Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

Vegan SoulFest, the Black Veg Society,  Maryland Vegan Restaurant Month, plus fabulous vegan soul food restaurant, The Land Of Kush. What do all of these things (and more) have in common? Naijha Wright-Brown, that’s what. Join us to find out how Naijha does it all, and how she keeps it all edu-taining (education and entertaining) for her audience.  Plus, we have a quick update from Almira Tanner, lead organizer of Direct Action Everywhere, about the recent trial and conviction of activist Wayne Hsiung. ABOUT OUR GUEST Naijha Wright-Brown is on the Baltimore Sun’s list of 25 Black Marylanders to Watch in 2023 and a 2021 Baltimore Business Journal Enterprising Women of Excellence Honoree. A native New Yorker, raised in the South Bronx, Naijha has an MBA in Business from the University of Phoenix and is a serial entrepreneur and co-owner of The Land of Kush, a multi-award-winning vegan soul food restaurant, co-founder of Vegan SoulFest and Maryland Vegan Restaurant Month and Vice Chair of the Board of the Restaurant Association of Maryland. She is also the Executive Director of the Black Veg Society, a non-profit organization that is on a mission to help Black, Indigenous, and People of Color close the gap in health disparities by educating on holistic health, veganism, and plant-based lifestyles.  Her digital talk show, Naijha Speaks, helps others find their vegan soul through food, people, events, and culture. RESOURCES Right to Rescue website Write to Wayne Hsiung Court Support & Protest for Sonoma Rescue Sentencing Hearing Support Our Hen House Naijha Speaks Website Naijha Wright-Brown on LinkedIn Naijha Wright-Brown on Instagram Naijha Speaks on Instagram Naijha Speaks on X Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! We will soon be kicking off our end-of-year matching campaign, meaning that between October 30 and December 31, your donations will be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000! That means, with your donation, we are hoping to raise $50k total. We can’t do it without you! The only way we’ll receive the matching funds is if we successfully reach our goal of raising $25k from our loyal supporters by the end of the year.  So, if you like Our Hen House, if you believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, if you find community and solace in our shows and resources, and if you believe in the change-making power of indie media, please make a donation today. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is sponsored in part by The Culture & Animals Foundation, which sponsors artists, scholars, and activists in our collective efforts to understand our fellow species more deeply and to further their rights. CAF provides annual grants, an arts prize, a lecture series, and a fellowship. Visit cultureandanimals.org for more information. The Culture & Animals Foundation: Think. Create. Explore. Celebrate.  __________________________ This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Bronner’s. Their line of Magic All-One Chocolates now includes several oat milk flavors! The chocolate is fair-trade, vegan, 70% cocoa, and sweetened with coconut sugar! Learn more at drbronner.com __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Ever wondered where the movement would be if we could just stop infighting? Melanie Joy joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her most recent work that aims to tackle the issue of infighting and to get activists communicating more compassionately. ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Melanie Joy (she/her) is an award-winning psychologist and educator and she’s the author of seven books, including the bestselling Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows; Beyond Beliefs; and How To End Injustice Everywhere. Her work has been featured in major media outlets around the world, and she has received a number of awards, including the Ahimsa Award – previously given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela – for her work on global nonviolence. Melanie has given talks and trainings in over 50 countries, and she is also the founding president of the international NGO Beyond Carnism. You can learn more about her work at carnism.org. RESOURCES Can a social media “pigfluencer” turn people off bacon? OHH Episode 337: Esther the Wonder Pig Dads Steven Jenkins & Derek Walter! Karen Davis, President and Founder of UPC, Has Passed Away Episode 523: Karen Davis on Chickens and Fowl Language Audio Player How to End Injustice Everywhere Beyond Carnism website Center for Effective Vegan Advocacy website End Infighting website Beyond Carnism on Instagram Beyond Carnism on X Beyond Carnism on Facebook Dr Melanie Joy on Instagram Dr Melanie Joy on X Dr Melanie Joy on Facebook Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! We will soon be kicking off our end-of-year matching campaign, meaning that between October 30 and December 31, your donations will be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000! That means, with your donation, we are hoping to raise $50k total. We can’t do it without you! The only way we’ll receive the matching funds is if we successfully reach our goal of raising $25k from our loyal supporters by the end of the year.  So, if you like Our Hen House, if you believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, if you find community and solace in our shows and resources, and if you believe in the change-making power of indie media, please make a donation today. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is sponsored in part by The Culture & Animals Foundation, which sponsors artists, scholars, and activists in our collective efforts to understand our fellow species more deeply and to further their rights. CAF provides annual grants, an arts prize, a lecture series, and a fellowship. Visit cultureandanimals.org for more information. The Culture & Animals Foundation: Think. Create. Explore. Celebrate.  __________________________ This episode is sponsored in part by Dr. Bronner’s. Their line of Magic All-One Chocolates now includes several oat milk flavors! The chocolate is fair-trade, vegan, 70% cocoa, and sweetened with coconut sugar! Learn more at drbronner.com __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Factory farming octopuses? Hell, no! Laura Lee Cascada joins us to tell us what happened when she found out about a planned octopus farm in Hawaii and how she got to work putting an end to it. ABOUT OUR GUEST Laura Lee Cascada (she/her) has led environmental and animal protection campaigns for 15 years, overseeing victories like the protection of Virginia’s decades-long ban on uranium mining with the Sierra Club and putting vegan options on the menus of major chains including Starbucks and Subway with Animal Outlook. In her current role as Sr. Director of Campaigns at the Better Food Foundation, she spearheads campaigns like DefaultVeg, which is making plant-based food the norm at universities, coffee shops, events, and more. Laura is the founder of The Every Animal Project, a powerful storytelling blog with an upcoming print anthology series, showcasing powerful, true animal stories that help transform readers’ relationships with animals. Her investigation of Kanaloa Octopus Farm in Hawaii exposed it as a petting zoo propping up the factory farming industry and led to its eventual shutdown. Laura is also the author of Dellie’s Run, a novel, and her writing has been featured by outlets like One Green Planet, The Dodo, and The Ecologist. She has a master’s degree in Environmental Policy from Johns Hopkins University. RESOURCES Every Animal Project website Every Animal Project on Facebook Laura Lee Cascade on Instagram Laura Lee Cascada on X Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! We will soon be kicking off our end-of-year matching campaign, meaning that between October 30 and December 31, your donations will be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000! That means, with your donation, we are hoping to raise $50k total. We can’t do it without you! The only way we’ll receive the matching funds is if we successfully reach our goal of raising $25k from our loyal supporters by the end of the year.  So, if you like Our Hen House, if you believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, if you find community and solace in our shows and resources, and if you believe in the change-making power of indie media, please make a donation today. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ The Veganic Summit is a free online event from November 10th-12th, 2023. Learn how plant foods can be grown using techniques that are both vegan and organic, without any chemical fertilizers or any animal byproducts. The Veganic Summit is the place to be to learn to start your own veganic garden! You can join for free, or upgrade to the All-Access Pass for awesome bonuses. Sign up today at https://veganicsummit.com/ __________________________ This episode is sponsored by Dr. Bronner’s. Their line of Magic All-One Chocolates now includes several oat milk flavors! The chocolate is fair-trade, vegan, 70% cocoa, and sweetened with coconut sugar! Learn more at drbronner.com __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Do you ever wonder where all of the vegan veterinarians are? This week, we talk to one of the few, Daniela Castillo, about animal rights, wildlife conservation, environmentalism, and medicine for farmed animal rescues. ABOUT OUR GUEST Daniela Castillo is a veterinarian born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico. She earned her Veterinary Medicine degree from Universidad Veracruzana and Master’s degree in Wildlife Conservation at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. In 2011, Daniela began volunteering at St. Francis Wildlife Association, a wildlife rehabilitation which led her to become the Director and licensed wildlife rehabilitator in charge for nine months. ​Currently, in addition to her practice, she dedicates her efforts to performing High-Quality High-Volume Spay and Neuter surgeries and practicing shelter medicine for several non-profit organizations. In addition, she has gained valuable experience working with sanctuary farmed animal and sits on the boards of The Paw Project, Our Honor, Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown, International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and The Hailey Foundation. RESOURCES Animal Help Now Website Castillo Animal Vegan Veterinarian Website Castillo Animal Vegan Vet on Instagram Castillo Animal Vegan Vet on Facebook Our Honor Website Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! We will soon be kicking off our end-of-year matching campaign, meaning that between October 30 and December 31, your donations will be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000! That means, with your donation, we are hoping to raise $50k total. We can’t do it without you! The only way we’ll receive the matching funds is if we successfully reach our goal of raising $25k from our loyal supporters by the end of the year.  So, if you like Our Hen House, if you believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, if you find community and solace in our shows and resources, and if you believe in the change-making power of indie media, please make a donation today. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Don’t forget to check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is sponsored by Dr. Bronner’s. Their line of Magic All-One Chocolates now includes several oat milk flavors! The chocolate is fair-trade, vegan, 70% cocoa, and sweetened with coconut sugar! Learn more at drbronner.com __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Philadelphia is known as a great destination for vegan food, but it wasn’t always so. This week we talk with Carmella Lanni, one of the activists who helps to cultivate the plant-based abundance Philly is known for via pop-up events and Philly Vegan Restaurant Week. ABOUT OUR GUEST Carmella Lanni is co-owner of V Marks the Shop, which operated  Philadelphia’s first all-vegan grocer/convenience store, proudly a Black & Queer-owned business. She is also the creator of Philly Vegan Pop Flea/Philly Vegan Events, hosting vegan-centric