A Kynd Life

Tayla, also known as Vegan Mama of Two, is a mother of two vegan warriors Riley and Lyla. Tayla sadly lost her late fiancé to a battle with leukaemia and used grief to fuel her fire to fight for animals. 

Tayla always felt connected to animals, she loved them deeply. Tayla started avoiding meat when she was pregnant with Lyla and eagerly watched her friend and her friend's husband and children go vegan. Tayla watched several documentaries resulting in her transitioning to an entirely vegan lifestyle. Tayla has always been honest with her children about why they are vegan and as a result, Riley and Lyla are also amazing animal advocates. 

Just after Lyla was born, Tayla’s fiancé Taylor was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, a type of blood cancer. His cancer relapsed three times and he was given a 10% chance of survival following a bone marrow transplant. Sadly, Taylor passed away at age 30. Tayla felt a deep sense of loss and grief as she tried to recover from what her family had endured. Tayla found a sense of purpose in fighting for the animals when she herself was broken and suffering. 

Tayla longed for a sense of companionship, so she joined an online dating platform. She was very upfront about being a vegan widow with 2 children. Tayla received a heartfelt message from Dan and he entered their lives, bringing a sense of love, loyalty and trust. On their first date, Tayla introduced Dan to Cowspiracy and Seaspiracy and it wasn’t long before he was cooking vegan meals for the family. 

Tayla uses her social media platform to educate followers on the realities of the animal agriculture industry. She has been involved in Cube of Truth and attended her first lingerie protest recently, as well as chalking and volunteering for Animal Justice Party at election time. More often than not, Dan and the kids are involved in animal rights activism with Tayla. 

In this episode, Tayla shares her recommendation of documentaries, encourages parents to have honest conversations with their children about food and speaks openly about the IVF journey they are currently undergoing.

https://www.instagram.com/veganmamaoftwo/

Austin Cram started a micro sanctuary called Tonie's Raynebow, following the sudden passing of his partner Tonie. The sanctuary is located in South Gippsland, Victoria and is home to 29 rescue animals.

Austin grew up in suburban Melbourne with cats as companion animals. Being raised with companion animals taught Austin many lessons about caring for animals as well as managing the health struggles of aging animals.

During year 12, Austin learnt of town planning and was intrigued by the integration of architecture, design and social sciences. Upon graduating high school, Austin enrolled to study town planning. He also met his partner Tonie at high school and began dating when they were in year 12. The couple made plans for their future, which included starting a sanctuary.

In 2018, Tonie unexpectedly passed away from an undiagnosed heart condition.  Feeling lost, Austin drew on the strength of the couple's companion rats and a passion for rescuing animals. Austin purchased a 12 acre property in Gippsland and gained employment as a town planner locally. 

Tonie's Raynebow is currently home to 17 roosters, 3 geese, 3 sheep, 3 cows, 2 goldfish and a dog Bella. The property is also home to Giant Gippsland Earthworm colonies, which are listed as a vulnerable species. Austin recently received funding to fence and revegetate the creek.

Austin always had an interest in politics, however he was unsure if his views would be accepted by the broader community. Soon he discovered the Animal Justice Party (AJP) aligned with his personal values and was encouraged to consider running as a candidate.

Austin has been endorsed as the AJP Lead Upper House Candidate for Eastern Victoria in the upcoming State Election. He also understands the importance of having young people represented in politics and has been elected Co-Chair of the Victorian Young Animal Justice Party branch. 

Austin is an absolute powerhouse! If running his own micro sanctuary and being a candidate isn't enough, Austin still manages to find time to help other organisations such pig and dog rescue organisations. 

In this episode, Austin shares the unique stories of sanctuary residents, as well as going vegan after completing Veganuary.

https://www.instagram.com/toniesraynebow/
https://www.instagram.com/austin.cram.ajp/

Kara has worked with children for over 9 years, having started in childcare when she left high school and is now involved in child protection. 

