Canadian VIBE Network

🎓✨ Attention, Aspiring Veterinary Professionals! ✨🎓

Are you a Black student passionate about veterinary medicine?
🐾The BVAC/VIBE Pathway to Veterinary Medicine Bursary, sponsored by VetStrategy and Vetalytix, is dedicated to supporting your aspirations!

This remarkable opportunity welcomes applications from high school, college, and university students across Canada aspiring to pursue careers in veterinary medicine or veterinary technology. 🇨🇦💼

Here's what you need to know:

📚 Eligibility: Must be a Black citizen or permanent resident of Canada, enrolled in or recently graduated from a Canadian high school, college, or university.
🏆 Awards: Generous bursaries ranging from $500 to $1,500 will be awarded to six deserving winners.
📅 Key Dates: Applications close on April 15th 2024. Don't miss your chance to secure financial assistance. Visit the link in our bio for details.

But wait, there's more!
Successful applicants will not only receive financial support but also a plaque and certificate to honor their excellence.
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Are you prepared to embark upon the inaugural steps toward your envisioned career in veterinary medicine? 🐾 We invite you to submit your application, allowing your enthusiasm and commitment to illuminate the path ahead! 💫
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Swipe left to check out some highlights from this year's Discover Vet School Sponsorship Program 2024! 🐾🔬

Sending a massive THANK YOU to our partners who made this an absolute success! It's been three amazing years collaborating with the Ontario Veterinary College Deans Offices to sponsor seven outstanding Black students for the Discover Vet School Event.

Following the event, students had a private tour of the college to showcase OVC's state-of-the-art teaching hospitals, and most importantly, answer any and all questions about .

Special thanks to Bright Light Veterinary Eye Care for allowing us to keep the day going by sponsoring the dinner for the participants at The Keg, giving us the invaluable opportunity to foster conversation, networking and mentorship. 🍽️

Big shoutout to P3 Veterinary Partners for their generous transportation funding, ensuring every student could fully participate without transportation barriers.

And let's not forget Selam and Tyler, our incredible VIBE veterinary students, and Dr. Kayla Charles for leading the tour of the OVC campus. 🏫

Cheers to another successful year of fostering diversity and breaking barriers in the profession. We can't wait to do it all over again next year. ❤️💛💚
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A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the Discover Vet School sponsorship recipients for 2024!! 🎉

All of these amazing students showed an immense passion and love for veterinary medicine. Their futures in the profession are extremely bright 🌟 and VIBE is honoured to be able to support them on their journey 💚💛❤️

Thank you to our partners and everyone who took the time to apply. The DVS Sponsorship would not be possible without the generosity of Veterinary College or the hard work of the Discover Vet School Lecture Series organizers. We are thrilled to see these key players in the profession making strides towards diversity, equity and inclusion 👏🏿👏🏽👏🏻

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Hey, future dogtors and animal enthusiasts! 🐾 Are you a Black student with a passion for vet med? Or maybe you're a parent/guardian of a future dogtor-in-the-making? Ever wondered what happens in the world of student vets all day long? 🤔 Well, guess what? We're about to put you on.

For the third year running, we've teamed up with Ontario Veterinary College to hook up SEVEN Black students with a funded seat in the annual Discover Vet School Lecture Series! 🎓✨

What’s DVS? DVS is a program delivered by faculty and student veterinarians who present different aspects of veterinary medicine and animal science. Topics and interactive labs will touch on small animals, large animals, and wildlife, as well as special topics including emergency medicine, shelter medicine, Vets Without Borders, One Health and more.

Mark your calendars – Discover Vet School is happening on Saturday, January 20th, and Saturday, March 2nd, 2024. It's a chance for all ages to dive into the world of animal science. High schoolers, undergrads eyeing a vet career, or just pure animal lovers – everyone's invited to soak up the awesomeness of the program! 🌈🐶👩🏽‍🔬 sooo don't miss out on the vet school vibes and apply TODAY! 🐾✨

For more information, visit the Discover Vet School website: https://discovervetschool.square.site/

Check out the student experience from previous years: https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/news/node/891

Application Eligibility:
✔️ Self-identified Black applicants
✔️ Priority for those not previously sponsored
✔️ Priority for applicants with financial need and full attendance commitment

