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

“Sustainability” is the word of the week, as Jasmin takes a trip to Vermont to check out a few Net Zero homes and consider her next move. Although Vermont was as lovely and progressive as expected, sadly the dairy industry is alive and well, striking a discordant note. Speaking of self-sustained living reminds Mariann of The Good Life, by Helen and Scott Nearing, which is about the couple’s sixty years of self-sustained, and vegan, living in New England. In Our Hen House Supports Vegan Businesses we’re shouting out Demi Blue Natural Nails, a Black-owned vegan nail polish company in St. Louis, as well as Impact Veganics, a vegan deodorant company that’s currently donating 100% of profits to animal rights organizations. Last (but not least!), we’re promoting Honest Pastures which offers plant-based meat approved by happy animals. They’re offering a special discount for Our Hen House listeners — use code “ourhenhouse” for 10% off your entire order. Our guest this week is Amy Trakinski, the Managing Director at VegInvest, a vegan investment fund that provides early-stage capital to companies striving to replace animal products. She is a passionate animal activist and lawyer who spent 18 years litigating on behalf of animal protection organizations as a partner in the animal law firm, Egert and Trakinski. Amy also serves on the boards of Animal Outlook and Animal Welfare Trust, organizations that align with her values of promoting the animal protection community, working to end animal abuse, and promoting a vegan lifestyle. Amy joins the show to dive into the details of her role at VegInvest and their mission to invest in and support companies innovating in the alternative protein space. She discusses her personal awakening to animals and why she finds it so inspiring to work with small, mission-based companies looking to scale and bring a plant-based diet into the mainstream. Amy also shares what she’s most excited about in terms of upcoming vegan companies and products and where she thinks plant-based food will be ten years from now. “The world is literally on fire, and animal agriculture is so harmful to us, to the animals, and to the planet, that we need to work as quickly as possible to address it. The clock is ticking.” – Amy Trakinski This Week in Our Hen House: The dramatic growth of the alternative protein space The companies that VegInvest has high hopes for Why Amy finds it so inspiring to work with startups that are so motivated to scale The elements VegInvest are looking for when deciding which companies to invest in Some of the qualities they look for in founders, including a sense of a ‘meeting of minds’ Why big companies often look to small boutique companies as an example of possible research and development areas Why Amy feels so optimistic about the fast uptick of interest in alternative proteins The impact on your health of increasing whole foods in your diet Amy’s role as the Board Chair of Animal Outlook and their current campaigns Connect with Amy Trakinski: VegInvest Trust website Amy Trakinski on LinkedIn Amy Trakinski on Instagram Glass Wall Syndicate Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter This episode is sponsored by Forager Project,  an organic, plant-based family-owned and operated food company creating innovative, delicious tasting products sourced from nature’s finest ingredients – nuts, seeds, ancient grains, fruits and vegetables. Crafted in its own unique purpose-built creamery – the only 100% organic, plant-based facility of its kind – Forager Project’s family of foods includes  100% vegan yogurts, nut milks, sour cream, kefirs, shakes and butter. About Forager Project’s Vote Campaign: Forager ​is committed to helping cultivate democracy. During the next month, Forager Project​ will be shifting packaging on its yogurts, kefirs, and milks to encourage consumers nationwide to get involved and vote this November and launching a broader effort to encourage everyone to vote this November 3rd. Visit ForagerProject.com/vote to check on your voting status and/or register! __________________________ This episode is also 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. __________________________ 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin and Mariann are all fired up about a recent New York Times article that discusses the new book, The Secret Life of Groceries, by Benjamin Lorr. In exploring the ethical dilemmas regarding the food we buy at grocery stores, it not only comes to some pretty weak conclusions regarding animal agriculture, but conveniently fails to come up with satisfactory (or any!) solutions. So everyone is off the hook regarding what they eat? We don’t think so! In the “Our Hen House Supports Vegan Businesses” segment, we’re shouting out My Cat Jeoffry Books, a bookstore and cat cafe in Phoenix, AZ. We’re also shining a light on Good Girl Chocolate, a Black owned vegan chocolate company that can ship chocolate anywhere in the US, and Shared Planet, a new vegan beauty brand. We are thrilled that Olympia Auset is on the show today, and we’re pretty sure you will be too! Olympia grew up in Los Angeles and returned to live in South Central after studying at Howard University. Although in college she had started following a plant-based diet, when she returned home she found it nearly impossible to obtain healthy food at a reasonable price. Not one to give up, in 2016 Olympia founded SÜPRMARKT, a low-cost organic