NABV: An Organization Taking Big Strides for Current and Future Black Veterinarians

Baton Rouge, November 20, 2020: In a world divided by boundaries of all sorts, efforts are always needed to create equal opportunities and a level playing field. The National Association for Black Veterinarians (NABV) is driven by the goal of embracing diversity and inclusiveness. Its efforts are generally focused on imbibing these values across the general society, but specifically on ensuring that healthcare organizations and education embrace them. The organization has played an important role in building a network of various organizations and individuals advocating for African American Veterinarians at all levels.
Elaborating on the association’s long strides, its spokesperson said, “At NABV, our efforts have played a big role in bringing the veterinarians within the community together and create better opportunities. It has developed successful programs to get community individuals involved from an early age when they decide to take veterinary as a career subject.”

Making a Difference through Events

NABV hosts both annual and bi-annual events with different goals. “Our bi-annual workshops focus on strengthening diversity through support for Current and Future Veterinarians from the black community. These workshops, run by experienced veterinarians, support practitioners in the areas of animal law, workforce development, and small practice sustenance among others.
The Annual Conference is an integral part of the organization’s existence. It brings together community members every year to share information and ideas on the core values and to further its cause. “We also host free webinars that feature well-known experts from the field. These online events are geared at the latest best practices and various topics from the field of veterinary medicine,” the spokesperson added.

Reaching the Youth

“Someone has well-said that if you want them to be on the right path, get them young. We have launched many K-12 projects to foster interest in the School of Veterinary Medicine from a young age,” the spokesperson said about their outreach program targeted at the young.
One of the goals of these projects is to develop a larger number of black veterinarians. Interestingly, there is a Junior National Association Black Veterinarians that gets 9th through 12th-grade students involved. It creates opportunities for the young from the community through academic support, ongoing mentorship, and summer job opportunities.

Addressing the Statistical Anomaly

The 2017 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that blacks make up only 2.1% of veterinarians in the country. That has been recognized by the NABV as a concerning statistical anomaly. The organization was founded with the goal of increasing participation in this field. It intends to create a more inclusive and diverse profession.
“It is the same in most fields and we are making an effort in changing it in this field,” the spokesperson said.
From educating black students about their career choices to providing higher quality professional development, it has taken some big strides for Current and Future Veterinarians. Its events are even reaching out to the teaching community to consider careers in veterinary medicine. It has also been actively engaged in sponsorships and grants to support individuals. It has already made some groundbreaking developments and is expected to bring positive changes in the near future.
For more information about the National Association Black Veterinarians and its efforts, it is recommended to contact the organization’s representative.
Contact Information:
National Association for Black Veterinarians
P.O. Box 84471
Baton Rouge, LA 70884
Email: info@nabvonline.org​​
Website: https://nabvonline.org