Hope for the Animals

In the latest episode of UPC’s Hope for the Animals Podcast, we have Andy Tabar joining us to talk about anti-fat biases and veganism. Andy is the co-host of The Bearded Vegans, a podcast in its fifth year dedicated to discussing the ethical grey areas of living a vegan life. Andy is also the owner of Compassion Co, an organic, made in the USA  clothing line.  In Episode 24, Andy educates us about the prevalence of fat phobia in the vegan community and why not addressing it harms activists and hinders animal liberation. He shares how we can support body diversity and fat justice so all are welcome in the vegan space.  

Resources:

The Bearded Vegans Podcast

Compassion Co

Chelsea Lincoln on Instagram: @FatVeganVoice

Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, by Sabrina Strings

Aubrey Gordon-

Instagram: @YRFatFriend

Book: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat

Podcast: Maintenance Phase

We start off the podcast with Hope offering some perspective and depth into the concept of Ahimsa. This Sanskrit word is being utilized in the vegan community to help consider non-violence and veganism in a deeper context than just food choices. Later in the podcast, we will have long-time animal activist, author, podcaster, and yogi Victoria Moran. Victoria and Hope discuss veganism and spiritualty, training vegan lifestyle educators through Victoria’s Main Street Vegan Academy, and the new Compassion Consortium, which is bringing together people of faith for vegan-focused spiritual services.  

We are excited to announce that UPC’s Hope for the Animals Podcast will now air on the Vegan Broadcasting Network (VBN). The podcast will be featured on Sundays at 10:00 AM (PST) and Tuesdays 6:00 PM (PST). Vegan Broadcasting Network (VBN radio) is a webcast radio station that streams both live and automated programming worldwide. VBN was created as a place where listeners can tune in and hear conscious music and the latest news on vegan, animal rights, and social justice issues. 

Resources:

Main Street Vegan

Compassion Consortium

Veganism and the Spiritual Life Retreat

A Prayer for Compassion

Vegan Broadcasting Network (VBN)

Animal advocates have primarily relied on a seemingly simple strategy of reducing the demand for animal products and expecting this will result in fewer and fewer farmed animals bred and killed in animal agriculture. But we are learning that it’s not so simple. Government policies protect animal agribusiness and billions of dollars are given to offset costs and losses to the meat, egg, and dairy producers, as well as to the farmers who grow animal feed. 

Laura Reese of the Agriculture Fairness Alliance (AFA) has dedicated herself to dismantling this rigged system. Laura breaks down the intricacies of the government subsidies and bailouts that keep animal agriculture doing business as usual even when demand for their product drops, undermining consumer choices and the free market. Laura tells us about AFA’s pilot program called the At-Risk Farmer Incentive that would offer financial assistance to farmers who want to transition away from animal agriculture to plant farming. She also talks about AFA’s plans for the upcoming Farm Bill. Listen to Episode 22 and learn about this important aspect of advocacy so we can shift to plant-forward farming policies and bring a vegan voice to agricultural government programs.  

Resources:                                   

Agriculture Fairness Alliance

Liberation 360

State Level Legislation in New York: Voters for Animals Rights

State Level Legislation in California: Social Compassion in Legislation

Podcast Episode 4: Unjust Farm Subsides with Connie Spence

In Episode 21 we have a special interview with Mary Finelli, founder and president of Fish Feel. Fish Feel was the first advocacy organization to focus on fishes. Hope and Mary discuss how fishes are caught and killed in the ocean by the trillions every year and how the fishing industry is also notorious for human slavery. Mary talks about aquaculture and the cruelties to the fish in this industry as well as the ecological damage caused by fish farms. She shares her insights into the killing and eating of other marine life such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, and clams and also educates us on the fish oil supplement industry, the caviar industry, and the exciting new trend in advocacy of fish rescue. Listen in for a breadth of knowledge about our underwater relatives and share this episode with those who need to hear it. 