grocery service that aims to be an oasis in the food desert and make fresh, healthy, vegan food readily available to all. SÜPRMARKT has distributed over 35,000 pounds of organic produce through its pop-up markets and weekly delivery service and is currently fundraising to open the first vegan organic grocery store in South Central. Olympia also serves on the board of Co+opportunity, a community-owned food cooperative based in California. Olympia joins us today to discuss food apartheid and why not having easy access to healthy food and fresh produce has a long term impact on the health of a community. She shares why she began to follow a plant-based diet in college, how her motivations gradually shifted and broadened, and why she is so passionate about educating people about the link between diet and preventable disease. Olympia also discusses how she hopes to expand the work that SÜPRMARKT has done to maximize access to organic produce by providing food scholarships to help make health and healing available to the communities that need it most. “Food is a tool; it can either be a weapon for the destruction of people or be used for their collective upliftment.” – Olympia Auset This Week in Our Hen House: The current food situation in South Central Los Angeles and what Olympia and SÜPRMARKT are working towards Why it is more accurate to refer to food deserts as food apartheid The link between chronic health conditions and lack of access to quality food Why Olympia focused on the issue of diet when setting out to contribute to her community Veganism and why it’s exploding in Black communities What awakened Olympia to animals Why climate change is an issue that cannot be ignored The effect of COVID-19 on the SÜPRMARKT project How the team sources fresh produce and keeps prices down Challenges of budgeting for a healthy diet How to take steps to change your diet Connect with Olympia Auset:  SÜPRMARKT website Olympia Auset on LinkedIn SÜPRMARKT on Instagram SÜPRMARKT on Facebook Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Before we get to the interview, we have a few things to chat about. Our big news is that Jasmin recently recorded her audiobook for her forthcoming (in December) book, The Veg News Guide To Being a Fabulous Vegan, which she wrote in conjunction with VegNews Magazine. Although the book is fun and colorful and full of recipes, she was reminded while reading it aloud that it also covers many deadly serious topics, from factory farming, to climate change, to fur, to virtually every aspect of animal exploitation. She hopes so much that it will help people realize what’s happening and motivate them to change. Jasmin and Mariann then admit to each other that, while they’re both longing to get out of the house and safely do things and go places, they’ve been hunkered down for so long that some sort of agoraphobia has set in. What’s that all about?!?  Jasmin also recounts a particularly frustrating conversation about COVID-caution with her particularly frustrating brother, and Mariann offers her thoughts on the normalization of violence against animals and how people tend to think of going vegan as something akin to becoming a nun — a virtuous thing, but not necessarily for me. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment, we’re enthusing about Sammantha Fisher’s animal photography.  We’re also shouting out Feather Roof, an Etsy jewelry store, and This Girl’s Grub, a Black-owned Chicago-based business offering vegan meal plans, a daily menu that can be delivered to your door (in the Chicago area), catering, and more! Peter Brandt is our guest today. He’s the Senior Attorney for Farm Animal Litigation at the Humane Society of the United States  and has played an instrumental role in fighting some of the most challenging cases of animal abuse in the last ten years. Currently, he conducts precedent-setting legal campaigns in state and federal courts all over the USA. Peter’s new book, Indefensible: Adventures of a Farm Animal Protection Lawyer, is part memoir, part manifesto and chronicles the development of his awareness of factory farming and the harm it does not only to animals but to human health and the environment, especially  for those who live near them. Peter joins us today to share the reasons he wrote Indefensible, what he hopes to achieve with its publication, and why he uses humor and personal experience as tools to communicate about such a serious subject. He talks about teaching animal law and how he works to get his students to pay genuine attention, understand, and relate to the experiences of farmed animals, as well as process the emotionally difficult information involved in learning about what’s happening to these animals. We also discuss the pitfalls of relying on right-brain rational data-driven solutions and why it is vital to be able to weave a story that captures people’s imaginations to engage them on the subject of animal suffering. “If you find a business or a person who is willing to do terrible things to human beings, I promise you they are doing terrible things to the animals in their care and/or to the environment.” – Peter Brandt This Week in Our Hen House: How to use Peter’s book as a tool for animal activism Who the book is aimed at and what he’s hoping his audience will learn Why large scale animal agriculture is devastatingly harmful and how it impacts all facets of society Why we don’t need to fully understand the emotional states of animals to oppose animal exploitation Peter’s work with the Humane Society of the United States and how it informed the book Tips for engaging students (and others) in learning about animal abuse How Covid-19 has exposed animal abuse globally The environmental destruction wrought by animal agriculture and how to fight it in the courts What a manure lagoon is like, up close Peter’s overview of how animal agriculture contributes to climate change The landmark case in California that paved the way for subsequent animal rights litigation Connect with Peter Brandt:  Humane Society of the United States Peter Brandt on LinkedIn Peter Brandt on Instagram Peter Brandt on Twitter Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

