President's Column: Join us on this important journey

You're missing every color
If you're only seeing black and white
Tell me how you're gonna change your mind
If your heart's unmovable
We ain't that different from each other
From one to another, I look around
And see worldwide beautiful

Coast to coast, city to city
Reach out your hands if you're with me
Still got some work but we still got a dream
Every shade, every heart come together and sing
-Kane Brown, “Worldwide Beautiful”
 

It was so exciting to be a part of announcing the Journey for Teams initiative during the amazing AVMA Convention in Philadelphia. Journey for Teams is a collaboration between the AVMA and the Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE). We are inviting all veterinary professionals to join Journey for Teams to increase knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and foster the advancement of DEI in the veterinary workplace.

After you sign up (easy to do!), please invite every member of your team to also join the journey on the Journey for Teams website, JourneyForTeams.org. The website will be home base for helpful resources, including an excellent guide that comprises the reasons, routes, and resources for the journey. 

An introductory webinar will lead this fall’s content launch, followed by microlearning modules based on the topics in the guide. A new module will be released monthly and can be completed in about 15 minutes. You can incorporate these into team meetings or team members can take them individually.

You can also invite a staff member to be a journey navigator to champion the Journey for Teams initiative in your workplace. Instructional and support resources will be available for journey navigators.

The AVMA and VMAE recognize veterinary professionals are busy, so the resources are practical and actionable, yet brief and impactful. Participation won’t take away from other tasks. We understand that participation may not be universal in every workplace. For those who do want to learn more, this initiative will increase their knowledge about DEI, foster reflection and respectful dialog, and enable them to take actionable steps toward abundant beneficial outcomes.

Journey for Teams reflects the AVMA’s continued commitment to support veterinary professionals on our shared path to greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. Together, let’s make the veterinary profession worldwide beautiful.