As a social justice organization working in the companion animal space it’s important that we keep our work grounded in real people and the larger issues of inequity that affect dog owners, as we know that breed restrictions are merely a symptom of systemic problems.
We’re starting a video series simply titled “AFF: In Conversation . . . “ Each conversation, sometimes streamed live, will be an intimate, relaxed discussion between people who are pushing for change not only for dog owners, but for society as a whole. The conversations will be about the individuals, their experiences and what they’re seeing in their communities. Sometimes the conversations will be heavy and uncomfortable, but we also never want to lose the joy that dogs bring into our lives, so, of course, we’ll touch on that, too.
“AFF: In Conversation . . . “ will have a variety of hosts (for lack of a better word) and guests from across all industries, walks of life, and levels of advocacy – some people may have been at this for a long time and others might be new at the civil rights issues behind breed restrictions.
This first conversation happens this month
Our first conversation launches on August 23 at 1pm with longtime AFF collaborator Ngozi Nnaji (Ako Insurance Consulting) and Kassidi Jones. The conversation will be livestreamed on AFF’s Facebook page and AKO Insurance Company’s LinkedIn.
You may remember Ngozi from our “The Black Man’s Dog” panel discussion about breed restrictions in home insurance. She has been globally recognized for her work in creating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the insurance industry. Ngozi identifies strategies that create intentional progress leading to more inclusive and intercultural work environments.
Kassidi is a PhD candidate at Yale, studying 19th century African American ecopoetics. She herself is a published poet. Kassidi also runs the Instagram account Gingers_Naps. The social media channel of course features photos of Kassidi’s dog Ginger, but Kassidi mixes humor with education to create conversations about how racism and the companion animal space (specifically related to dogs) intersect.
Follow the event on Facebook so that you don’t miss anything.
Ngozi will be hosting several of these conversations, including our September’s event, which will be centered around the experience of Black veterinarians. In October and November, Nikki and Regina will be talking with our grantees about what they experience on the ground.