First, we hear how Jasmin’s dogs and cat are adapting to upstate New York after life in LA.  The chihuahuas may or may not hate the rain, but at least they perked up when they were included on a trip to the local drive-in theater, where they met up with Mariann and some friends to watch Slap Shot. Everyone had a blast. In other news, Mariann and Jasmin both recently read an article in the New York Times about a World War 2 refugee camp for Jews rescued from concentration camps. This turns the conversation to darker topics, including the current state of the world, from politics to climate. From the fires in the west to the tropical storms approaching the Gulf, it’s hard to know where to turn. Thinking of moving, Mariann wonders where is safe and posits that maybe we should just all hit the road. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment, we’re shouting out Charlies Acres Sanctuary in Sonoma, CA, as well as Azzizah’s Herbal Green Popcorn, Hella Nuts and L’ Artisane Bakery. The guest this week, Gwenna Hunter, is the founder of Vegans Of LA and coordinator of community engagement and events for Greater Los Angeles at Vegan Outreach. She recently started a Facebook Group called Vegans for Black Lives Matter to engage with the vegan community and share information and events that support the BLM movement. Gwenna is passionate about helping people understand the truth about animals and gives talks that educate and inspire people to incorporate more plants and fewer animals into their diet and lifestyle. In this episode Gwenna tells us why she felt an unstoppable urge to create Vegans for Black Lives Matter and why she feels that animal rights and antiracism connect and complement each other in meaningful ways. We discuss the toxicity that often surrounds conversations online, particularly when talking about multifaceted issues such as animal and race activism, and how she manages that toxicity without getting overwhelmed. Gwenna also shares how she goes about introducing the topic of veganism when hosting outreach talks and her methods for encouraging people to see animals as equals and consider a plant-based diet. “I believe that animals have a certain level of consciousness and that they come to this planet to help heal us. It’s not just us helping rescue and heal them; it’s a circle of compassion.” – Gwenna Hunter This Week in Our Hen House: Gwenna’s pain caused by the racism she has personally experienced and why she finally decided to get angry Why she thinks that the BLM movement has gained traction right now What Gwenna foresees for the future of the animal rights movement Her opinion on why it’s problematic for animal activists to use the term,  ‘All Lives Matter’ How we can keep veganism growing in the incredible way it has done recently Gwenna’s own vegan story and why she remains even more deeply committed How she talks to “pre-vegans,” especially those whose own lives are fraught with difficulty Why black veganism is growing by leaps and bounds How a sense of change is in the air on many fronts and how activists can continue the momentum How Gwenna stays healthy in mind and body Why she started the Vegans of LA facebook group initially and the changes in the LAVegan scene pre- and post-COVID Connect with Gwenna Hunter:  Gwenna Hunter on LinkedIn Vegans of LA on Instagram Vegans for Black Lives Matter Facebook Group Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin has landed safely at her new home in the Catskills and is bubbling over about the hiking trails and her new neighbors, who include woodchucks and bunnies. While she’s waiting for her things to arrive, she has caught up in person with Mariann and, most important, with Rose. They have been putting in place the social distancing rules of their COVID Pod, and future events include the local drive-in movie and maybe even some in-person podcast recording. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment we’re shouting out Veggie Victory, Nigeria’s first vegan restaurant, Eco Lips, a vegan organic lip balm, and NuVegan, a family owned restaurant with three locations in the Washington, DC area. For the interview, Jasmin is joined by Jane Velez-Mitchell, the founder of JaneUnChained, the popular social media news outlet that produces original video content on animal rights and the vegan lifestyle. Previously a news anchor at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles, WCBS-TV in New York, and CNN’s HLN, she currently hosts New Day New Chef, a fun plant-based cooking show available on Amazon Prime. Jane has won four Genesis Awards from the Humane Society of the United States, and in 2015, she received the Nanci Alexander Animal Activist Award. In this episode, Jane shares what she has focused on during the Covid-19 quarantine period, which include a