Apply for a sponsored seat by January 6th, 2024, at 11:59 pm: https://forms.gle/XpDLEQVRzSkkDKzU7

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Some of our OVC students decided to take a break from studying to catch up and unwind at dinner🥘It’s nice having a group of people who know exactly what you’re going through and to remind you that it’s okay to have a life outside of vet school! Here’s to more balance🥂

For Dr. Keisha Harris, a summer spent working with Veterinarians Without Borders (VWB) provided an opportunity to travel to Ghana, helping her practice her skills as a recently-graduated veterinarian before returning to OVC to finish a Master in Public Health degree.

What she walked away with was a further appreciation for the One Health perspective and applying her craft in an environment where improvisation was the norm. During her time in Ghana, Keisha experienced:

💉delivering vaccinations to animals
👩🏽‍🌾 helping shift thinking around gender roles in agriculture
🧠 learning the importance of improvisation
👩🏽‍⚕️ working with local vets on research focusing on disease surveillance

Read more about Dr. Harris’ experience with VWB here: https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/news/node/2303

”Last weekend I was able to attend in Toronto with some of my OVC peers. The conference was primarily business focused and had a large emphasis on investing and building within the community, conveyed by some moving discussions. It was really motivating to see so many successful figures and was also a nice bonding moment with the crew🫶🏾”

What an incredible night showcasing the veterinary profession with the Canadian VIBE Network and at the .schools Black Professionals Excellence Expo. Our booth was buzzing with education, interactive stations, and inspiring conversations with parents and students. From suturing to laparoscopy, punch biopsy, and more, we had a blast sharing the wonders of veterinary medicine!

Huge thanks to Dr. Kayla Charles, and Dr. Sasha Black, Dr. Keisha Harris for spearheading our booth and creating an unforgettable experience. A special shoutout to DPCDSB for hosting such a flawlessly executed event, laying the groundwork for the future of Black professionals.

Here's to inspiring the next generation and fostering diversity and excellence in the veterinary profession! 🐾👩🏿‍⚕️🧑🏾‍⚕️

Join Canadian VIBE and Kween, CEO of The Kween Company, for a Whine Up-Wind Down class. In this class, you will WHINE UP your way through body movements with Soca Dance, a Caribbean styled artform that gets you sweating and moving to fun and upbeat Caribbean music. Then WIND DOWN with discussions around history and education of movement, dance and culture. In addition, hear from Kween's front line experiences in dance, protests and what allyship can look like for our communities. Make sure to grab a flag, rag or anything you can wave around to the music💃🏾

Register by scanning the QR code or clicking the link in our bio!

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH from the Canadian VIBE Network!! ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 💛❤️💚

Are you a Black student who is interested in veterinary medicine? Are you a parent/guardian of a future dogtor👩🏿‍⚕️? Have you ever wondered what student veterinarians are doing in class all day💭? Then this opportunity is just for you!

For the second year in a row, Ontario Veterinary College has partnered with us to sponsor SEVEN students to attend both days of their Discover Vet School Lecture Series .

“Discover Vet School (DVS) is a program delivered by faculty and student veterinarians from the Ontario Veterinary College, as well as veterinary professionals outside of the college, who present different aspects of veterinary medicine and animal science. Topics will touch on small animals, large animals, and wildlife, as well as special topics including emergency medicine, shelter medicine, Vets Without Borders, One Health and more.

For 2023, Discover Vet School will be running on Saturday, January 21st and Saturday, March 4th. Discover Vet School is a great opportunity for students of ALL AGES to come and learn about animal science! Whether you are a high school student, an undergraduate who is considering veterinary medicine as a future career, or just an animal lover, you are sure to enjoy the presentations.”

Visit the Discover Vet School website for more information: https://discovervetschool.square.site/about

If you would like to learn more about the student experience of our 2021/2022 sponsorship recipients feel free to check out an article about it in UoGs digital newspaper:
https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/news/node/891

Application Eligibility:
✔️ Applicants must identify as Black
✔️ Priority will be given to those who have not been awarded a sponsored seat previously
✔️ Priority will be given to applicants with financial need and those who can attend both days

Application Instructions:
To apply for a sponsored seat, please visit https://forms.gle/JnYSYhZNjdiUmPC38. The deadline to apply for this opportunity is January 6th, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

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A HUGE congratulations goes to one of VIBE’s very own advisory board member’s, Dr. Cherice Roth! Dr. Roth has made magazine’s top 100 women of influencers!

