?

130. What skill do you want to master?

131. What is your definition of leadership?

132. Who has impressed you most with what they have accomplished?

133. What are you most likely to become famous for?

134. What takes up too much of your time?

135. For you, what is one aspect of a positive culture?

136. What is the most relaxing place you've ever been to?

137. What is one way your workplace walks the talk on being inclusive.

138. Do you listen to podcasts? If so, a favorite?

139. What do you wish to know more about?

140. Do you prefer dress shoes or tennis shoes?

141. How do you relax after a hard day's work?

142. What is the best way to start the day?

143. What age do you wish you could permanently be?

144. What have you only recently formed an opinion about?

145. What is one of your 'hot buttons'?

146. What is the luckiest thing that has happened to you?

147. What are some things you have had to unlearn?

148. Do you wear a watch?

149. What is your go-to time keeping device?

150. What app do you open the most often on your phone?

151. Have you ever played Pokemon Go?

152. What are some small things that make your day better?

153. What is your ideal way to spend the weekend?

154. What is the best single day on the calendar?

155. What is the biggest lesson you NEVER learned?

156. What celebrity sighting makes you smile to remember?

157. What is the best thing you got from a parent?

158. What do you spend the most time thinking about?

159. What do you want your epitaph to be?

160. What is the most immature thing that you do?

161. What is the most memorable gift you've received?

162. Still water or seltzer?

163. What city would you most like to live in?

164. What do you hope your last words will be?

165. What is the best thing about you?

166. What TV or YouTube channel does not exist, but should?

167. Are you a fan of napping?

168. What do you like most about your family?

169. What is a favorite smell from your childhood?

170. What is something you will NEVER do again?

171. What is the most eclectic food you have ever eaten?

172. What are you most likely very wrong about?

173. Favorite weather?

174. What is something you never seem to finish?

175. What irrational fear do you have?

176. What is one or two of your favorite smells?

177. What is a favorite hobby?

178. What mistake do you keep making again and again?

179. What piece of advice would you give your younger self?

180. Where is your happy place?

181. What is your joy juice?

182. What is one interesting fact about you that no one in this meeting knows?

183. What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?

184. If you had to make one rule that everyone had to follow, what would that rule be?

185. What do you wish your brain was better at doing?

186. One thing that if you could you would tell your 12 year old self.

187. In what situation or place would you feel the most out of place?

188. What do you strongly suspect but have no proof of?

189. What strong opinion or belief do you have that is not important in the grand scheme of things?

190. There are two types of people in the world, what are the two types?

191. What personality trait about yourself do you most like?

192. What would you do if you knew you were going to die in one day?

193. What would be some of the most annoying things about having your for a roommate?

194. What do you want to be remembered for?

195. What is something that has happened or that someone has said to you that made you change how you view the world?

196. What do you regret not doing or starting when you were younger?

197. What excellent piece of advice did a parent or grandparent give you?

198. What is special about the place you grew up?

199. What challenging thing are you working through these days?

200. If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?

201. What lifestyle change have you been meaning to make for a while now?

202. What have you created that you are most proud of?

203. What's the dumbest thing you've ever done that actually turned out pretty well?

204. Which of your scars has the best story behind it?

205. What did you think you would have grown out of but haven't?

206. What is a personal 'rule' you never break?

207. What is your favorite personal 'rule'?

208. What is the best or worst piece of advice that you ever received?

209. What small gesture from a stranger made a big impact on you?

210. What bends your mind every time you think about it?

211. What is the title of the current chapter of your life?

212. What is something you're certain you will never experience?

213. One thing you are grateful for right now.

214. What was the best compliment you ever received?

215. What responsibility do you really wish you didn't have?

216. What is something that your friends wouldn't believe is true about you?

217. What chance encounter changed your life forever?

218. What fact are you resigned to?

219. What are you really good at, but kind of embarrassed that you are good at?

220. What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to?

221. Favorite flower?

222. Favorite tree?

223. What is the best and worst thing about getting older?

224. If you could have a never-ending candle that smelled like anything you wanted, what would it smell like?

225. What do you consider to be your best find?

226. Do you garden?

227. Do you prefer vegetable or flower gardens?

228. Favorite bird?

229. What trend or fad do you hope comes back?

230. Favorite way to eat a potato?

231. What is top of mind for you right now?

232. Have you ever participated in a flash mob, and if not would you want to?

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Humanizing Quick Shares Humanizing Quick SharesPic cred: Matheus FerreroWhat is a critical attribute needed to lead today? A massive abundance of empathy.And what is one of the best ways to build trust? Shared experiences.With both of these facts in mind consider creating a moment