mind-boggling number of projects rooted in fighting the devastation wrought by animal agriculture and supporting the joys of the vegan lifestyle. Of course, Jane Unchained continues to produce its groundbreaking daily vegan cooking show on Facebook. She also tells us about the Covid edition of her Amazon Prime cooking show, i.e., New Day New Chef Support and Feed Edition, which reports on those who are helping those in need during the current crisis. Jane also discusses the documentary she directed, Countdown to Year Zero, and explains why 2026 is the critical year in terms of triggering or preventing an environmental apocalypse, and how the key to a positive outcome is for everyone to stop eating animals. “A great change comes with grand intentions – you have to state what you want, and what we want is a vegan world.” – Jane Velez-Mitchell This Week in Our Hen House: The importance of setting a grand intention for what you want to achieve Why networking is crucial Espousing a vegan lifestyle is not a zero-sum-game Why competition makes no sense in the animal activism community Jane’s ‘done beats perfect’ philosophy for her daily Facebook vegan cooking show The messaging behind New Day New Chef Why Jane feels that animal agriculture is a much bigger contributor to climate change than people think How vegan celebrities are helping to change the world How Jane got her show on Amazon and why she hopes it will inspire other vegan cooking shows The Plant-Based Neighbor app that Jane has in the pipeline The ‘vegonomy’ – what it is and how Jane sees it working The Boycott Meat roundtable and why Jane participates in the coalition How Jane connects with people who are veg-curious and how she mentors them Resources Mentioned: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell Dr. Sailesh Rao, PhD Rowdy Girl Sanctuary Impossible Foods Love Gianna Vegans for Black Lives Matter Love Always Sanctuary Elysabeth Alfano Vegan Nation Plant-Based Neighbors Connect with Jane Velez-Mitchell: Jane Unchained New Day New Chef Countdown to Year Zero Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin is still driving cross-country in the RV(egan), but will finally be getting to her new home in a few days. Surprisingly, she’s been able to do more curbside vegan shopping while on the road than she thought was possible. Along the way she stopped at Nooch in Denver, 10th Street Diner in Indianapolis, and was greeted with a latte and some vegan snacks from Mud Pie Bakery when she met up with family in Kansas City. Throughout the country Jasmin has noticed the avalanche of competing presidential candidate support signs and has been thinking about some of the similarities of this year’s election politics and animal activism. Mariann, stuck at home, is worrying about mice in the house, the virus, current political tensions, climate change, and the end of summer and is getting a bit overwhelmed. But! Jasmin will be nearby soon and they both can’t wait to hang out. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment we’re shouting out Qltykntrl (pronounced “Quality Control”) which was founded in 2018 and is a Black owned Las Vegas based streetwear brand focused on raising vegan aWEARness. Creating bold designs with a purpose, supporters of all forms of animal liberation activism, from direct action to marches to demos to outreach to lobbying to bearing witness to the slaughter of innocents, QltyKntrl provides designs for the army of activists fighting the war towards animal liberation. F**k speciesism. Today we welcome Alexandra Horowitz to the podcast. She has long been fascinated by the mind of the dog, and her extensive academic research is aimed at answering the question of what it’s like in a dog’s world. She has written three books on dogs, Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell, and, most recently, Our Dogs, Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond, all of which seek to illuminate what dogs experience from the dog’s point of view. Alexandra is a professor at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she heads the Dog Cognition Lab and teaches on the topics of canine cognition and creative nonfiction writing. She shares her enthusiasm for the umwelt, or universe, of dogs and why she believes that domestic dogs are not studied widely academically. She delves into how and why we anthropomorphize our dogs and how at the Dog Cognition Lab they aim to study animals without projecting their own attitudes on them and with an awareness that each dog has their own rich reality. Alexandra also explains why she hopes that dogs can become a ‘gateway species’ that encourages us to think about farm animals and other exploited animals in a new, more compassionate way. “If we can see dogs in other animals, then that chain of empathy can go further than just the home.” – Alexandra Horowitz This Week in Our Hen House: Why Alexandra decided to study dogs for her postgraduate research How the Dog Cognition Lab works and how they conduct their research within an ethical framework What Alexandra is looking at when she is watching dogs play Alexandra’s recent study of how dogs smell and what she learned about the crucial importance of scent in a dog’s world Why humans ascribe emotions to their dogs when they make certain expressions and whether dogs really do feel the emotions we attribute to them Why we see similarities between human behavior and dog behavior The compartmentalization of animals into different categories and how