Here is a statement from .roth herself:

“Today I found out that I made the list of Entrepreneur Media's 100 Women of Influence. I've found myself both surprised and humbled by both making the list alongside these incredible women, as well as the people reaching out to congratulate. Thank you to all of those that continue to help grow me as a Doctor, Entrepreneur & Leader. Getting pets access to veterinary care is and continues to be the number one goal. I'm thankful to have the right team and the right time to make this race toward access to veterinary care a reality. Let's GO!“

We are so proud to have such a dedicated individual on our team who is continuously making strides towards creating a more equitable and diverse field! Congratulations again Dr. Roth🥳🥳🥳

In March of 2021, Canada’s House of Commons voted to mark August 1st as Emancipation Day.

Emancipation Day is not new to many Black Canadians, but officially recognizing this date is important. It is one of many steps needed towards acknowledging the whitewashed history of Canadian slavery and anti-Black racism. It is also a step towards making change and celebrating all those who strive to make that change happen.

One of the biggest myths about Canada is that it is a cultural mosaic; where all individuals are colour blind. Many Black and Indigenous Canadians know this isn’t true. Even though the last enslaved person in Canada, John Bakers, died in 1871, the legacy of white supremacy in Canada has had a lasting impact. The examples below are far from comprehensive, but, we think it's important to highlight that systemic racism did not end with a simple pen stroke in 1834...

In 1910, the Canadian government passed the Immigration Act, which allowed the government to prohibit immigrants belonging to any race deemed unsuited to the climate or requirements of Canada.

The last segregated school, Lincolnville School in Nova Scotia, closed its doors in 1983, making the youngest graduate of the school 44 years old today.

In 2019, Toronto, the city with Canada’s most prominent Black population required police forces to collect demographic data. This data told us what our communities have known for years: Black and Indigenous people are over-policed and disproportionately experience harm when engaging with the police. With stats showing that unarmed Black people were 2.3x more likely than white people to have fi****ms pointed at them.

From health to safety to opportunities for advancement, Black individuals & communities face barriers rooted in anti-Black racism. So, even though August 1st, 1834, was a historic moment, there are many more steps we need to take for a just and equitable society.

Today, we’d like to give thanks to the many brave Black Canadians that are working for change, as well as the Black revolutionaries who came before us, for their spirit, resilience and resistance 💛❤️💚

Swipe left to learn more about the history of slavery in Canada.

Discover Vet School and Canadian VIBE Network Collaborate to Promote Diversity In Veterinary Medicine https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/news/node/891

A special thanks to for her work on the article and for capturing these fantastic images 💚💛❤️

🔗 Link in bio

Posted • Deciding to go into a particular career field can be challenging, especially if you see few people who look like you. A first-time collaboration in spring 2022 between the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and Veterinary Professionals Instilling Black Excellence (VIBE ) aimed to support and encourage Black students to learn more about veterinary medicine education and see themselves in the field.

Delivered by OVC student veterinarians and faculty, Discover Vet School (DVS) shows students what being a student veterinarian is about and introduces them to various specializations and paths to pursue through the doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree.

“This collaboration has been a positive step towards increasing inclusivity in the industry, which is one of the cornerstones of VIBE’s mission," says Kayla Harris, one of VIBE’s founders.

Read more at link in BIO https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/news/node/891

Happy Pride🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🥳!!! June 28th marks International Pride Day, although the entire month is filled with celebration🎉

The common Pride Parades that are celebrated today were actually inspired by a march to commemorate the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Though it is important to reflect on how far we have come, we must also recognize the work that is yet to be done.

Canadian VIBE welcomes all members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Although it is International Pride Day, the array & beauty of love is something that should be celebrated everyday
🥰❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

June 27th is Canadian Multiculturalism Day!🌎🌍🌏 Canadian VIBE believes that Canada's diversity is the cornerstone of our national identity and is certainly something to celebrate.

