NYC ANIMAL RIGHTS MARCH 2019 RECAP

AHHHHHH!!  What an amazing day 8/24/2019 was; especially for the animals.  Over 2,000 people attended The Official Animal Rights March in NYC and I am so grateful to have been one of them.  This was my first march and it was amazing to be surrounded by so many like minded individuals marching the streets of the big apple, demanding ANIMAL LIBERATION NOW!!    I traveled to the big city alone and I absolutely enjoyed every second with myself.  During the 3+ hour drive I had so much time to reflect on my activism and listen to podcasts that are focused on mind set (currently listening to The Life Coach School Podcast). 

I purchased all my sign supplies at Dollar Tree, spending roughly about $7.  I decided on “RESPECT EXISTENCE OR EXPECT RESISTANCE; GO VEGAN” for the front because it correlates with the direct action needed from activists to continue to expose the truth, coordinate lock downs and shutdowns at slaughterhouses, save lives openly and demand justice for all animals.  The back of the sign read BE ONE LESS PERSON HARMING ANIMALS; BE VEGAN!  It’s a more compassionate message that most people would agree with because lets face it, who (in their right mind) would ever want to purposely harm animals?!?  It’s just a damn shame that the majority still choose to harm them by supporting such cruelty with their dollars. 

• 

• 

• 

The more I embrace this Vegan journey and open my eyes and heart to all sentient life, the more I realize that being vegan is the very LEAST we can do.  The animals need us marching the streets every single day to wake the world up.  Vegans need to become active and activists need to continue to light up the world with the truth.  This past Saturday was one of those days.  The photos speak for themselves…

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Until next time, NYC!  And of course, UNTILL ALL ARE FREE!!!!

BE VEGAN.

Day 5 at WEEK OF TRUTH with AV

On July 13th, 2019 Anonymous for the Voiceless (AV) organized a Cube of Truth for 8 days straight, 12 hours per day, in the heart of NYC. This historical event took place at several different locations and on day 5, I was able to attend the cube that was organized at Astor Place.

What an amazing feeling to be part of an organization setting records with activism, pushing the limit and creating history. Animal liberation is inevitable; and AV is making sure they do whatever it takes to make that happen as soon as possible.

Here is the person responsible for AV, badass Asal…my hero

My top 3 highlights from this event were meeting the creators of AV who started the organization and meeting Hudson Tarlow, the badass 17 year old animal activist who dedicates his life to speak up for the animals. I never would of thought a year ago that I would have the privilege to witness Paul Bashir (co-founder/director of AV) outreach to someone while I was in the cube . I also got to witness Asal (Director of AV) outreach and I even captured a special moment with her. I was able to personally thank them both for all that they do and will be forever grateful for every single experience that took place that day.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

One of my favorite things to do during a cube of truth is to witness the expressions on everyone’s faces. Whether they stay to witness or just long enough to see what we’re showing, their expressions say it all. I love capturing these moments on camera because they tell a more compelling story than just showing the footage on the screens. People have decided to ignore the suffering of farmed animals to ease their conscious on supporting it; so showing footage it not enough. We must normalize the stance against animal exploitation and show people that being vegan is the LEAST we can do. We must stand up and speak up for the victims until compassion for all beings become the new norm.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

~UNTIL ALL ARE FREE~

COPLEY SQUARE, BOSTON MA~ CUBE OF TRUTH RECAP

UNITY CUBE OF TRUTH, JUNE 15,2019

On June 15, 2019 at Copley Square in Boston Massachusetts, over 50 members of Anonymous for the Voiceless gathered together from all over New England for a unity cube of truth.  A total of 205 seeds were planted (meaning, Anonymous for the Voiceless cards were handed to 205 bystanders who took interest into our message and seemed genuinely interested in learning more about veganism).  Out of the 205 seeds, I planted 10 of them.  This was by far, the most productive outreach I have been apart of and I left that night feeling so hopeful and inspired as an animal rights activist.

