Today’s Activism…Be Creative!
Melisser, The Urban Housewife
As the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale has just passed, a week where people all over the world came together to bake not only for charity, but to show people that vegan food is fabulous, I can’t help but think about activism in general.
Sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough to help those in need, especially the millions of animals who rely on those who can speak for them. Animal activism can also seem scary or difficult, as it’s easy to picture angry mobs protesting in the streets or being asked to approach strangers to debate your beliefs. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. I had the good fortune to hear Josh Hooten from Herbivore Clothing Company speak at the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down earlier this year and one thing in his talk about activism that stuck with me was, do what you are good at to help the animals. Okay, maybe that wasn’t his exact quote, but it’s the gist of his message and it should be spread far and wide!
Activism is easy once you know where to start and there’s so many ways you can make your voice heard. No one is going to be an effective animal advocate if their heart isn’t in it, so it’s your job to take what you do well and use it. Do you like to bake? Start bringing treats to your co-workers and impress them with the cruelty-free sweets we all know are fabulous, but they haven’t discovered yet. A bake sale for your favorite animal rights charity spreads the good word even further! Passing out free samples of vegan food is an excellent conversation starter as well as a way to get people interested in incorporating new items in to their diet.
Groups like VegFund make this even easier, as they pay for vegan food samples for groups to distribute! Leafleting is a very simple way to get the word out without too much fuss. A smile, a busy area, and a stack of fliers such as “Why Vegan?” from Vegan Outreach are all you need. You can also spend a day dropping off fliers at cafes, coffee shops, and other places willing to let you leave them there. You never know who could pick one up! If you like to organize events, maybe a movie screening such as an Earthlings viewing is up your alley or a show where bands play and the cover benefits animal organizations. Not a social butterfly? Spend some time signing and circulating online petitions or writing letters to your congressperson and ask your friends to do the same. If you’re technically inclined, you can offer your services from coding to graphic design to your local animal charities. With just a few hours helping out, you can keep them running smoothly, so they can focus on the animals who need us!
Most of all in being an effective advocate for animals stay positive! No one likes a crabby vegan, it perpetuates stereotypes and turns people off of cruelty free living. Veganism is easy and also happens to be the best thing you can do for the animals, the environment, and your health. Live by example and let others know you’re living well. Anyone can be an activist, even YOU, so get out there and be that voice for the voiceless. The animals are counting on you!
Melisser Elliott is the author behind The Urban Housewife, an award winning blog detailing her culinary adventures from vegan dining around the world to the sweets in her own kitchen. When not at the keyboard, she runs San Francisco based vegan bakery Sugar Beat Sweets, participates in animal activism & vegan outreach, & spends time with her husband Ryan, & rescued friends Strummer, Beamish, & Scurvy.
4 Comments
Great work, Melisser! It’s easy to think we’re not doing enough but when you think about it we’re all doing something and there’s also so much more we can do :)
Really cool site. Thank you for writing.
Deference to website author , some good entropy.
Good idea.. sharing always leads to questions and questions to trying something new.. so lets work on expanding those horizons peacefully and what a loving way to do it.. brava.. Callie
July 8, 2009