Jason Schramm--a web developer and founder of Veg Groups, where he creates websites intended to help people go vegan, stay vegan, or become informed on vegan-oriented events, or films, on his VegMovies site—notes that he got deeply into computers as a seventh...
Dr. Faraz Harsini--biomedical scientist and speaker at the 2023 Tampa Bay Veg Fest—remembers growing up in Iran, including a possible foreshadowing of his future activism, when participating in a student protest of the country’s leadership resulted in his being...
Gene Baur--co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, which Baur helped launch in 1986—responds to the observation that, nearly 40 years later, he could be excused if some days felt “same old, old,” recounting some of the activities that currently most invigorate...
Jane O’Hara, the animal advocate and artist--whose paintings tend to celebrate animals or explore animal issues—recalls a regular upbringing, amidst conventional companion animals. Only some years later, O’Hara adds, did she start researching animals, reading some...
Alene Anello--founder and president of Legal Impact for Chickens (LIC), a nonprofit dedicated to bringing lawsuits that benefit chickens—recalls growing up in a family with plenty of animals, mostly dogs. However, when at age 11, she asked for her very own animal,...
Kimberly Carroll— a veteran Toronto-based animal activist, leader, and consultant—recalls growing up in Manitoba, a sensitive child with a precocious connection to animals, yet like her family members and most fellow Manitobans, she was also an enthusiastic meat...
Liz Marshall—a documentary director whose latest film, “Meat The Future,” examines the realm of “cultivated meat,” generated in a lab setting, from animal cells, but these animals remain unharmed—explains the criteria she considers when deciding what topic or...
Kitty Block—President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), as well as CEO of Humane Society International, HSUS’ global division—discusses getting a precocious start working in animal welfare, in that her Mom was an animal activist. Block...
Anita Krajnc—the global campaign coordinator of the Plant Based Treaty, which views itself as a companion to the Paris Agreement, described, on the Treaty website, as “a grassroots campaign designed to put food systems at the forefront of combating the climate...
Dr. Dani McVety—the veterinarian, and Tampa native, who co-founded Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice in 2009—recounts the circumstances behind launching what has since become the nation’s largest network dedicated to end of life veterinary care, operating in 36...