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Copley Square, Boston MA

The more cubes I attend, the more I try and observe people’s body language. Especially those that choose to stay and watch the footage long enough to see what exactly they’re watching.  These photos are some of my favorite from the Copley Square Cube because I felt they captured a powerful message behind the common body language I noticed. Most people are extremely uncomfortable with what they are witnessing and even more bothered to comprehend that they directly contribute to that amount of suffering on a daily basis.  Notice the different forms of crossed arms with the bystanders. Crossed arms are a classic gesture of defensiveness. If eating animals was as normal as the industries make them out to be, seeing the process on how animals get turned into “food” shouldn’t make us this uncomfortable.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Next month I’ll be participating in the 168 hour, Week of Truth even in NYC where there will be cubes set up all over the Time Square area for 7 straight days.  This cube event will most likely be one of the largest I’ll EVER attend, given that it will be hosted by the founders of Anonymous for the Voiceless themselves.  I’ll be cubing with some of my favorite social media activists and true heroes behind the movement.  This event will surely go down in history as one of the largest and longest demonstrations for the animal rights movement. That will be a recap worth reading, for sure.

One of my favorite conversations of the night. These ladies were genuinely interested in our message, asked tons of great questions and left that night taking veganism more seriously.

The reason we will never stop fighting…JUSTICE FOR ALL

5 PASSIVE WAYS TO GET ACTIVE FOR THE ANIMALS

1. WEAR IT– This one is probably the easiest since it is so diverse.  From hats, tops, bottoms, accessories, you name it, you can cater to your preferences and wear your message.  I currently am collecting t-shirts.  Most are short and sweet (Plant Based, Vegan Vibes, etc.) and a couple are more direct and aggressive.  My favorite shirt being designed by Leah Doellinger (favorite animal liberationist and creator of Meat the Victims).  My more direct message shirts I wear at cubes and protests.  My less direct ones I wear when I’m exercising; either at the gym or running outdoors.

• 

• 

2. SIDEWALK CHALK-TIVISIM–  This is a great way to use your creative side to spread a positive vegan message.  Do it in public areas like parks and bike paths; even if you do it during “off hours” to be more discrete. 

• 

• 

3. STICKER ACTIVISM– This is another area you can get as creative as you’d like to and revolve the stickers around your budget.  There are certain websites and Instagram pages (Activismstickers2 for example), that sell super cute ones and in a wide variety.  Or if you’re strapped on cash, buy your own labels and a sharpie or two.  Carry a few with you when you’re going out. Public bathrooms, bulletin boards and sign posts are great places to speak up for the animals.  I mean, if we have to look at other people’s garbage/graffiti all over the walls, why not use the same platform to spread the love.  I tagged up a few STOP signs in my day, and I don’t plan on stopping. ;o)

4. SHARE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT– Whether it’s slaughterhouse or factory farm footage, protests, open rescues or farm sanctuary animals, share as much and as often as you can with your social media following.  Our job as animal rights activist is to share their story and normalize veganism.  Most people already agree with the vegan message of peace for all beings and are morally against animal cruelty.  They have to constantly be reminded that they are indirectly funding animal abuse and that this shouldn’t be normalized any longer. Whether you share a plant based meal, rescue animal or graphic footage, the overall message needs to be spread as far and as wide as possible.

Meat the Victims Lockdowns/Protests- ALWAYS SHARE TO HELP THE FOOTAGE GO VIRAL!

5. VOLUNTEER– This is extremely good for the soul.  Especially if you tend to fall into the depression/helpless hole that most activists can relate to.  I find visiting a local farm sanctuary helps me stay grounded for the animals.  I’m fortunate enough to live next to a few and only a handful of hours away from Farm Sanctuary in NY (still on my bucket list to go visit!)  Surround yourself with some happy ending stories of individuals who survived the agricultural industry.

 Another option would be to join some veganism and/or activism Facebook or Meetup Groups to surround yourself with people who share the same message as you do.  This is extremely important to do to remember that you are not alone in the animal rights fight.  As often as you may feel alone and helpless as an activist, we have all been there and need to learn to lean on each other to keep fighting the good fight!

Cube of Truth Tips for Beginners

I first started attending Anonymous for the Voiceless, Cube of Truths a little over a year ago. My very first cube of truth was on Thayer Street in Providence, RI on a Friday the 13th (so fitting given how horrific the footage we share is). What’s even more horrific, is that this footage is reality and is happening everywhere, every second, of every day. 

It was April 13, 2018 to be exact. I was so nervous and anxious on what to expect. I didn’t want to see nor hear the horrible footage on the screens. I didn’t know how bystanders would react when they saw our demonstration and I assumed the worst. I thought maybe someone walking by having a bad day would try and take out their frustration on us and knock over a laptop or taunt an AV member. Or maybe a young group of friends trying to empress each other would think it was cool to laugh at our message and harass us. 