that affects how we react to certain groups How animals are perceived in law, and why Alexandra explores the topic in her book, Our Dogs, Ourselves How Alexandra feels about dog breeding and why she compares it to the practice of eugenics Alexandra’s tips on how to give your dog a fulfilling life Resources Mentioned: Dog Cognition Lab Connect with Alexandra Horowitz: Alexandra Horowitz Website Alexandra Horowitz on Twitter Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In the opening of the show, Mariann touches base with Jasmin, who is currently on the road on her way to New York in an RV(egan). Jasmin tells us how her 3 dogs and cat are handling the trip, the ups and downs of cooking and eating all the occasionally weird food she packed in case Covid made buying food too difficult, and plans to visit Nooch in Denver to do a curbside shopping trip. While the road trip is long and moving is stressful, so far the incredible scenery along the way is making up for it. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment we’re shouting out Passion Placement, a job board and community focused on connecting people looking for work with mission-driven organizations supporting sustainable living, animal advocacy and environmentalism. We’re also pleased to tell you about Dodah’s Kitchen, which makes vegan soul food and desserts inspired by Afro-vegan traditions, with a mission of making veganism both accessible and delicious. We have two guests this week! Brooke Haggerty is the Executive Director of Faunalytics and has over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her previous roles in the animal advocacy arena include serving as executive director for the Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE) and being a humane educator for the Animal Protection and Rescue League. Jo Anderson is the Research Director at Faunalytics, and she seeks to empower the animal advocacy community with empirical research and data. She is also co-leader of the RECAP (Research to End Consumption of Animal Products) researcher collective and is an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University, Ottawa. Brooke and Jo join Jasmin today to discuss Faunalytics’ mission to empower animal advocates with access to research, analysis, strategies, and messages that maximize their effectiveness to reduce animal suffering. They share their research findings on why people leave animal advocacy careers and the patterns that affect retention in advocacy organizations. Brooke and Jo also discuss how to support diversity and inclusion in the animal rights movement and how people can work from within to create an equitable space using research. Wondering whether to say “plant-based” or “vegan”? They also share the findings on that. “Do the research. What does the research say? Whatever type of animal advocacy organization you’re running, there is research out there that will inform the most effective ways you can move forward.” -Brooke Haggerty  This Week in Our Hen House: Why animal advocates suffer from burnout and how it manifests Why leadership style affects retention in animal advocacy, and how good and bad leadership manifests Faunalytics’ support for diversity and inclusion and how the animal advocacy movement can stamp out implicit bias Why the animal rights movement is getting stuck on one story and what that means going forward Understanding operational expenses and why they impact what animal advocacy organizations can do The value of research for keeping your organization on track How to choose a path or organization when you become involved in animal advocacy The services that Faunalytics provides for advocates and organizations Public awareness of animal exploitation in relation to Covid-19 How to take the next step if you need research on a particular topic from Faunalytics How to increase people’s willingness to try vegan meals Why different animal products have different impacts on animal welfare How people become ex-vegans Resources Mentioned: Encompass Institute Animal Advocacy Careers Encompass Essays Using Research and Data to Create an Inclusive Animal Rights Movement Connect with Faunalytics: Faunalytics Website Faunalytics on Facebook Faunalytics on Instagram Faunalytics on Twitter Faunalytics on YouTube Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin and Mariann open the show with a review of the National Geographic mini-documentary, Akashinga: The Brave Ones, which follows a group of women fighting poachers in Zimbabwe and why they are so committed to the cause of protecting and preserving elephants from extinction. They also discuss the hot-button issue of mask-wearing and how navigating the conversation around this new norm sometimes feels frustratingly like discussions about veganism. