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Mary Tan

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Email: mary@whiskermedia.com

Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity Offers Groundbreaking Online Courses at Huston-Tillotson University to understand the role of race in human and animal wellbeing

(Baltimore, MD. September 7, 2022) — Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity, a Baltimore-based nonprofit, is pleased to announce a partnership with Huston-Tillotson University (HT) to unveil a new landmark course this fall called Animals and Society. The online offering examines the practices and values that American society holds for animals and human relationships, with an emphasis on the perspectives of people in marginalized communities.

The course will be taught by HT sociology professor Dr. Grace Chairez, with assistance from CARE’s Senior Director of Research and Development, Mueni Loko Rudd.  “This new course, Animals and Society brings opportunities at various levels. For students, the topic shows an openness to new possibilities for gaining knowledge that’s relevant in the world today. This course is only offered at a limited number of colleges and universities. At the same time, HT offers a different perspective on the topic with a focus of interest to HBCU student populations. The issues related to animals and society play out differently for people of color as well as other groups commonly associated with inequality,” said Dr. Chairez recently. 

Rudd is a Kenyan-American scholar with years of experience in racial justice, social activism, and evaluative research. She graduated from HT with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and then went on to earn a Master of Social Work from Texas State University. She is a published writer and proud TEDx speaker committed to filling the gaps in current Western training, which often avoids issues of racial diversity and ethnic and cultural differences. The Austin resident hopes HT students can help amplify historically oppressed communities, promote authentic multicultural dialogue, and create more cross-cultural communication to foster awareness and healing. “I am truly honored to continue a trust-building relationship with HT and CARE this fall. We are building on the pilot study we supported last spring and excited to see Black and brown undergraduate students in Texas begin to critically assess their relationships with animals and the environment,” said the researcher recently.

This course is just one of the multiple initiatives that CARE is undertaking in support of its mission, which is to address organizational and personal biases within animal welfare. CARE’s mission is to bring diverse voices to the industry while also advocating for a more inclusive path to pet adoption. CARE believes in using evidence-based tools, narratives, and insights to inspire organizations to be more inclusive and less biased. It’s all an effort to save more companion animal lives. 

For more information about CARE go to: https://careawo.org. CARE’s founders, Rudd and Dr. Chairez are available for interviews. Please contact Mary Tan at the above information to set up a time.

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Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity is a 501©3 nonprofit that addresses organizational and personal biases within animal welfare. The mission is to bring diverse voices to the industry while also advocating for a more inclusive path to pet adoption. CARE believes in using evidence-based tools, narratives, and insights to inspire organizations to be more inclusive and less biased. It is all an effort to save more companion animal lives.