Webinar recap: What vet med can learn about diversity and inclusion from the outdoor industry

The veterinary profession and the outdoor recreation industry share a common challenge: both lack diversity and inclusivity. And that’s not just a problem for populations that feel excluded, but for the industries themselves.

“Industries can’t survive and grow without diversity,” as Earl B. Hunter, Jr., founder of Black Folks Camp Too, said in a recent webinar hosted by AAHA Learning titled, Veterinarians, Emerging Demographics, Mental Health, and Revenue: What Can We Learn From The Outdoor Lifestyle Industry?.

The webinar, featuring Hunter and a panel of veterinary professionals, explored how the efforts to diversify outdoor spaces can serve as a model for expanding inclusion in veterinary medicine. The event was made possible by Zoetis, a global animal health company that sponsored the webinar.

Fear, knowledge, and invitation

Hunter’s company seeks to bridge the diversity gap in outdoor recreation by addressing why people of color, particularly Black individuals, are underrepresented. “The outdoor lifestyle is one of the most segregated industries in the world,” Hunter stated, noting that around 96% of outdoor participants are white. That data is important, but Hunter also comes at this from personal experience, having been one of the only Black individuals at events with 10 or 20 thousand RV executives.

Understanding the “why” behind this homogeneity is a crucial first step, he said. And when it comes to the outdoor lifestyle industry, Black Folks Camp Too aims to address it by acknowledging and overcoming barriers such as generational fear, lack of knowledge, and the absence of invitations to participate in outdoor activities.

Hunter emphasized that fostering inclusion in any industry requires understanding the reasons behind underrepresentation. Black Folks Camp Too has spent years researching the reasons for the homogeneity in the industry, and found that fear, lack of knowledge, and not being invited all play major roles.

“Generational fear is a significant barrier,” said Hunter. “My great-grandmother told my grandmother, who told my mother, who told me, ‘Don’t you go into the woods.’”

This deep-seated fear is rooted in historical injustices and remains a deterrent for many Black families considering outdoor activities.

An early start

Similarly, veterinary medicine needs to acknowledge and address the historical and cultural factors that deter diverse candidates.

“We need to start at the toenail of the elephant,” Hunter stated, “which means introducing children to the idea of veterinary careers early on.” This includes outreach in communities where children may not typically see veterinarians who look like them, or where pet ownership may differ culturally.

Shannon Cabell, DVM, MBA, a medical lead at Zoetis, recounted a moment in her career when a Black family drove 45 minutes to see her because they had never met a Black veterinarian before. “It was humbling,” Cabell said. “They told me that their daughter wanted to be a vet, and seeing someone who looked like her made it seem possible.”

She, along with other panelists, acknowledged that change is occurring, but there’s much work to do.

Panelist Harvey Crumm, DVM, who’s been active with Zoetis as a liaison working with US colleges of veterinary medicine, shared his insights on these challenges. “Engaging diverse communities to come into our profession has been hard because there’s not a history of engagement,” he said.

He highlighted outreach programs at veterinary schools aimed at inspiring young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider veterinary medicine. “Programs where students can experience hands-on activities at vet schools are great ways to introduce them to our profession,” Crumm added.

Heather Berst, another panelist and a medical lead at Zoetis, agreed, emphasizing the importance of practical steps that can foster a love for veterinary medicine. “When a young person shows interest, we need to encourage it by allowing them to shadow a vet or even just letting them listen to a dog’s heartbeat with a stethoscope,” she said. These small acts can plant the seeds for a future in veterinary medicine, especially if children see practitioners who look like them and come from similar backgrounds.

A twist on ROI

Hunter acknowledged that talking about diversity can be uncomfortable, but he encourages people to engage in the conversation  “so delightfully and tastefully that folks don’t have to walk on eggshells to have the conversations about the very things we need to fix.”

And remember, increasing diversity in this profession isn’t just about, as he says, “kumbaya,” but about ROI—although his definition might differ from yours.

“We need to fix this from an ROI perspective, and most folks think ROI means return on investment, but I think it means return on inclusion,” he said. “There are more folks of color out there that have pet companions at the moment, and they care about them, and they care about the vets they see. Let’s keep it real. There’s a huge revenue component to this.”

The great transfer

One of the strongest ways to make change in this area and increase diversity is through a plan that Hunter deems “the great transfer.”

“Eighty-six percent of children who are introduced to the outdoors by their parents are likely to love the outdoors as adults,” Hunter said. This understanding is the foundation of “the great transfer.”

“This is the Baby Boomers transferring that knowledge to our Gen Zs,” he said. “We think the Gen Zs are going to be the most popular people in these particular spaces because there are emerging markets, and because they have the education, and because they are amongst some of the most diverse groups in this country. But they, too, have to understand why this is important, and as we as a company, Black Folks Camp Too, we’re changing the way this perspective is shared.”

This is a plan that can certainly be adapted to veterinary medicine.

A clear message

Hunter’s message to the veterinary community was clear: expanding diversity should not be a passive goal. It requires active, deliberate efforts to engage young people from diverse backgrounds and address the barriers that have historically kept them out of the profession.

“We’re not here to sustain this business; we’re here to fix it,” Hunter said, emphasizing his goal to make Black Folks Camp Too irrelevant by achieving true inclusivity.

The business case for diversity can’t be ignored. With emerging markets and demographic shifts, veterinary practices that embrace diversity can better serve their communities.

And Hunter’s initiative to diversify the outdoor industry through education and outreach is a model that the veterinary profession can adopt. By incorporating data-driven approaches and focusing on youth education, the veterinary community can lay the foundation for a more inclusive future. Early exposure can foster a lifelong passion for animal care, and that early exposure can start with each of us.

Drawing inspiration from companies like Black Folks Camp Too is a great way for the veterinary industry to evolve and better represent the rich and diverse communities it serves. We must go beyond simply recruiting diverse students and create an environment where practitioners and clients of all races, ages, abilities, and more feel welcomed.

Further Reading

blendVET’s DEIB focus inspires the next generation of veterinarians

LVMA highlights importance of representation and mentorship

PrideVMC’s Gender Diversity Guide has arrived

Starting your cultural competence journey

 

Photo credit: © AleksandarNakic  E+ via Getty Images 

Disclaimer: The views expressed, and topics discussed, in any NEWStat column or article are intended to inform, educate, or entertain, and do not represent an official position by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.