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment, we’re shouting out VedgeCo, a bulk plant-based food delivery that caters to both consumers and restaurants and sells only products from 100% plant-based brands at discounted bulk rates. We’re also featuring the Southern Roots Vegan Bakery, a Black-owned online vegan baked goods company that recreates southern classics and ships them nationwide from San Antonio, Texas. If there’s a vegan business you think we should know about, go to our Vegan Businesses Support Form and fill it out! Animal activist Marisa Miller Wolfson is the co-author, along with Laura Delhauer, of The Vegucated Family Table, which provides vegan parents with a comprehensive recipe-filled resource. She is also the creator of Vegucated, the award-winning feature-length documentary that follows three New Yorkers who try a vegan diet for six weeks, and has led workshops and given talks about the ethical vegan lifestyle all over North America. Marisa joins the show today to delve into why she was inspired to create The Vegucated Family Table  as a go-to reference for plant-based parents looking for ways to feed their vegan kids from weaning to elementary school, and why so many folks have reached out to her, eager for the book’s detailed information. As the mother of two, she shares her tips and tricks for introducing new foods to her own children and offers advice on the best way to transition your family to an ethical vegan diet. Marisa also discusses why carnism is currently the mainstream way of eating and why, in addition to her passion for animals,  she is deeply committed to fighting climate change through her own vegan lifestyle and by educating others on why it is critical to adapt the way we live to protect our planet.  “We want parents to feel good about feeding their kids —  if kids eat crap, they act out, and that’s no fun.” – Marisa Miller Wolfson This Week in Our Hen House: How Marisa’s family and friends helped in creating The Vegucated Family Table Why Marisa loves to bake and how you can see her gorgeous creations How Marisa’s time as a Hurricane Katrina volunteer looking after animals traumatized her The people who helped and supported the creation of the book The difficulty of there being no playbook for what little kids should eat Foods, supplements, and resources that Marisa uses to encourage her children to eat new things. Marisa’s role in Jasmin becoming vegan and beginning her career in animal advocacy How ethical veganism and healthy eating come together in the book The climate crisis and how that affected recipes in the book How looking back gives you perspective for the future Why vegan kids don’t need to miss out at social events The importance of “nooch,” a.k.a., nutritional yeast Why the belief system you model for your children helps provide a moral compass and a healthy guide for the future Why are vegan parents accused of “forcing” their lifestyle on their children? The issues that parents should watch out for to ensure their child is thriving Marisa’s plans for future projects “The ideals are to make the world a kinder, more sustainable, gentler place.” – Marisa Miller Wolfson Resources Mentioned: Peaceable Kingdom film Genesis Butler Reed Mangles Nooch Connect with Marisa Miller Wolfson: Vegucated Website Vegucated Film The Vegucated Family Table: Irresistible Vegan Recipes and Proven Tips for Feeding Plant-Powered Babies, Toddlers, and Kids Vegucated on Facebook Vegucated on Instagram SparrowandSpark on Instagram Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin and Mariann open the show discussing a recent article Jasmin edited for Kinder Beauty’s blog about how China is updating its regulations regarding testing cosmetics on animals, which could have enormous impact worldwide on the number of animals suffering in testing labs.  Mariann then talks about dealing with the chaos of today’s political climate and the pandemic and how it is taking a toll on everyone, herself included. What to do with the anxiety? One solution seems to be to focus on our companion animals — one more way in which they rescue us all! Jasmin notes the importance of gratitude and remembering that, when when you can’t control the circumstances around you, you can at least try to control how you react to them. In this week’s Vegan Businesses segment, we’re shouting out The Land of Kush, the ultimate soul food experience in Baltimore, along with The Greener Kitchen, which is a cooperative of Baltimore plant-based businesses. In honor of World Elephant Day, we suggest checking out Dr. Tusk’s grooming products — they donate a portion of their profits to save and protect elephants. If there’s a vegan business you think we should know about, go to our Vegan Businesses Support Form and fill it out! Kathrin Herrmann is our guest this week. She’s a veterinarian and assistant scientist at the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has recently contributed to and co-edited Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change, which brings together 51 experts to review current animal use in science, present new approaches, and offer a roadmap toward the elimination of animal experimentation. The use of animals in science has been her primary focus since she worked as a research fellow at the Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate in Berlin, and she is an accredited European Specialist in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics, and Law with the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioral Medicine. Kathrin advocates for openness and public engagement in the animal experimentation discussion and works to raise awareness of the role veterinarians should play as animal advocates. In this episode, we discuss why this is such an important moment to bring together the voices of those who question the wisdom of animal experimentation. Kathrin also tells us why, in implementing the “3Rs” (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement) the scientific community primarily focuses on “refinement,” which is supposed to make the work less inhumane, but, like many “humane” reforms, too often fails to do so. This is one reason Kathrin feels strongly that it is