By Christine Kasum Sexton, MPH

Wendy Rice is a dietitian who works for Advanced Health Care, which operates short-stay rehabilitation centers in six states. She recently shared with me a little bit about how their facilities accommodate their vegetarian and vegan clients.

Advanced Health Care (AHC) operates 11 locations in six states: Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Residents are generally between hospital and home, and needing physical therapy or other types of rehabilitative services. Many have suffered heart attacks or strokes, and need further care before returning home. Rice is in charge of menu development for all locations. Her menus rotate on a 4-week cycle, and guests are able to select items from the menu as they would in a restaurant. AHC hires trained chefs at all locations, and menu items are prepared from scratch. According to Rice, they usually have at least one vegetarian client each month at each site, and occasionally have vegan clients as well.

There are a variety of vegetarian and vegan options always available for breakfast, including cereals, bagels, English muffins, fresh fruits, oatmeal, egg-bakes, and hash-brown potatoes. For lunch and dinner, most of the entrees are meat- or fish-based, but alternatives are always available. Vegetarian options include cottage cheese, pear-gorgonzola salad, quesadillas, and macaroni-and-cheese, buttered Italian green beans, and broccoli parmesan. Vegan options include soups made with vegetable broths, a variety of sandwiches, oriental salad, herbed potatoes, seasoned carrots, seasoned baked potatoes, marinated bean salad, garden salad, baked yams, pineapple-spinach salad, cucumber-onion salad, and cabbage and fruit slaw. Two vegetarian dinner items occasionally on Rice’s menu are eggplant parmesan and vegetable lasagna, both of which can be made vegan on request. In addition to dairy milk, all of the sites also offer soy, rice and almond milks, which are popular with non-vegetarian guests in addition to those that are vegetarian or vegan.

According to Rice, her staff is willing to make vegetarian or vegan adaptations to entrees for anyone who requests it, or whose doctor has requested it. Since their menu items are prepared from scratch, Rice says that they are more easily able to modify dishes to be vegetarian or vegan than if they were purchasing pre-prepared foods. She feels that her chefs enjoy the challenge of modifying dishes to suit patient needs and preferences. They are trained chefs, and enjoy having the opportunity to use their skills to meet their clients’ needs. Rice also states that, overall, all of AHC’s sites have very positive environments, where staff and clients are hopeful and upbeat about the prospect of rehabilitation; Rice believes that this positive environment spills over into the kitchen, where the chefs too want to be part of the recovery process.

Rice has not encountered any problems with providing vegetarian and vegan options at any of the sites. Most of the ingredients are purchased from large food distributors, although she does have the freedom and flexibility to buy small amounts of ingredients from local grocery stores when they need to accommodate one or two vegetarian or vegan clients. Food quality is Rice’s biggest concern when it comes to purchasing, and she is grateful that her food budget allows her the flexibility to focus on obtaining the best ingredients from her sources. AHC’s Albuquerque location is fortunate to have its own garden, the produce from which it uses to prepare client meals. The chefs at the Albuquerque location also produce fresh breads from scratch.

When I asked Rice if there were any resources that she thought would be useful to other foodservices seeking to include more vegetarian or vegan options, she said that she would like to see some type of short course for chefs about cooking vegetarian and vegan foods. In addition, she would like to see more hospitals and other care facilities move away from serving frozen “heat-and-eat” foods, which are often not the healthiest, to serving more healthy, fresh, home-made options. According to Rice, “hospitals and care facilities should be the places where wellness starts!”

For more information about Advanced Health Care, see: http://www.ahcfacilities.com/about/what_we_do

By Shelby Jackson, VRG Intern

When I was a freshman at Dartmouth, only one dining hall had somewhat consistent vegan options; the others had salad and occasional veggie chili. The one small dining hall that proved to be the most vegan-friendly had inconvenient hours, was closed on weekends, and was mainly a lunchtime destination. College students’ schedules are often ridiculously busy and socializing at meal times becomes just as important as the actual food. This is especially true when you are in the process of making friends at a new school. My first year, I was restricted to one dining location where nobody wanted to eat. On Fridays I had to stock up on premade meals only offered one weekday at the one vegan-friendly dining hall, and this meant I had to eat those meals alone in my room lest I felt awkward bringing them into other dining halls. Though I could eat a salad at dinner and be accompanied by friends, it was just not feasible to do everyday. At that time I was dedicated to running, and required plenty of whole grains to keep me feeling satisfied. I was very upset about the dining options and the fact that I, all too often, had to eat alone.