Although our country's wealth of different races, religions and cultural practices enrich every aspect of our society. Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth, said it best when she said, "We must never forget that a multicultural society is always a work in progress. It demands our effort, our attention and our care." 💛❤️💚

As we celebrate today, may we continue to work towards supporting a diverse, inclusive and equitable society. 🙌🏻🙌🏼🙌🏽🙌🏾🙌🏿

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Posted • Happy Juneteenth! Read below for thoughts from one of our partners, Dr. Melanie Moore, BS, DVM, Co-founder of and .ccemv

"Juneteenth for me is a time of deep reflection. I am no longer looked at as a piece of property that can be purchased and enslaved. It is a harsh reminder of the pain, violence and racial injustices that my ancestors have faced. I often try to immerse myself in a good book or documentary, and give thanks to my ancestors for the sacrifices they have made. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom!"

She says, "What I am doing this year: Reading Annette Godron-Reed's book titled 'On Juneteenth.' It is part history/part memoir book discussing Ms. Godron-Reed's perspective on the history of slavery and race relations in Texas."

What does Juneteenth mean to you, and how are you celebrating? Let us know in the comments below!

Learn more about Juneteenth: https://www.juneteenth.com/.

June is National Indigenous History Month 🧡🧡🧡
We encourage you to take some time out of your day to check out the many educational resources the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation have available.
Keep reading for more info👇🏾
Posted • Today marks the start of where we recognize the rich history of Indigenous Peoples, the resilience of Indigenous communities and the work being done towards truth and reconciliation.

This month, take the time to learn and explore Indigenous history. These resources will assist you in exploring the experiences of Indigenous Peoples across the country. https://buff.ly/34gNR1h

You can also visit the NCTR’s education hub for additional learning and teaching resources. https://buff.ly/3wZXbEz

A few months ago, the Canadian VIBE Network partnered with the Ontario Veterinary College & Discover Vet School Lecture Series (DVS) organizers to offer seven outstanding Black pre-veterinary students free admittance to the three-day DVS event.

Pre-pandemic DVS would've been held in person, on the OVC campus and allowed these students to have hands-on experience with being veterinary students for a weekend. Instead, this year the organizers worked their butts off to provide an amazing virtual experience that included everything from anatomy lectures 🦴 to suturing labs 💉

In place of being on campus for the DVS event, OVC administration worked with us to bring all these awesome students together for VIBE to provide a campus tour. We were able to introduce students to the lovely teaching animals, show off OVC's state-of-the-art teaching hospitals and most importantly answer any/all questions about that .

Then thanks to a generous donation from Bright Light Veterinary Eye Care owner Dr. Amber Labelle, we kept the day going with a beautiful dinner at Earth to Table Bread Bar. Literally, the best way to end the day...Black Veterinarians, Student Veterinarians & Pre-Vets all together, sharing our aspirations, our paths & good conversation.

To say this is a milestone for us at VIBE would be an understatement (The smiles in our photos say it all) 🥲This day was why VIBE was founded & it is why we will keep pushing for these opportunities. Our organization is always advocating for change in the profession & we can't wait to see these students be that change & support them along the way ❤️💛💚

So, thank you to everyone who helped make this day possible, especially Manager of Student Affairs at OVC, Elizabeth Lowenger 👏🏽👏🏽
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Support Pawsibilities Vet Med by joining them at the Charlotte Fetch dvm 360 conference April 22-24! Use Code PAWS20 to save 20% on registration costs!! While you are in Charlotte, stop by the Pawsibilities Vet Med booth in the exhibits hall!

Can't join? Please share this announcement with others so they can!

There is an AMAZING list of speakers, including Pawsibilities Vet Med team members Dr. Mia Su Cary, Dr. Gerelyn Henry, Alyssa Mages and Dr. Mariana Pardo.

Other fantastic speakers include Dr. Michael Bailey, Walter Brown, Dr. Betsy Charles, Stephen Cital, Michael James, and Charles McMillan!

After the recent events that occurred and was publicized in the recent MCVMA statement, the Canadian VIBE network wants to express our solidarity and stance with the MCVMA. Unfortunately, this isolated incident further expresses the need for change in the profession and why individuals from marginalized groups can feel fearful when advocating for themselves and others.