community pop-up markets and events since 2016. She is also one of the co-organizers of Philly Vegan Restaurant Week, Philadelphia’s premiere vegan restaurant week launched in 2018 (founded by Nicole Koedyker). Her background includes over 20 years in digital commerce, working as an analyst and consultant to small businesses & Fortune 500 companies. She believes that business can be compassionate and community-connecting all year round. A native of Bronx, New York, Carmella enjoys baking, watching anime and crime dramas, pulling Tarot cards, making playlists, and hanging with cats. RESOURCES V Marks The Shop Website V Marks The Shop on Instagram V Marks The Shop on Facebook Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Can factory farms become real farms growing real food? Of course they can! But they might need a little help. Tyler Whitley is here to tell us all about Transfarmation, a program of Mercy for Animals working with contract growers of chickens and other animals to help them get out from under corporate agribusiness and shift to plant-based production. ABOUT OUR GUEST Tyler Whitley brings more than a decade of experience in agricultural and financial systems to his role as the Director of Transfarmation. As part of earning a master’s of public health from Tulane University he interned for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on a project in Cambodia administering cash transfers and community reinvestments for more than 7,500 smallholder farmers. He then managed a food and farming intervention program in two rural Haitian provinces. After moving to North Carolina and working for a small farmer-advocacy organization, he joined Mercy For Animals as the director of the Transfarmation project. RESOURCES The Transfarmation Project Website The Transfarmation Project on Instagram The Transfarmation Project on Facebook The Transfarmation Project on X Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Ever thought about eating a banana peel? Ok, that’s an extreme example (sort of) but if you want to know more, you will love this week’s interview with Max La Manna, a self-taught plant-based chef who is looking to end food waste with easy-to-recreate recipes that use every part of the ingredients. ABOUT OUR GUEST Born and raised in North America, Max La Manna is a self-taught chef and the award-winning author of More Plants, Less Waste and You Can Cook This! He has been featured in Vogue, Food Network, The Times, BBC News, and Vice and, boasting over one million followers, has electrified social media with simple, delicious, low-waste recipes that put vegetables at the heart of his cooking. His down-to-earth, few-ingredient approach means that he advocates for low-waste living in a truly accessible way. Max lives in the English countryside with his wife and their thirty-three houseplants. RESOURCES Symposium in honor of Professor Sherry Colb Max La Manna’s Website You Can Cook This! Max La Manna on Instagram Max La Manna on Facebook Max La Manna on TikTok Max La Manna on YouTube Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

Aidan Kankyoku, a researcher at Pax Fauna and seasoned organizer, dives deep into the complexities of animal advocacy. They discuss what hinders people from embracing pro-animal behavior and share innovative strategies for effective activism. Aidan emphasizes the importance of grassroots movements and civic engagement over traditional methods. The conversation also critiques societal norms surrounding veganism and explores the implications of plant-based policies, urging a collective approach to foster broader societal change.

We love hearing from people around the world who care about animals, and this week’s guest definitely fills the bill. Tune in to hear about all of the work Musisi Mike, founder of Luv4All Uganda, is doing to grow compassion for both animals and humans, including running Uganda’s first all-vegan school. ABOUT OUR GUEST Musisi Mike is the Founder of Luv4All Uganda, a group dedicated to caring for all lives, human and non-human, through vegan advocacy and other local programs, including The Atlas Vegan School. He received his diploma in agribusiness management and now uses his education to spread veganic farming to fight hunger in his region. Luv4All: Uganda Website Musisi Mike on Facebook Luv4All: Uganda Instagram Luv4All: Uganda on X Luv4All: Uganda on Vimeo RESOURCES Farmed animals living out their lives with dignity: an audio postcard Our Hen House Episode 502: Angela Lovell on Animals, Psychic Energy, and Empaths Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

We love hearing what’s going on in the world of veganism and animal rights around the world, and this week we catch up with Gina Song Lopez, who is conducting research on the vegan and animal rights movement in Taiwan and China. ABOUT OUR GUEST Gina Song Lopez is a PhD candidate at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies and a member of the Lund University Critical Animal Studies Network at Lund University in Sweden. Her research focuses on the Veg*n/plant-based movement in Taiwan and China. Meatless diets in East Asia have been traditionally associated with religious practice. However, in recent years there has been a noticeable expansion of motivations to adopt veganism and vegetarianism. The new generation of vegans and vegetarians are concerned about issues of animal protection, climate change, health, and self-cultivation. This shift brings attention to changing narratives around veg*n food and identity. As such, her project is also concerned with how ‘new’ veganism is translated into the regional cultural (and political) contexts and the actors involved in this translation. RESOURCES Farm Sanctuary Gina Song Lopez on Instagram Lund University Critical Animal Studies Network Interview transcript available on our website. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Join us in the Our Hen House Community, or follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren. __________________________ This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision-makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.