In 2019, Kara saw the Dominion anniversary action on TV and was intrigued why they were protesting, so she watched Dominion. She could only get through the first ten minutes of the documentary, finding out about how animals are legally treated in Australia and knew she had been lied to. 

Following Dominion, Kara continued to look into how her food was produced and decided to go vegan. Around a week later after making the switch to go vegan, Kara’s partner Bowen also decided to go vegan overnight after watching The Game Changers and realising we have no need to consume animals. 

Kara wanted to visit animal sanctuaries so she booked an overnight stay at Peanuts Wellbeing Sanctuary. She instantly fell in love with the animals as well as the founders Tracey and Mick and their ethos. Soon after their stay, Kara and Bowen started volunteering, helping to build enclosures and fences, as well as cleaning and animal care. 

Kara knew she had to do everything she could for the animals so she reached out to a member of Animal Rights Activism Sydney (ARAS) and organised to go to her first Cube of truth. Kara quickly grew in confidence and began speaking to members of the public about the systematic use of animals. She started attending protests such as Ban Live Export, horse racing, Nike’s kangaroo slaughter and Drop Croc, as well as advocating for animals online.

In this episode, Kara also shares her experience planning their upcoming vegan wedding at Owl and Pussycat sanctuary, Byron Bay.

https://www.instagram.com/karaaa_______/
https://www.facebook.com/kjeanann

Livai lives and breathes basketball, having played since he was ten years old. His parents encouraged him to play a number of sports growing up, but basketball always stuck. 

Livai has played for a number of teams over the years and currently is a member of Melbourne Tigers (NBL1). Livai is equally passionate about sharing his skills and investing in youth participation, so he started a basketball coaching business with a friend in late 2019. 

A new path developed for Livai during COVID19, when he was approached to model for an editorial and subsequently signed to a modeling agency in March 2020. He has been involved in a number of campaigns including Bonds, New Balance, Superdry and Birkenstock. 

Livai took part in his first acting job when Bonds asked him to feature in an ad. As a result, Livai has found a love for acting and enrolled in Acting School earlier this year. 

Livai felt inspired by his vegetarian and vegan friends to concentrate on improving his diet and lifestyle. He wanted to achieve optimal health and peak performance for his basketball career, so Livai started reading, watching and listening to vegan sportspeople and nutritionists. Livai met Shantael, his  partner, who is vegan and decided this was the final piece to the puzzle, so he went vegan two years ago. 

Livai and Shantael recently welcomed a baby boy Ryland, their rainbow child into the world, after losing their first baby Bobbi during pregnancy in 2020. The couple feel compelled to share this difficult and personal part of their journey in the hope that it shines a light on pregnancy and infant loss. Livai always wanted to be a father and is smitten to be able to watch Ryland grow. 

In this episode, Livai also shares his plan to create a community of like minded people, by bringing them together with delicious vegan food and music. 

https://www.instagram.com/vaivaivaivai/
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https://www.tiktok.com/@livaibes

Pam's admiration for animals developed at an early age when she helped rescue, rehabilitate and rehome cats and dogs.

Pam always dreamt of having a horse. She started by joining a local pony club, then soon got a horse and became a successful equestrian competing around Australia. Pam's relationship with horses led her to have a greater understanding of large animal behaviour.

Pam hung up her boots to champion the cause of animals. She became involved in campaigns calling for an end to animal testing, vivisection and fur. Pam went vegan over thirty years ago, after reading Peter Singer's book Animal Liberation.

Pam volunteered with Animals Australia on the Save Babe Campaign and needed a pig for a photoshoot. She organised a deal with a local pig farmer and drove home one day with Edgar Alan Pig on the front seat. Pam watched Edgar's life transform with kindness and founded Edgar's Mission.

Edgar's Mission provides sanctuary to over 450 farm animals and has grown into an advocacy organisation, with animals being their own ambassadors.