If you are experiencing difficulties obtaining proper vegan foods at your college, the first step is to arrange a meeting with someone in dining services by either walking into their office or sending an email to set up an appointment. According to Eitan Fischer, a vegan and rising senior at Yale, developing personal relationships with individual dining hall managers is crucial. Victor Galli, a recent Penn graduate, also stresses the importance of developing an ongoing relationship with dining services, one characterized by a “spirit of collaboration.” When meeting with your dining services administrator for the first time, be aware that kindness is advantageous, and that it will help you if this individual is on your side. Depending on how veg-friendly your college already is, you may need to define veganism, and suggest the implementation of a labeling system to make vegan options more accessible. Some college dining services have a particular symbol they label each vegan entrée with, others use color-coded serving utensils, and some include entirely vegan dining stations.

Eitan recommends offering to make constructive suggestions for improving the options, and to request meetings with high-up dining hall administrators. You may be up against administrators who are reluctant to change, and who believe vegetarian options will not be well received. If you find your dining hall administrators to be impervious, you will need to cast a wide net. Join forces with your school’s animal rights or vegetarian club; you may even find the environmental club is interested. Eitan suggests gathering petitions, getting the newspaper to cover the issue, and, depending on the way your institution works, getting the student government to pass a resolution in support.

The Penn Vegan Society sought a relationship with dining services through which each could be a resource to the other. According to Victor, this sort of engagement made dinging services more responsive and eager to help. Victor states, “You must discuss the business elements of implementing vegan options in order to get dining services to really listen.” When going into a meeting, it is important to reinforce common objective values: “You want to help the dining service make money by providing more and better plant-based options for students.”

Penn’s Vegan Society provided Penn dining services with market research and product recommendations. To support his hypothesis that omnivores who eat mostly plant-based foods, “consume the overwhelming majority of vegan products on campus,” Victor provided the article, ‘Flexitarians’ Driving Global Move Away from Meat Consumption: Study. By providing his dining services with research-backed evidence, Victor successfully illustrated the growing demand for vegan food. Victor also cited the VRG’s press release, How Many Adults Are Vegan in the U.S.?, to show Penn dining services that there are more self-described vegans than there are vegetarians, and to perhaps point their attention to the benefits of providing a variety of vegan options rather than just vegetarian. Another article presented by Victor, 5 Interesting Facts About Plant-Based Food Choices, based on the VRG’s Sugar, Vegan Deli Slices, Whole Grains, Meat Genes – What Will Vegans and Vegetarians Eat? VRG Asks in a New National Harris Poll, showcased rising trends among those eating vegan dishes, including the desire to eat more leafy greens as opposed to processed vegan meats, as well as the desire to have more dishes based on grains and beans. When Victor meets with Penn’s dining services, he provides a printed “Market Research Summary,” highlighting the main points of the research he is drawing from.

To access marketing information, see:
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/market.htm
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/market.htm#market
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll

Due to the work done by Penn’s Vegan Society, Penn is in the process of offering a vegan station in each of its dining halls.

In convincing Dartmouth dining services to provide better options, I found it effective to point out the implications the lack of options had on my Dartmouth experience, and how I felt as if my nutritional requirements were not being properly met. To my surprise, those working in Dartmouth’s dining services were exceedingly kind and dedicated to doing whatever possible to bring about greater student satisfaction. Luckily for me, Dartmouth had major dining renovations – including an entirely vegetarian station, “The Herbivore,” – already in the works. Like Victor, I provided product and recipe recommendations packaged in a 15-page vegan food guide. When “The Herbivore” was first launched, it was far from perfect, and would oftentimes fail to offer vegan entreés. With my continued involvement with the dining services administrators, the options have improved significantly: textured vegetable protein Sloppy Joes, vegan ribs, vegetable Pad Thai, and textured vegetable protein tacos, to name a few. Another recent improvement has been the permanent addition of faux chicken and beef at the sandwich bar. The vegan dining options, according to dining services workers, become so popular that they had to increase supply orders to satisfy growing demands.

DAWG, the Dartmouth Animal Welfare Group, hosted a conversation dinner with the assistant director of Dartmouth’s dining services. This was an extremely productive event: multiple perspectives were able to be voiced, the dining director met a good number of vegetarians interested in dining improvements, and we became better educated about the constraints faced by dining services to provide certain options. Though Dartmouth’s vegan options have improved tremendously throughout my three years as an undergraduate, I plan to continue my involvement with its progression during my senior year, as there are definite improvements that have still not been made. Advocating for better vegan options is a process, one that hinges on continuous, appropriately-placed efforts.