I’ve done about 10 cube of truths so far and I must say, it is the most fulfilling form of activism I’ve tried so far. It inspires me on a daily basis to continue spreading such an important message; animal liberation.

Here are a few pointers from a semi-regular AV attender. I’m sure once I get another years worth of cubes under my belt I’ll have even better tips, so stay tuned!

• 

  Waterfire~ Providence, RI

• 

  Waterfire~ Providence, RI

Start in the cube- one of the best ways to understand the process and purpose of this type of activism is to be part of the cube for your first few demonstrations. Listen to how the AV members on outreach converse with the bystanders. Observe the face and body expressions from both the people who stay and bare witness on the screens and those who choose to keep walking once they realize what they’re watching. It’s difficult to explain the sense of fulfillment you gain showing bystanders the truth and witnessing them bare witness for a change. Especially since most of the time, activists feel so helpless. 

Watch Cube of Truth You Tube videos of other activists-  There’s plenty to choose from and are super informative. It’s how I built the courage to outreach at cubes and try to plant as many seeds as possible. Some of my favorite you tube channels are Joey Carbstrong, James Aspey, That Vegan Couple, Earthling Ed, the list goes on but these are great to start with. Being informed is key to having the courage to converse with people. Knowing the common objections (aka excuses) against veganism will prepare you and keep you at a comfortable state while engaging with people.

• 

  Waterfire~ Providence, RI

• 

  Waterfire~ Providence, RI

Ask questions (and keep your cool) when outreaching-  Always remember that your main purpose when on outreach is not to argue with people or try to convert them into vegans.  Outreachers are there to tell the story of the animals, inform people on who we are as a group, what exactly the Cube of Truth demonstration is and most importantly ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS!  We are not there to shame anyone; most people have no idea just how bad the animals we exploit really have it.  Ask people if they ever seen footage like this before.  Ask them how it makes them feel to see it.  Ask them if they know how they can stop contributing to the abuse they are witnessing. Some people won’t make the connection right away and that is totally fine; many vegans (myself included) didn’t make the connection right away.  Some will be curious and ready to at least hear the message and witness the atrocities on the screens.  Inform those willing to listen, be a shoulder to cry on to those who will need it and don’t be judgmental. Also, don’t waste your time on people who are combative or immature.  They are not worth the effort and we are not being active for them or us; we are there for the animals.

Take your role seriously-  Whether you are part of the cube or on the outreach team, play the part.  Cubers should stand in the cube and stay as still as possible while remaining silent when holding a TRUTH sign or Laptop/TV.  Their job is to form a cube and show the public how serious our message for the animals is.  The outreach team should only engage with those willing to watch and learn what the Cube of Truth is all about.  The more professional AV members are, the more attention we’ll gain and most importantly, the more seeds we will plant towards veganism!    

Thayer Street~ Providence, RI ~April 13, 2018
MY VERY FIRST CUBE!

Earthling Ed East Coast Take Over!

I had the pleasure of hearing Earthling Ed (Ed Winters) speak in person about my two favorite topics; Veganism and Animal Rights.  I found out two days before he would be in town, that he was hosting a speech at Brown University and was touring the East Coast before returning back to the UK.  He has been one of my biggest idols in the animal rights movement since I started my vegan activism journey.  How on earth could I justify missing the legend himself, speak to students in my hometown?!  I’m so very thankful I didn’t.

It was beyond surreal sitting just about 10 feet in front of Ed while he spoke such truth and logic.  Especially since I’ve seen almost every You Tube upload he has ever created.  It was also extremely satisfying to know that this was the first of many times I’ll run into Earthling Ed.  I’ve only been an animal rights activist for just over a year so this is only the beginning for me.  I didn’t have the chance to personally greet him, hug him, shake his hand or thank him for all the amazing work he is doing for the animals.  Mother duties called and I had to leave right before he started his Q&A and meet & greet sessions.  Next time I’m blessed with his presence, I’ll make sure to let him know just how much of an influence he has on my activism for animals. How this entire planet is beyond lucky to have him in the front lines of the vegan movement, for the sake of all Earthlings we share our home with.

