BUSINESS Black EyeCare Perspective Expands Partnerships and Outreach to Future Black Optometrists By Staff Sunday, November 26, 2023 12:57 AM RELATED CONTENT Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Latinos en Optometry Builds a Range of Resources and Events Across the ECP and Patient Community New England College of Optometry Deepens Its DE&I Commitments, Partnerships and Sponsored Pathways SUNY College of Optometry Expands Its DE&I Initiatives Within the Profession and Student Community Transitions Diversity Advisory Board Widens Its Initiatives The Vision Council Expands Its Scholarship Program and Will Address DE&I Issues at Its Summit VSP Vision Expands Awareness of DEI Issues Inside and Outside Its Organization With its partnerships expanding and its connections with current and future Black optometrists growing, Black EyeCare Perspective (BEP) is continuing its progress in “redefining the color of the eyecare industry.” The organization’s progress in 2023 was significant in several areas. The Black EyeCare Perspective Pre-Optometry Club continues to grow and now has a membership of nearly 200 students representing over 30 states and 111 undergraduate institutions with 27 of them being Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). She added, “We visited the campuses of Xavier University of Louisiana, North Carolina Central University and engaged with over 20 more HBCUs at the 32nd Annual National Association of African American Honors Programs Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.” Johnson observed, “I do think that the kinds of connections and reactions we get to the work we’re doing have changed tremendously in the past three years, just a higher sense of awareness toward the issue of diversity within health care and the profession—which of course translates to the patient population as well. It may speak to everyone’s individual family or cultural perspective, but there is a multi-cultural sensibility now. There’s much work to be done to escalate education of all kinds about the importance of eyecare, how all populations can be better served and how the profession can expand.” Said Johnson, “We look forward to advancing the message of optometry and health care beyond the eyecare industry and continuing to create a pipeline for Black students even earlier in their academic journey with our 13% Promise Partners, which include Johnson and Johnson Vision, VSP, Transitions, Warby Parker, My EyeDr., National Vision, several schools and colleges of optometry and our newest partner, the American Optometric Association. VM reported on that partnership last June.