That being said, we want to take this moment to highlight the importance of allyship. BIPOC folks are still pushed to exist in environments where they are covertly, or overtly, told that their authentic selves are insufficient. Allies, however, have the ability to amplify the voices of those who feel unheard. It is moments like these that demonstrate the criticality of allyship and the importance of speaking up when acts of prejudice are witnessed. Although organization such as the MCVMA and VIBE will continue to advocate for our communities, the support of our allies is needed if sustained change is wanted to be seen.

As suggested by MCVMA’s directory board, here are some active measures you can take to help:

1. Become a member of MCVMA. Membership is open to BIPOC and allies: mcvma.org/mcvma-membership/

2. Donate to MCVMA, 501(c)3 non-profit

3. Follow MCVMA on social media:
IG:
FB: Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association - MCVMA
Twitter: mcvmavetmed
LinkedIn: Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association (MCVMA)

4. Volunteer with MCVMA: mcvma.org/get-involved/

5. Look for their Continuing Education (CE) sessions at conferences and take bystander training

6. Support other veterinary affinity organizations, like Native American Veterinary Association, National Association for Black Veterinarians, Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals - AAVMP, BlackDvm Network, Latinx Veterinary Medical Association, VOICE (facebook.com/groups/VETVOICE/), Pride VMC and Student PrideVMC, and Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative

Hello friends!

DIVERSE is holding a scrub cap fundraiser with this amazing cap that portrays an important message. We received a couple of samples and they are of incredible quality with side buttons and forehead padding as well.

Cost is 18$ and that includes shipping to anywhere in Canada/USA. Email for e-transfer is [email protected] (transfer password: scrubcap). We would like to send a complete order list by Monday, April 11th.

If you’d like a cap, please send us an email at [email protected], or give us a shout on our Facebook with the following information:

Name:
Quantity:
Address:
Extra space for long hair: Y/N

Thank you!

🌟🌟BLACK EXCELLENCE SPOTLIGHT 🌟🌟

Meet Jaimee Fenty 👋🏽👋🏽....Jaimee is an RVT who completed her BSc (Hons) at The University of The West Indies. Jaimee started at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus when she was just 16 years old and completed a double major in Biology and Psychology. She then went on to receive her Veterinary Technician diploma from Sheridan College 🎓. Before becoming an RVT, Jaimee was no stranger to animals or animal care due to the many hours spent at clinics in her home country of Barbados 🇧🇧. Jaimee has an immense passion for emergency medicine! This is why she loves her job as an RVT in the ER department at Toronto Animal Health Partners Emergency and Specialty Hospital. When Jaimee is not at work she loves spending time with her two awesome cats Jasper and Onyx 🐈🐈....

What inspired you to become an RVT?
I’ve always loved animals for as long as I can remember. When I found out that there was another role In the field that wasn’t a Veterinarian it encouraged me to pursue my education in Veterinary Medicine where I then found my passion in working in Emergency Medicine.

How would you sum up what being an RVT means to you?
Being an RVT is a very fulfilling role. Getting to work with animals is a reward in itself but actually making a difference in the lives of those pets is the best feeling in the world!

Do you think mentorship is important for minority groups?
I believe mentorship is very important especially coming from the Caribbean where this program isn’t available. Most people don’t know about the role of an RVT in Veterinary Medicine.

@CanadianVIBE_ | Linktree Linktree. Make your link do more.

Wow!! Look at all these amazing veterinarians and student veterinarians working towards positive change in our profession 🤩🤩

Rest In Peace 🤎🕊
Posted • Our hearts go out to Latjor Tuel and his family - the whole Black community grieves with you because we know this could have been any of us. Nobody deserves to be treated and killed like this. Latjor’s daughter has a GoFundMe page to help cover legal and funeral expenses as well as to help pay the cost of transporting Latjor back to his home in South Sudan. Please find the link to donate at Instagram page.

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Come hol’ a VIBE!! Canadian VIBE has partnered with Socacize Fitness to bring a Soca Express Workshop this Black History Month! Join us as we fete and sweat Friday, February 25 from 6:30-7pm via Zoom. Feel free to rep your flag and bring nuff energy!
Register using link in bio for access to the Zoom information.

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