In this episode, Pam talks about the power of kindness and shares beautiful stories of the animals who find sanctuary at Edgar's Mission. 

https://www.instagram.com/edgarsmission/
https://www.facebook.com/edgarsmission
https://www.tiktok.com/@edgarsmission
https://www.edgarsmission.org.au/

Leif, Founder of The Orangutan Project, has been working with orangutans for over 30 years.

Leif started his career in zoo keeping when the industry had less rules around interacting with animals. He recalls being able to sit and enjoy his lunch with orangutans, as well as playing with the baby orangutans while sitting with their mothers. Leif has been a key player in the development of conservation plans for orangutans, including the first ever successful reintroduction of Tamara, a zoo-born orangutan.

Leif saw a gap in orangutan conservation and created The Orangutan Project, alongside the International Elephant Project and the International Tiger Project. He is now affiliated with seven charities across the world and is a Technical Advisor to a number of foundations and companies affecting change on the ground.

Leif is the author of 3 books, sharing his journey with orangutans and his own personal journey. He runs eco tours with Orangutan Odysseys, allowing guests the opportunity to experience the rainforest and orangutans first hand.

Leif was raised a meat eater, but went vegetarian and subsequently vegan almost 20 years ago, after recognising the connection between all living beings.

In this episode, Leif gives listeners an insight into orangutan behaviour, why orangutans can only survive and thrive in the wild and what we can do to help conserve animals and the environment.

https://www.instagram.com/theorangutanproject/
https://www.facebook.com/theorangutanproject
https://www.orangutan.org.au/

Lauryn, also known as Vegan Yoga Momma, is married with 2 sons and transitioned her whole family to a vegan lifestyle two years ago.  Lauryn is a Clinical Therapist, providing mental health therapy and counselling, as well as leads a grief and loss support group.

In 2019, Lauryn went vegetarian after watching The Game Changers and What The Health. A few things culminated in Lauryn's life, she went to Yoga teaching training and read Yoga and Veganism by Sharon Gannon. Lauryn started making the connection and in 2020, she watched Earthlings and Dominion and went vegan overnight.

Lauryn became certified in Plant Based Nutrition to ensure her children transitioned to veganism safely. She has given a few talks about plant based nutrition for mental health and wellness through her workplace. Lauryn enjoys recipe creation and has a food blog showing people how accessible and delicious vegan food is.

After going vegan, Lauryn went to a local pig rescue event to spend time with animals, which she found extremely healing. On the second visit, Lauryn met a woman who was starting a sanctuary locally and began visiting the sanctuary called TLC Inc. Lauryn and her family regularly visit, as well as help with group tours. She hopes to get involved in street activism and vigils in the future.

Lauryn is also passionate about yoga, having had emergency spinal surgery and suffered back pain for years, Lauryn  was able to find relief in yoga. Yoga also helps Lauryn feels a sense of community and recognises it as an outlet for processing things in life.

In this episode, Lauryn shares the importance of speaking your truth, being a voice for animals and the planet, as well as creating healthy and aesthetically pleasing food for family.

https://www.instagram.com/veganyogamomma/
https://www.tiktok.com/@veganyogamomma
https://veganyogamomma.com/

Sarah is a chemical engineer by trade and worked in the corporate world for a few years, before deciding to work on something more morally and ethically aligned - Compassion Creamery.

Sarah founded Compassion Creamery after having many people ask her for a good vegan cheese recommendation and hearing people rave about their morning oat milk latte. Sarah has created the world's first oat creme cheese, made from 100% Australian grown oats. The ethos of the brand is compassion for animals, the world we share with all beings and self compassion.

Sarah has always loved that food brings people together and continues to challenge herself to be creative in the kitchen, finding more ways to use creme cheese, such as cheesecake, pastas, pizza and bagels.

Sarah went vegan seven years ago after suffering acid reflux. She researched causes of the condition and began to realise how inflammatory dairy is. Over a period of a few months, Sarah cut out animal products, becoming plant based. Sarah continued to immerse herself and watched Earthlings, at which point, she knew a vegan lifestyle was the right choice.

