Today’s show is a replay of an earlier episode with the amazing lauren Ornelas, founder of Food Empowerment Project. Food Empowerment Project is a vegan food justice nonprofit that promotes veganism, works to bring attention to the rights of farm workers, highlights the lack of access to healthy foods in Black and Brown communities, and raise awareness about the worst forms of slavery, including child labor, in the chocolate industry. Lauren has been deeply involved in animal rights activism since 1987 and was the director of VivaUSA before founding Food Empowerment Project.

Lauren and Hope talk about the connections between food, veganism, and human rights with issues like child and slave labor chocolate production, food deserts and access to produce and healthy food, and Food Empowerment Project’s Fight for the Oceans campaign highlighting the struggles of the ocean and her sea creatures. Lauren will be speaking at Compassionate Living’s upcoming Eugene VeganFest on May 4, 2025. 

Resources:

Food Empowerment Project

Lauren’s TEDx Talk: The Power of our Food Choices

About child labor and slavery in chocolate production and the FEP’s recommended chocolate list

Eugene VeganFest, 5/4/25