Resources:

Fish Feel

Vegans with Fishes FaceBook Group

The Dark Hobby Film

Reason for Vegan Series: Fish Podcasts-

Sentience, Emotion, and the Latest Science on Fish

The Fishing Industry Exposed

In recognition of Black History Month, we have some recommendations of awesome activists and platforms to check out and then an enlightening interview with the Managing Director of Encompass, Michelle Rojas-Soto. Encompass is a nonprofit fostering racial equity in animal advocacy. Their mission is to help make the farmed animal protection movement more effective by fostering racial diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Michelle guides us into the worldview of anti-oppression work for humans and nonhuman animals simultaneously. She also explains the importance of evolving language and of using the term “global majority” instead of people of color. Join us in helping to advance 21st century activism that brings systematic oppressions together and recognizes the vital connections between justice issues. 

Resources:

Encompass

Encompass Webinar

Vegans Against All Oppressions

Did you know that Israel has the highest percentage per capita of vegans and vegetarians in the world? Join us on for this upbeat interview with Israeli vegan food blogger and cookbook author Ori Shavit about how a culinary revolution is changing Israel and the world. Ori offers her insights into how and why Israel is embracing veganism at such a fast pace and in such high numbers. She offers tips on living vegan and how bringing a smile and a good attitude into the kitchen will make the great vegan food taste even better! 

Resources:

Ori’s Website

Ori’s TED Talk

Why is Israel Leading the Word in Veganism?

Vegan Challenge 22

 An Unshakable Call To Action

At just 25, Erin Wing started investigating facilities that breed and raise chickens, dairy farms, and the aquaculture industry. For two years, she faced isolation and fear of discovery in order to document the reality of animal agribusiness and to show those images to the world. Erin tells the stories of the animals she encountered and also talks about the importance of self-care after witnessing the trauma of animal abuse. She now uses her experience and expertise to guide other investigators in the field today. Join us in bearing witness with this amazing young woman to the true, brutal cruelty of the animal agriculture industry. 

Erin said, “As investigators, we put ourselves in the cages with the animals, for years in most cases, and no one understands what those animals are going through more than the investigator does. We exist in solidarity with them, we see them every single day, we think of them when we’re awake, and when we are trying to fall asleep. Every single day they are on our minds and even when we leave the field and go back home, we’re still there with them.” 

Resources:

Animal Outlook Investigations

In the tenth and final segment of the Reason for Vegan Series, Hope talks about the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Hope exposes the detrimental effects of breeding and raising billions of animals and how this significantly contributes to climate disruption, massive energy and fossil fuels consumption, deforestation, water waste, and water pollution. She also explains why switching from beef to chicken flesh is not a better ecological choice. Hope lays out why a vegan diet is by far the most positive action we can take for the planet.

Ready for some good news in the new year? In Episode 17 we bring your more Glimmers of Hope. The Glimmers of Hope segment features uplifting animal stories from around the globe. Good news tends to go under the radar these days, but there are encouraging accounts and positive steps forward for animals that we want to share with you, offering inspiration as we move into a new year. 

Up next on the podcast is an interview with long-time activist Unny Nambudiripad. Unny talks about his many years of animal activism, cultural vegetarianism in India, and creating equity, diversity, and inclusion in the animal rights movement. Unny’s upcoming workshop, Our Wellness and Liberation Virtual Retreat, brings self-care to the animal activist space by helping cultivate wellness for advocates through physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health.

Resources:

Our Wellness and Liberation Virtual Retreat, February 27, 2021

Encompass

On the latest Hope for the Animals Podcast, we have an interview with long-time author and activist Judy Carman. Judy talks to Hope about her work connecting veganism with spirituality and the inspiring books she has written over the years. Judy is the author of the popular Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken’s Soul and her latest book is Homo Ahimsa: Who We Really Are and How We Are Going to Save the World. She talks about co-founding the Interfaith Vegan Coalition, the importance of the Golden Rule, and her Animal Peace Prayer Project creating prayer flags for animals.

Resources:

Judy's Website: http://www.peacetoallbeings.com

Judy's Book: Homo Ahimsa 

Animal Peace Prayer Project

Vegan Spirituality Forum 2021