The brand is stocked by cafes, restaurants and catering companies in Sydney, as well as  corporate entities such as Canva. Sarah's next mission is to scale up to the retail market.  At the end of 2021, Compassion Creamery was recognised by Instagram as one of 25 upcoming entrepreneurs in Australia.

In this episode, Sarah shares her start up journey and advice for anyone looking to create a vegan business.

https://www.instagram.com/compassion.creamery/
https://compassioncreamery.com.au/

Chris, also known as The Vegan Sheepdog, grew up hunting and fishing and drank a gallon of milk a day throughout high school.

Chris' wife fell in love with a cow called Dudley, who she was following online. She began to feel like a hypocrite as she loved Dudley, but would feed other cows to their family at the dinner table, so she decided to give up meat. Chris was supportive of his wife's choice to go vegetarian, however he told her not to expect him to do the same.

Chris planned a surprise visit for his wife to meet Dudley, however he did not realise the impact their meeting would have. Chris felt such a strong connection with Dudley, he developed an emotional attachment and realised Dudley was much like a dog. Chris decided to also go vegetarian, as he couldn't bring himself to eat these beautiful sentient beings.

After going vegetarian, Chris and his wife became aware of the cruelty involved in meat, dairy and eggs as they watched documentaries and consumed social media content. They have been vegan for five years and during their journey, have taken their blended family of seven children to a local sanctuary to help them make the same connection.

Chris started his social media account The Vegan Sheepdog in the hope that other people would relate to his experiences of being a hunter and family man. Chris creates content to help people learn about veganism and animal rights in a way he would have loved to have seen when he was going vegan. He has just launched a podcast called How It All Vegan to share guests vegan journeys. Chris also enjoys participating in street outreach with Anonymous for the Voiceless and connecting rescue animals to local animal sanctuaries in his area.

In this episode, Chris shares the importance of teaching kids to be kind and compassionate and the power of sharing your vegan journey to inspire others.

https://www.instagram.com/thevegansheepdog/
https://www.facebook.com/thevegansheepdog
https://www.youtube.com/c/thevegansheepdog
How It All Vegan Podcast - https://howitallvegan.buzzsprout.com/

Olivia is PETA Asia's Senior Activist Liaison and Co-Founder of Dolphin Freedom Fighters.

Olivia went vegetarian at age thirteen but was closed off to learning about veganism until she knew she couldn't hold off any longer. Olivia knew she always wanted to be an animal activist, so after going vegan six years ago, she became involved in local activism opportunities.

Olivia went to an Animal Liberation Victoria workshop and learnt how to photograph and video animals. She heard an Investigator speak at the event and was inspired by their work. After working in the fashion industry for 10 years, Olivia realised it did not align with her values, so she left.

Olivia set her sights on a career in animal advocacy and started an Internship with PETA Asia. She spent a few months in the Philippines conducting investigation work, animal care, research and outreach. Olivia now manages campaigns that highlight animal exploitation in the entertainment, experimentation, food and clothing industries.

Olivia co-founded Dolphin Freedom Fighters a grass roots organisation calling on Sea World to end their breeding program immediately. The group conducts monthly protests in collaboration with other animal rights organisations and also aims to educate the public about the cruelty behind captivity.

In this episode, Olivia shares her inspiration for starting Dolphin Freedom Fighters, tips for cruelty free travel and planning activism events that gain media attention.

https://www.instagram.com/petaasia/
https://www.facebook.com/PETAAsiaPacific
https://www.instagram.com/dolphinfreedomfighters/
https://www.facebook.com/dolphinfreedomfighters/
https://www.instagram.com/oliviaamycharlton/
https://www.facebook.com/olivia.charlton.3954
Sea World Kills disruption - https://www.instagram.com/p/CaUFwTIpnSM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link