Statement of Commitment

A Message from the One Health Institute Leadership Team

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   

The One Health Institute unequivocally stands with the Black Lives Matter movement and denounces the ongoing and systemic violence against all people of color including the most recent attacks on AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stop AAPI Hate coalition has reported close to 3,800 acts of discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. (the actual number is likely much higher as most go unreported). This targeted violence is unacceptable, and we must be united in remaining vigilant and working together to become proactive allies. We are humbled by the courage of protesters, activists, and the victims and families of racial violence for leading all of us to action.

We recognize that the One Health Institute is in a powerful position to enact and inspire change. As a leading research, education and advocacy institute at the number one veterinary school in the U.S., it is our responsibility to use our academic leadership and resources to fight the widespread adversities that disproportionately harm BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students, faculty, staff and communities around the world.

To that end, we have been working on our Commitments to Action first outlined in June 2020 and are pleased to announce the winners of our inaugural One Health Integration in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion/Black Lives Matter (BLM) Competitive grant. We view these as our first step towards building a healthier, just, and inclusive institute and society.

Commitment to Action

  • 100% of the OHI Leadership Team will be participating in racial justice, diversity, equity & inclusion training.
  • The OHI will pay the fee for any associated student, staff, or faculty member to attend such training.
  • We have completed the campus Needs Assessment for Diversity & Inclusion Education focused on systemic racism for the OHI and have requested an institute-wide workshop.
  • We commit to an external audit of our communications for unconscious bias. 
  • The OHI will organize a facilitated reflection on unconscious bias to be held in our workplace.
  • We will offer up to five $5,000 - $10,000 grants competitively for students, staff, and faculty to develop either improvements in the One Health approach in the area of social and racial inequities or ways to use the One Health approach to address systemic racism.
  • We will seek donor funding to continue successful approaches in this realm in the long-term.
  • Leadership commits to continuing to do this important work in all areas of activity of our institute and to demonstrate this commitment in meetings, products, and initiatives.

We will continue to contribute to the education of our underserved communities and will expand our knowledge-sharing on racial inequities in the following ways

  • Deliver One Health and social justice material in the SMASH for high school students from low-income or historically underrepresented backgrounds.
  • Deliver the same in the COSMOS program for STEM students in grades 8-12 and at the undergraduate, professional, and graduate levels.
  • Make available educational content on birds of prey and the environment from the California Raptor Center and the SeaDoc Society’s "Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids" at no cost to Title I schools and continue to make the book available to every 5th and 6th grader in the Salish Sea regardless of ability to pay.

These are just the first steps our Leadership committed to on June 11, 2020, and we will regularly revisit our actions and initiatives in this space forever going forward.

The One Health Institute is proud to be part of a University and system that stands for social justice, diversity, inclusion, and community, and is committed to the UC Davis Principles of Community.  

We welcome your input and are here to listen, learn, reflect, act and respond. 

Yours in Service, The One Health Leadership Team


UC Davis Resources

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Resources for Racial Trauma
UC Davis Principles of Community
Living the Principles of Community Online Course
Oiled Wildlife Care Network Statement: Silence is not Golden

Additional UC Resources

UCLA’s Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Resources for Racial Trauma
UC Berkeley School of Public Health: Black. Lives. Matter.
UCSF United Against Racism Town Hall