Pulse - June 2021 - 12

Los Angeles. But I think that probably has something to do
with it. "
Ivonne Valdez, an RVT who works in Yucaipa, loves her
career. " This career has been really the best to me and a lot of
my co-workers. If I count school as part of my years of experience,
I've been doing this for 24 or 25 years.
" Though it's stressful and sometimes it's hard to work with
some doctors, I haven't experienced racism in any of the hospitals
where I've worked, with any of my co-workers or any
of my bosses. You don't hear: 'That doctor doesn't like me
because I'm Black (or Mexican).' We're all connected by the
love of animals. Nobody's ever held me back because of my
background. I consider myself lucky. "
Dr. Julio Lopez, who owns Encino Veterinary Center, said
that he never has had to deal with discrimination. " I don't
know if that's a matter of being here in Los Angeles, which is
used to having a large Latinx community. I know there is still
racism - it doesn't mean there isn't any just because we're in
Melissa Garcia, practice manager at Bloomfield Veterinary
Hospital in Lakewood, agrees that the veterinary profession
is tolerant. " I think so. I've never experienced racism or discrimination
in the smaller clinics where I have worked..
" I have not encountered any barriers as a Latina in my jobs.
When I first started as a tech, I was 'the spicy little Latina' at
some of the places I worked. I had to fight that a little bit but
that was more because I was a woman in this industry - and
I got through it. "
Stephen Cital, an RVT who works at Stanford University,
said he had never seen overt discrimination in the veterinary
industry. " But covertly, yes. There's the nuance of seemingly
innocent actions that can amount to subtle forms of discrimination,
racism or prejudice. "
An example, he said, are racist or ethnicity-centered jokes
that can be funny but appeal to dark feelings that may be
deep down inside us. " Telling a joke about how well a person
of Mexican heritage can clean, given the high percentage
of custodial workers and housekeepers of Mexican descent,
could perpetuate systemic bias and racism and provide validation
or a glimmer of light to those who actually have discriminatory
views, " he said.
Telling one of these jokes to a group of Latinx workers
within earshot of white colleagues might validate subtler forms
of discrimination, Stephen said. " I think it's dumb and naïve for
people to declare that they don't see race or color. While they
might be pure of heart when they say this, other ears listening
might find that as validation of racist or discriminatory views. "
He also said that seeing powerful all male and all-white
- or nearly all-white - decision-making committees or
boards " certainly lowers one's self esteem or confidence in
ever attaining a position like that. I have the tenacity and
Latinx Veterinary Professionals
Find Different Routes to Success
The Latinx community in the United States is diverse and versatile. People are descended primarily from Spanish-speaking
countries in the Americas. Here, briefly, are the stories of several SCVMA members - all of them
proud of their community and their heritage.
Dr. Julio Lopez, owner of Encino Veterinary
Center, grew up in the mid-city area
of Los Angeles. His family of five lived
until he was 16 in a one-bedroom apartment
" that wasn't in the best condition. "
His father earned a steady income repairing
dishwashers and washing machines. His
mother was a teacher in Mexico but was not
licensed in the United States. She worked as
a tutor and in an after-school program.
He and his siblings, all born in the U.S.,
were provided with all the basics " even if
we couldn't have extras. There was a lot of
12
love and support at home. The reason people
immigrate to this country is not just to
seek a better life for themselves but to seek
better lives for their children. That's certainly
what happened with us. "
His parents encouraged him to pursue
his dreams and study hard. " They did
everything they could to keep me focused
in school and on my goal of becoming a
veterinarian, " Dr. Lopez said. His sister and
brother got the same kind of support and
both have successful careers.
Ivonne
Valdez
enrolled in the RVT
program at Mount
San Antonio College
in 1995. She worked
full
pregnant with her first child. " I had one
T to cross to finish the program in 2000
but I was raising my child and working full
time, " she said.
JUNE 2021
PULSE
time and went
to school full time.
In 1998 she became

Pulse - June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - June 2021