Vision Expo Announces Topic for July 22 Virtual EYE2EYE Series Coffee Talk: Open Your Eyes! What Allyship of Diversity & Inclusion Looks Like

Alexandria, VA – July 16, 2020 – On Wednesday, July 22 at 12:15 p.m. EDT, The Vision Council and Vision Expo will host Open Your Eyes! What Allyship of Diversity & Inclusion Looks Like as part of the Virtual EYE2EYE Series, a weekly series of virtual panels and interactive conversations inspired by Vision Expo’s EYE2EYE educational series. Launched in April as a way to keep the vision community informed, engaged and connected, the Virtual EYE2EYE Series’ ‘Coffee Talk’ conversations are moderated by industry experts and take place on a weekly basis to address current challenges in the vision community.

The July 22 Coffee Talk will be moderated by Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President of New England College of Optometry, and will focus on exploring the current state of diversity and inclusion in the eyecare industry with four vision community leaders who will share their personal commitments to allyship of BIPOC in the vision industry and their thoughts on what is needed to build a more equitable agenda in eyecare.

Participants include: Julia Gogosha, Owner of Gogosha Optique; Sue Downes, CEO and Co-Founder at MyEyeDr.; Myles Zakheim, OD, CEO of Optometrix, and Co-Owner of Zak.; and Neil Blumenthal, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Warby Parker.

“People of all backgrounds should be willing to have and lead discussions on diversity and inclusion. In a time when racial tensions are high in this country, the voices of those who are allies of BIPOC are more influential than ever before. I am looking forward to this important discussion during next week’s Coffee Talk and hearing the perspectives of groups that are not usually highlighted when talks on these topics occur,” said Tarrence Lackran, Director of Partnerships and Programming at The Vision Council.

“Building relationships based on trust, consistency and accountability and taking on the struggle as if it is your own, that is true allyship,” said Dr. Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President of New England College of Optometry. “The time is now for all of us to be there for each other.”

All interested participants, including participants who have previously registered for past Virtual EYE2EYE Series events, must register for the July 22 session at the following link: http://vew2020.com/CoffeeTalk.

The July 22 Coffee Talk continues the conversation from the June 17 Coffee Talk— Open Your Eyes! Taking Steps to be an Ally of Diversity & Inclusion—which was moderated by Danielle Richardson, OD, and explored the intersection of diversity, inclusion and allyship with several vision community leaders, including Sherianne James, Chief Marketing Officer for Essilor of America; Coco and Breezy Dotson, Founders at Coco and Breezy Eyewear; Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, President of the New England College of Optometry; and Sherrol Reynolds, OD, President of the National Optometric Association.

To learn more about the Virtual EYE2EYE Series, visit west.visionexpo.com/virtual-eye-2-eye.

About Vision Expo
Vision Expo East in New York City and West in Las Vegas are trade-only conferences and exhibitions for eyecare and eyewear presented by co-owners Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council. Vision Expo is the complete event for ophthalmic professionals, where eyecare meets eyewear, and education, fashion and innovation mingle. In the Vision Expo Exhibit Hall, eyecare providers can discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services. The Vision Expo education program is driven by the profession, offering content of the highest quality and relevance to enhance overall patient care. For more information, visit VisionExpo.com and follow Vision Expo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About The Vision Council
Championing better vision for better lives, The Vision Council positions its members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums. Furthermore, through a partnership with Think About Your Eyes, The Vision Council supports consumer education around eyewear and eyecare.