Vegan options in college are more important than you might think. As a freshman, I tried to make do with the meager offerings, but soon realized Dartmouth’s lack of vegan options was more detrimental than I initially understood. There were students I met who used to be vegan, or wanted to be, but felt as if they could not do it healthily at Dartmouth. Dartmouth’s lack of options conveyed veganism as unsatisfying and difficult to maintain. Furthermore, college gives way to freedom and exploration; many find it a convenient time to experiment with vegetarianism. Ensuring great tasting vegan options are available at college is more important than satisfying the requirements of current vegans; it is about offering appealing foods that will invite others to enjoy more sustainable, compassionate food choices, and hopefully, offering the kinds of foods that cast an accurate representation of veganism, so those interested will feel more inclined to adopt the diet. The process of getting your dining hall to implement proper vegan options may seem daunting, but with persistence, you will savor the results. The fruits of your efforts will do more than please your own taste buds. You will help guarantee that other vegans – as well as future vegans – enjoy their time at college; you will increase the amount of plant-based foods consumed in your dining hall; and you will be opening the door, extending a warm welcome to the many potential vegetarians accepted to your college, year after year.

Your family and friends will love the following vegan recipes from The Jewish Lowfat Vegetarian Cookbook. It’s a tradition to eat sweet foods during this holiday.

Bulgur and Grape Salad

This is an absolutely delicious salad and well worth the wait while the bulgur (cracked wheat) soaks in the juice. The salad can even be served for breakfast! Experiment with different types of juices and other fruits such as chopped apples, peaches, or pears.

2 cups bulgur (cracked wheat)
4 cups orange juice
1 pound seedless grapes (use different varieties of grapes for added color)
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Soak bulgur in juice for at least 4½ hours until the juice is absorbed and the bulgur is soft. (You can soak the mixture overnight if you prefer.) Cut the grapes in half and toss into the soaked bulgur. Add cinnamon and stir well. Chill and toss once before serving.

Moroccan Couscous and Pumpkin
(Serves 4)

Couscous is an extremely fast-cooking grain. Add pumpkin, and you’ve got yourself an unusual, but delicious meal. For variety, you can also substitute acorn squash for the pumpkin.

1 pound pumpkin, remove seeds, then chopped
1 cup water
1 cup couscous
1 small onion, peeled and minced
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup

In a covered pot, steam pumpkin in water over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer in covered pot for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let covered pot sit for 3 minutes longer. Stir and serve immediately.

Baked Carrots
(Serves 6)

This is a sweet vegetable side dish that young children will especially enjoy.

2 pounds carrots peeled and cut into thin strips
2 cups orange juice
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a casserole dish and cover. Bake dish on low oven shelf at 375 degrees for 90 minutes or until carrots are tender. Serve warm.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A staff member at the VRG spotted a July 2012 post at http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com written by a vegan who asserted that at P.F. Chang’s, “…all the dishes are cooked in oyster sauce [and so are not vegetarian or vegan.]” Since this information was contradictory to what we reported in 2008 about the P.F. Chang’s vegetarian-labeled menu items, (http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue4/2008_issue4_whos_veggie_friendly.php), we contacted the chain to see if there had been an ingredient change.

The Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s told us in August 2012 that he would contact Chang’s Culinary Department to determine if the oyster sauce was animal-based. The Culinary Department relayed to him that: “…all of our vegetarian-marked items on our menu do not contain any seafood or animal products. Our ‘Vegetarian Oyster Sauce’ is actually made with mushrooms and no actual oyster or shellfish.”

The VRG also asked the Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s if any of the menu items noted as “vegetarian” contained honey, egg, or dairy ingredients. He assured us: “No, they do not, and as long as cane sugar is not an issue all of the items marked ‘vegetarian’ on our menu can also be considered ‘vegan.’”

More information about the vegetarian menu options at P.F. Chang’s may be found on their website: http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/

Another VRG article about P.F. Chang’s vegetarian dishes may be found here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2011issue1/2011_issue1_pf_changs.php

For information on food ingredients, fast food, and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our enewsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements.Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

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Voting begins today in the Chase Community Giving Program! Please vote for The Vegetarian Resource Group to be among the charities that receive a portion of the $5 million in grants that Chase will be donating.

You can vote via Facebook:

[ http://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/app_162065369655?app_data=ein|52-1279034 ]

Or if you have an online Chase account, you can vote via their website:

[ https://www.chasegiving.com ]

Please help spread the word by forwarding this to your friends and family.

Thanks for supporting The VRG!

We’ve been approved again this year to participate in the California State Employees’ Charitable Campaign! If you are a California state employee, please contribute to vegetarian education and outreach by selecting The Vegetarian Resource Group for payroll deduction. Thank you for your support. Others can donate directly at www.vrg.org/donate

These vegan restaurants were recently added to our online restaurant guide. To find restaurants in your area, visit: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Counter Culture
2337 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1540
Vegan/American. Counter Culture, formerly a food trailer, offers comfort food that is completely vegan! Enjoy sandwiches like Jackfruit BBQ, Philly Seitan, and Tempeh Reuben. Or try the Garbanzo “Tuna” Salad. The menu notes raw, gluten-free, and/or soy-free items. Concerned about sustainability, Counter Culture obtains organic and locally-grown foods whenever possible and composts and/or recycles over 95% of their waste. The eatery is located on the southwest corner of Cesar Chavez and Clara Streets in East Austin. Open Wednesday through Friday for lunch and dinner. Open Saturday and Sunday for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Full service, take-out, catering, soymilk, beer/wine, VISA/MC, $-$$.

