Diversity Seminar Wrap Up: They Just Don't Get It

On the last day of our diversity seminar, things got a little more real.  I'm going to name names here.  Folks in my class like Emily, Anna and Stephanie W. said things to make me know that they "get it."  Especially Anna.  She always speaks eloquently and says things in a way that are funny but true.  These three plus a few others in my class make me feel REALLY comfortable.  A lot of times at various events, I am the only black girl there.  Eb may be working or just not in attendance for whatever reason.  When I'm with this select few, being the only black girl doesn't even matter because I feel comfortable and I don't feel like when they are away from me they use derogatory terms about me or people of color- I can't say that for all of my school mates.  But I digress.

We talked a lot about veterinarians being fair.  no matter the color of someone's skin, what they are wearing, or how they may seem to you, you offer them your best!  If 3 puppies come in with parvo, why do they get different estimates?  If the disease is generally treated by taking steps x, y, z, offer that to each person.  If someone can't afford it, let them make the choice to do less, but always give the options.  I saw this first hand this summer.  One vet didn't want to see you if you were black, had lots of tattoos, or just didn't "look" like you had money!  Meanwhile, a client of ours who had enough money that he could get a new jag after a "fender bender" wouldn't do shit for his animals on a routine basis.  I saw the guy a few times over the summer and he always bitched and complained.  I also watched this doctor try to "tell on people" for being racist when she was the one giving treatment plans based on how folks looked.  She even mentioned a tattoo-to-tooth ratio and how people with lots of tattoos were less likely to want to spend money.  I thought she was an idiot (and an incompetent veterinarian but that's another story).

We talked a lot about people of different socioeconomic status and how they care for their pets or really how some can't care for them.  One guy (one of the minorities in the room actually) asked why these people even have pets-and kids.  I felt like I talked a lot more that second day.  I had to remind him that a few years ago things were different.  Our economy has taken a dive these last few years.  Someone who may have been making $100,000 a few years ago may be barely making it today.  Do they give up their pets and kids because they fell on hard times?  I went through the very same thing myself.

There were various comments off and on that made me want to slap someone.  One guy seemed to have a bag of ignorance from which he pulled his comments.  All in all? I feel the Symposium was great although I know my classmates don't think so.  They just do not get it!  I heard SEVERAL people complaining about how you "won't change people in 2 days."  That is the proof that they don't get it!  The seminar wasn't developed to change them.  Several of my classmates are probably racist, and no amount of time will change that.  The point of this seminar was to bring awareness.  To know that there is a lack of diversity in veterinary medicine and to get everyone thinking about why it is important and what they can do to change it.  There are still older vets who won't hire women even though we are the majority in the profession now, there are people who won't offer people who look a certain way all of the treatment options, and there are still people who are just bigoted idiots.  We can make a difference but only if we see that there is a need.

Diversity Seminar Day 1 Recap

Today in our seminar we talked about why diversity is important.  On thing became painfully clear:  Some people just don’t get it!  Or maybe they don’t care.  I was surprised at some of the people who actually participated, but there were lots of people who didn’t say a single thing and who you know were just upset that they even had to be there.  One guy even made a comment about people claiming they’ve been discriminated against when they really haven’t been.  I’d love for this straight white man from what seems to be an upper class family to tell me when was the last time someone followed him around a store, locked their doors as he walked by their car, clutched their purse as he get’s into the elevator, or been waved down by an old White woman who just assumes that you work in the store.  Because as the very intimidating, not-quite-five-foot-two, black woman that I seem to be, I have these things happen to me all the time.  

There were statistics shown about our profession, and the number of under represented groups.  Right now our profession is about 77% female.  So for once, and probably one of the only places you can find this, men are the minority.  Racial/ethnic minorities don’t even represent 2% of this profession.  A lot of my classmates seem to not even get that this is an issue!  One girl brought up an interesting idea from a study she participated in, where people seem to feel more comfortable around people who are like them.  that being said, maybe some people would feel more comfortable with vet who is male vs female, black vs white, etc.  Maybe some little brown girl will see that there are Black vets out there and not feel like it’s an impossibility for her.  

We did some interactive activities, including one where we talked about 5 things that make us who we are, a time when those things brought us pride and pain, etc.  We also had so feel in a blank with a stereotype that doesn’t fit us.  For instance, I am a Black woman, but I am not from a broken or troubled home, consider my family to be middle class, prefer my chicken grilled to fried, etc.  the second activity was… interesting.  We played “Who am I??”  We identities on our backs and had to ask yes or no questions to figure out what we were.  I think the one thing that happened at that point that really upset me is that someone told the “veiled woman” that she was related to the “terrorist.”  Seriously? 

I can say however that all in all I enjoyed it.  I think that diversity in veterinary medicine is important, but also just diversity in general.  I hope that someone is able to change their view on the subject, open their minds, and be a better person.  But honestly, I don’t think much will change… I think that the main people who don’t think their is a problem are the one’s who are prejudiced and will stay that way.  Especially the confederate flaggers. 

Diversity Matters

Today at school we are having a Diversity Symposium that will continue tomorrow morning.  I am very excited about it, and hopeful that my class mates will open their minds and see why diversity in veterinary medicine is so important.  And not just in veterinary medicine but just in life.  They need to know not to judge colleages or clients based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion.  They need to know that with our probably 10 or 12 non-white students (out of about 400), AUCVM is NOT really diverse.  they need to realize that things they do or say may be offensive to others (like all those damn confederate flags- one girl even has a confederate cell phone case).  So I pray that everyone goes into this with an open mind. 

