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Activist Appreciation Month!

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Activist Appreciation Month 2021

This year, we celebrated Activist Appreciation Month with posts and programs that honored your activism for animals. We featured Black vegan activists who are making history, spotlighted heroic animal activists, paid tribute to fellow activists who died recently, fought for activists who struggle in the line of duty, and showcased the first vegan treatment program for eating disorders. 

We also sponsored two progressive initiatives: the Afro-Vegan Society’s Veguary, a month-long pledge to commit to plant-based eating via Black vegan trailblazer videos, and the Silent Patient’s humane education program in Uganda, Africa. To support activists on the front lines, we offered a micro-grant to animal advocates in Indonesia who rescued street dogs from being poisoned. 


Get Involved

Our brand new Social Media Animal Rights Team (SMART) program started in February. If you enjoy using social media to help animals (and want to earn rewards), email smart@idausa.org to become a SMART volunteer today!

 

Activist Spotlights

We shine our activist spotlight on animal hero Keith Walker for risking his life to save helpless shelter animals from an electrical fire. 

We shine our activist spotlight on Homo Ahimsa Award recipients Dr. Sailesh Rao and his 10-year-old granddaughter Kimaya Rainy Rao for their pinky promise to create a mostly vegan world by 2026.

 

Activist Tributes

We pay an activist tribute to vegan activist Stephan Sauerburger who led sustainable activism workshops to empower people to make a difference in this world.

We pay an activist tribute to Voices for Pets founder Leroy Moyer who dedicated his life to protecting animals from abuse and convicting their abusers. 

 

Take Action for Activists

Please sign and share our alert to demand justice for Canadian activist Regan Russell who was brutally killed by a slaughterhouse transport truck on June 19, 2020. Help us repeal ag-gag Bill 156 and advocate for Regan's Bill to protect animals and animal activists!

 

Programs

February 5, 1 pm Pacific Time - Love Thy Animal Neighbors: Animal Meditation & Conversation with Rev. Sarah Bowen

For Interfaith Harmony Week, Reverend Sarah Bowen led an inspiring audio/visual animal meditation to connect with animals around the world. Then, our Interfaith Vegan Coalition shared how to bring kindness for all beings into our daily lives and spiritual practice. You're welcome to watch the replay!

 

February 10, 9 am Pacific Time - Privilege and Inclusivity: How to Understand and Talk About Privilege to Build a More Empowered Vegan Movement with Melanie Joy

Dr. Melanie Joy presented a straightforward explanation of what privilege is, why it matters, and how to talk about it in a way that helps create a more inclusive and powerful vegan movement. Watch the replay to inform your activism!

 

February 18, 11 am Pacific Time - Black Vegan Activists Making History: A Roundtable Discussion

Gwenna Hunter of Vegans for Black Lives Matter moderated this lively discussion with Afro-Vegan Society's Executive Director Brenda Sanders, Redemption Dog Education's Owner/Head Educator Ri Taylor, and SAG Actor/Poet extraordinaire Sean Hill. If you missed it, you can still enjoy the replay!

 

February 21, 2 pm Pacific Time - Homo Ahimsa Award Ceremony

Our Interfaith Vegan Coalition gave the first annual Homo Ahimsa Award to Climate Healers' founder Dr. Sailesh Rao and his granddaughter Kimaya Rainy Rao for their efforts to create a vegan world by 2026. Homo Ahimsa award recipients show others how vegan living can co-create a world of peace, partnership, and lovingkindness by ending violence and domination to people, animals, and the earth. Watch the replay to celebrate with us!

 

February 25, 11 am Pacific Time - Alsana: The First Vegan Recovery Program for Eating Disorders

Until now, many vegans who struggled with eating disorders had no treatment options unless they abandoned their plant-based lifestyle during recovery. For National Eating Disorder Awareness Week and in honor of vegan activist Stephan Sauerburger who died in January from anorexia, we hosted a discussion with clinicians from Alsana, the first eating disorder facility that provides a vegan meal plan for patients who identify as vegan.

Panelists included: Alsana's Vice President of Clinical Nutrition Services Tammy Beasley, Alsana Midwest's Regional Executive Director Rebecca Baker, Registered Dietitian at Alsana's Terra Residential Program Taylor-Rose Olea, and Jenn Friedman, the author of an upcoming book on eating disorder recovery and veganism. Help us spread the word that plant-based treatment is available for vegans suffering with eating disorders. Please watch and share this replay

 

February 25, 5 pm Pacific Time - Animal Activist Online Support Group

Join our monthly online support group to receive support from fellow animal advocates who understand your values. Register here to tune in on the last Thursday of every month! 

 

Resources

Check out these specific resource pages for two popular activist topics!

Compassion Fatigue: Resources and strategies to prevent burnout

Self-Care: Alternative healing modalities to improve your health  

 

Services

Connect with our counselors in real-time via our online chat service: www.idausa.org/activistsupport

Access our religion-specific Advocacy Kits to help you veganize your place of worship: www.interfaithvegancoalition.org  

Join our mindfulness and self-care retreats. Stay tuned for event details: www.idausa.org/events

 

Activist Support

Support Line: Free counseling, mediation, resources, and therapist referrals by phone, text, email, and online chat.

Call/text (800) 705-0425

Email activistsupport@idausa.org

Chat with us here.

Activist Resource List: Your one-stop shop for strategy and physical, emotional, and spiritual support. Includes a list of vegan therapists. Access our resources here.

Monthly Support Groups: Register for our online events and watch replays of previous webinars here.

Access our Activist Appreciation Month resources from 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017, featuring activist self-care tips, stories, and more. 

We want you to be sustainable activists! Tell us what support services you need at sustainableactivism@idausa.org. We value your ideas. Reach out to us today!

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