What does VetREDI stand for?

You’ve probably heard of the acronym DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Sometimes you may see it listed as DEIB, adding Belonging into the acronym. CARE chose to replace that acronym with REDI, which stands for Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

What does racial equity mean in the veterinary workplace? It means BIPOC people (Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color) are not only members of our organizations but also hold every kind of role including leadership roles. Racial equity means shared power, and this bridges a historical gap in representation and pay. This historical gap is exacerbated in the veterinary profession disproportionately greater than in other professions due to the extremely low BIPOC representation in all roles, especially doctors. With a focus on racial equity, diversity follows; inclusion follows; and then belonging. Without the first step of awareness and action, the rest are not supported with a foundation and often will crumble–only adding to becoming disenfranchised with the concept. 

Let’s look at the representation in the graphic below. While both are true, we cannot acknowledge one and not the other. What we can do is learn any correlation, choose somewhere to start, and advocate for change.