Extreme Makeover: Blackberry Edition

A couple of weeks ago a piece fell off of my blackberry bold.  It's a little metal piece in between each row of keys, and mine had started randomly cracking as I typed.  When I went to the T-Mobile store, the guy there was amazed, and sure it was a manufacturer's defect.  Unfortunately when he called customer service, they still wanted to charge me $100 for a "warranty" exchange.  I'd get a new phone, but for $100.  That's better than the $130 insurance deductible to possibly get a refurbished phone, but still, $100 for cosmetic damage is a bit... excessive.

So I came home and decided to look up how to change the housing.  I see where people over at Crackberry.com do it all the time.  I've also seen it on some of the blogs that I follow.  (Check those out if you ever want awesome BB themes and wallpapers, mostly for free.)  So I went to YouTube, CrackBerry, and those blogs that I followed and did some research on how to do it, where to get the supplies, etc.  I settled on a white housing from SW Box.  They are in China so I wasn't expecting that the housing would be here for another week, but surprisingly, it came today.  i got mine with the keyboard, but if you want to keep the stock keyboard, you can order the housing without it.  Another important thing that I learned is that you want to buy a housing that has the sides and the top pice that says "blackberry" already pieced together.  If you don't you'll be sorry.  This is mine: 

 

So this is what TootsBerry looked like before: 

See the finished product after the jump:

And this is her after, front and back: 

 

And one of her in her OtterBox case:

It's Our Anniversary

Forty years ago today, my parents became one.  Yes, you read that correctly.  My parents are STILL married and it's been forty years!  i am very proud of this. Growing up many of  my classmates had divorced parents, parents that were never married, and some didn't know who their fathers were.  I know that the world is a lot different than what it was forty years ago, but with my parents as role models, I hope to one day celebrate my fortieth anniversary with the man I love.  My parents are a great blessing to me and to each other, and I congratulate them on this day!

Pre-Study Quickie

Not the fun type of quickie, just a blog post.

I was just thinking, about people who don't know what they want to do with their lives.  It takes some of us a while to figure it out.  When it comes to something like professional school though, I think you should know what you want! We are talking about people who come out of school $50,000-150,000.  Whether it's veterinary, nursing, law, medical, pharmacy, dental or physical therapy school, it's a big decision.  If you start and quit after a year or a semester, that's a lot of money wasted, but let's be money I don't care about your money.  There's some kid sitting out there who is wait-listed.  Someone who could have had your spot.  Someone cried when they got their rejection letter because this is what they really want to do and it is their passion.  Someone who would appreciate every second of the opportunity they were given and make the most of it.  Yet you sit in class, wasting a seat, only to flunk out or just quit because it's not "really what you want to do."

What the Hell is She Wearing???

I find myself asking this type of question more and more these days.  As I sit under the dryer, preparing to start my second year of veterinary school, I wonder if dressing appropriately is a thing of the past?  When I was growing up, you had clothes you wore to school, clothes you wore to church, and clothes to play in.  My mother always wanted me to look my best.  I never understood it as a child, but I completely understand her reasons as an adult.  As a member of Culturama (a group for teens sponsored by the Delta Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.) we went through several workshops, including a "What Not to Wear" type of program.  As an undergraduate I went to the Minority Medical Education Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  There I took a class on how to interview successfully and there was yet again a "What Not to Wear" workshop.  It made me think about the cliche about how the clothes don't make the person, when clearly, that is not the case.  




After graduating, I found myself interviewing for hundreds of jobs.  I planned to go to graduate school at some point, so I wasn't looking for a career, but a job to pay for my personal expenses.  Whether it was a veterinary clinic, hospital, pharmacy, or just a retail store, I always dressed my best.  Suits, slacks and button down shirts, blazers and skirts.  But I noticed something strange.  Not everyone did the same.  I've seen people going for interviews in jeans and t-shirts, low-cut blouses and mini-skirts, you name it.  People wear the same outfits they would wear to the club to class or church.  Students roll out of bed and head to lecture halls without changing out of their pajamas. Is dressing appropriately becoming extinct? 

Apparently Morehouse College thought so.  This article explains that Morehouse enacted changes to the dress code last year.  I can remember seeing links to articles about this all over the place, including a community that I frequent on LiveJournal.  People were livid about the the dress code! I found it strange.  I was about to enter vet school, where I'd have to dress a certain way.  Unless we are in labs, we are to be in professional dress at all times.  Nothing less professional than business casual is accepted. I think that a lot of people who had a problem with the dress code were upset about the statement on not wearing items made for women-- but that's a completely different blog.  When I was growing up, even in South Alabama, you heard about Morehouse.  Men who went there went on to do great things.  There was a legacy there.  What I don't understand is if you go to a school with such a great legacy, why would you not want to dress the part.  Maybe requiring ties and dress shirts at an undergraduate institution is a stretch, but I don't see anything wrong with requiring students to have some pride in themselves.  You can wear jeans and a shirt without looking like a hoodlum.  There is nothing wrong with pants that fit properly and wear clothing that is meant for sleeping only in areas meant for sleeping.  


Even at my school I sometimes make comments about our dress code.  Wearing slacks, blouses, heels, blazers, and other professional attire can get a little tiring when you are sitting in a classroom about eight hours a day.  But what can I say... we look GOOD.  Here at my school, and a few other vet schools that have dress codes, visitors see us as professionals.  They see us as students who are serious about their careers.  Potential employers, students, and donors are impressed.  


Maybe clothes don't really make the person, but they can pave the way to success or hinder one from reaching their goals, and I wish more people took the time to dress like the person they want to be.