 

 

Anonymous for the Voiceless

I’ve been involved with Anonymous for the Voiceless since April of 2018.  Since then, I’ve done a bunch of demonstrations with them (as pictured above) mainly in the Providence area.  According to their website, Anonymous for the Voiceless is a street activist organization dedicated to total animal liberation. We expose to the public the animal exploitation that is intentionally hidden from them.  Cube of truths are held in public locations where half of the members form a cube and hold either a sign or footage and the other half of the members are on the outreach team and converse with the bystanders.  The masks serve a few purposes; it captures the bystanders attention, helps the bystanders focus on the footage instead of the person holding it and sends the anonymous message that we are there to speak up for the victims (animals) and not for ourselves.

This is by far my favorite form of activism at the moment.  There hasn’t been one cube I’ve attended where I didn’t have an uplifting conversation with a stranger that gives me hope for our future.  The footage is undercover footage from several different “RSPCA approved” factory farms, slaughterhouses, animal testing lab, etc.  It exposes how badly the victims are treated and murdered, as well as highlights the cruelty behind the standard practices used in these animal exploitation industries.

There are chapters (AV groups) in over 1,000 cities across the world; making AV a world wide organization.  Sometimes, local chapters come together for a cube and show strength in numbers.  The photos shared are from my most recent cube that was done in New Haven, Connecticut near Yale University.  AV members from the New Haven chapter, Massachusetts chapter and Rhode Island chapter joined together for an event that was hosted by well known animal activist, Joshua Entis.  It was an amazing event which led to over 50 bystanders leaving with an open mind on taking veganism more seriously.

Why I’m Vegan

To sum up, there’s really no justifiable reason NOT to be vegan in 2019.  With so many cruelty free alternatives for meats, dairy and eggs, why would someone continue to pay others to mistreat and slaughter animals by the TRILLIONS every single year??  I truly believe that the generations to come, will look back at this atrocity which such shame and disbelief.  Want to know why many people continue to consume dead animal flesh and secretions?   Convenience, habit, taste and traditions.

There are plenty of health studies out there that prove whole plant based foods are optimal for humans.  And there’s even more studies out there that prove animal products are the leading cause of deaths for humans.  Heart disease is the number one killer in humans and stems from saturated fats and cholesterol which are mainly found in animal products.  Certain forms of cancer are also the cause of too much processed meats and dairy.  Dairy plays a huge role in hormonal cancers (breast, ovarian, prostate and testicular).  Don’t you think it’s weird how we continue to drink breast milk after our early childhood years from another species???  How many people would be grossed out if it were pig breast milk or dog breast milk or better yet, human breast milk??  It’s just all so weird and we’re not baby cows after all.  The hormones found in cow’s milk does a number on our bodies.  “Milk does a body good is not science, it’s marketing.”- Dr. Milton Mills, MD

Ethically speaking, most people are against animal abuse and if they had to slaughter or even witness the slaughter of the animal they want to eat, they wouldn’t do it.  Earthlings and Dominion are two very powerful documentaries that show the truth on how these animals are raised, farmed and slaughtered.  Every single one of them fight until their very last breath to survive.  We all just want to live in peace; human animals and non-human animals.

Environmentally speaking, we’re screwed.  We’ll not so much us but our kids and their kids.  The amount of pollution and waste created by the animal agricultural industry has come to a point of no return.  Deforestation to make room for more animals or to grow the food to feed to the animals is beyond devastating to comprehend.  Dead zones in the oceans with fish-less oceans predicted by the year 2048!  If the fish go, we all go.  We are destroying our beautiful planet by using and consuming other sentient beings.

Being vegan is taking an ethical stance against all intentional animal abuse.  This includes avoiding food and clothing derived from animals along with products tested on animals and using animals for our entertainment (zoos, circuses, etc.)  Just by existing, humans will destroy some life forms by driving, walking, crop farming, etc.  We must do our part to cause the LEAST amount of harm to others (whether directly or indirectly).  I am vegan because we must be the change we wish to see in the world.  Could you imagine how much better off we all would be if we were taught to respect all life forms and not just those we consider pets?

Peace begins on your plate.  #bevegan

*DISCLOSURE* I by no means am posting this to shame non-vegans.  I wasn’t vegan for the first 32 years of my life and it is not my place to judge.  Most people do not know how bad it actually is for the animals nor do they care to witness it.  I called myself an animal lover all my life all while consuming their dead, tortured bodies and sporting Coach purses made of cow skin.  I urge each and every one of you to please do your own research because once we know better, we can do better.  And those that have the privilege to know have the duty to act.  It is my duty to spread awareness as far and wide as possible.  It’s the very least I can do; especially since I contributed to their suffering for most of my life.