vital to include the interested layperson in the discussion around alternatives to animal experimentation. She shares how she became involved in the culture of animal care in laboratories, and why environmental enrichment is such a hot topic in the scientific community, but too often fails to translate into significant change. Kathrin also discusses why animal experimentation should be, but isn’t, an important focus for effective altruists and her five key points in rethinking animal experimentation. “If we want to avoid animal experimentation, we have to focus on prevention, on not getting sick in the first place and really preventing those diseases we are struggling with.” – Kathrin Herrmann This Week in Our Hen House: The job that inspired Kathrin to inform the public about what goes on inside laboratories An overview of Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change and why it will appeal to the layperson The three Rs of animal research and why there is too much focus on “refinement” and not enough on “replacement” Attitudes to animal experimentation in the EU and US The “culture of care” in laboratories and why it doesn’t live up to its name What is positive reinforcement training? Why we need both ethical and scientific arguments to end animal experimentation What are the sources of bias in animal research? What institutional forces make it so difficult for scientists to initiate change? Why animal experimentation must be dealt with as a political issue The public’s thoughts on animal experimentation as compared to veganism Covid-19 and animal testing Why the effective altruism movement should not be ignoring the suffering of animals in labs Resources Mentioned: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health John Gluck Arianna Ferrari Connect with Kathrin Herrmann: Kathrin Herrmann Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) on Facebook Kat Herrmann on Twitter Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

Jasmin starts off the show with how excited she is about a new article, Using Research and Data to Create an Inclusive Animal Rights Movement, which is part of Encompass Essays, the new collaboration among Our Hen House, Encompass and Sentient Media that Jasmin is editing. Then, putting on her actor hat, she’s tickled pink about booking a national commercial and explains how she tried hard to bring animal activism and veganism into the improvised shoot! In other news, Mariann is complaining about her poison ivy but raving about the new German film Butenland from filmmaker Marc Pierschel (check him out on Episode 408!). Butenland, available on Amazon and Vimeo, tells the inspiring story of how a passionate animal rights advocate and a soon-to-be ex-dairy-farmer came together to save his cows from slaughter and found a sanctuary. Check out the trailer, and you will certainly want to watch the whole thing! Of course, we’re still supporting and shouting out vegan businesses, so if there’s one you think we should know about, go to our Vegan Businesses Support Form and fill it out. Today we’re shouting out black-owned Redefine Your Mind, along with Compassion Co and Wilma Bakes Cakes Then, Jasmin welcomes Antonio Franyuti for the interview. Antonio is the president of Animal Heroes, which is committed to improving the treatment of animals across Mexico. Antonio lives in Mexico City and has been an animal rights activist for over 15 years, but, since founding Animal Heroes, has really upped his game. Currently, he is working with his team to plan strategic campaigns to pass legislation that will protect animals now and far into the future. Antonio shares Animal Heroes’ already impressive list of successes, as well as why they decided to look to so-called “animal entertainment” first to show the general public and legislators that abusing animals should no longer be tolerated. He discusses why the advocates working with Animal Heroes sometimes run into resistance so fierce that they have to be protected by armed guards and, on a less harrowing note, also explains how they have recruited celebrity spokespeople to ensure that the message of equality for animals is spread to as wide an audience as possible. “The animal exploiters are banding together; the animal defenders need to work together too.” – Antonio Franyuti This Week in Our Hen House: Animal Heroes campaigns against using animals in entertainment by showing how they are brutally exploited Why Come Con Ciencia focuses on health and wellbeing as a way to promote animal protection laws and debate veganism Animal Heroes‘ progress with anti-bullfighting legislation in Mexico How they use politicians’ preoccupation with public image to encourage them to support change Details of the current Save the Dolphins campaign Current status of animal rights legislation in Mexico and why it is becoming a more visible topic The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on their work The comparison between the US and Mexican animal rights movements Where Animal Heroes hopes to be in five years time Resources Mentioned: Banca Animalista PETA Connect with Antonio Franyuti: Animal Heroes Animal Heroes on Facebook Animal Heroes on Instagram Animal Heroes on Twitter Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House on Facebook Our Hen House on Instagram Our Hen House on Twitter 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. 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! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.