HipCityVeg
127 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 278-7605
Vegan/fast food. HipCityVeg is a vegan fast food eatery with inexpensive yet delicious fare. Although there are a few tables for dining, the restaurant is mostly for take-out. Enjoy the Ziggy Burger (made with smoked tempeh), Curry Tofu Wrap, or the Classic Veg Burger. The café uses recycled and compostable packaging. HipCityVeg is located near Rittenhouse Square in Center City. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Counter service, take-out, delivery, smoothies, VISA/MC, $.

SimplyRaw Express
989 Wellington St., W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y1
(613) 234-0806
Vegan/raw foods/organic/juice bar. SimplyRaw Express is an all-vegan, organic, gluten-free, and mostly raw foods eatery. Although some seating is available, the focus here is on take-out (using all compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable containers). Made fresh daily in their kitchen, menu items include salads, wraps, quinoa bowls, raw macaroons, cheezecakes, fudge, and raw products. SimplyRaw also offers healthy lifestyles coaching and workshops. Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and early dinner. Closed Monday. Counter service, take-out, fresh juices, smoothies, VISA/MC, $.

X’s to O’s Vegan Bakery
97 4th St., Troy, NY 12180
(518) 238-3311
Vegan/bakery/organic. X’s to O’s is a vegan bakery in the charming town of Troy. Sweet treats include canoe boats (like twinkies), cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cakes, and more! They use organic and local ingredients whenever possible and care about sustainability and their carbon footprint. Everything is handmade from scratch in small batches. X’s to O’s can do custom orders for special occasions including weddings. They also offer grab-and-go lunch items and brunch every other Saturday. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch. Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter service, take-out, delivery, catering, soymilk, VISA/MC, $.

Please help us keep our restaurant guide current and accurate! Restaurants continually change locations, new ones open, and others close. To let us know about any restaurants we should add, delete, or if our existing entry should be changed, please complete the form here: http://www.vrg.org/travel/restupdate.php

If you would like to volunteer with maintaining and updating The Vegetarian Resource Group restaurant guide, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you!

Chase Community Giving is a program that lets the public vote to help determine where Chase donates millions of dollars. The Vegetarian Resource Groups has been nominated to be among the charities eligible to receive these grants. When voting opens on September 6th, we’re going to need everyone to get involved to help Chase decided where the $5 million in grants will go.

You will be able to vote via Facebook:

[ https://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/app_162065369655 ]

Or if you have an online Chase account, you will be vote via their
website:

[ https://www.chasegiving.com ]

Please help spread the word by forwarding the following link to your your families, friends, and colleagues:

[ http://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/app_162065369655?app_data=ein|52-1279034 ]

Thanks for supporting The VRG!

When we printed our first typewritten newsletter in 1982, we never imagined that 30 years later, more than 200,000 people would be coming to us for information each month via our website. Though change can be hard sometimes, this change allowing us to reach so many more people was thrilling. With numerous questions about the future of the post office and increasing postage, as well as the common use of online communication, we recently asked readers for thoughts on whether we should switch to only publishing the Vegetarian Journal online. Thanks to those who shared their opinions with us. A selection of responses we received appears below. This is not for immediate action, but we are strategically preparing for the future. Feel free to share your thoughts by emailing [email protected], calling us at 410-366-8343, or posting a comment.

“I’d read either way and certainly understand your wish to be more ecologically responsible, but I would be sad if paper issues weren’t available as I always give mine to interested others.”

“There’s something to be said for flipping through a magazine, taking it with you, cutting out the good stuff. Please keep it on paper.”

“Our home has a computer system which I myself maintain and use … but I prefer reading from a book or magazine. A computer cannot replace its tactile quality.”

“I would prefer the online-only version, so thanks for considering it.”

“It is wonderful and I always read it cover to cover and refer back to it frequently. I just can’t do that with online material.”

“Each year we have your magazine available [at a booth at a city hall festival] it is always a hit.”

“I pass my copy along to coworkers and keep them in my waiting room and exam areas, exposing many non-vegetarian patients to your Journal.”

“An electronic copy can reach more people, can be readily accessed from multiple devices people are already carrying (iPads, Kindles, etc.), and is far cheaper to distribute. […] The web site, blogs, and Facebook/Twitter feeds are already an important electronic version of VRG, so the Journal would be a natural extension.”

“I am very grateful for the years of dedicated and effective service you have given to the values of veganism. I am strongly opposed to an online-only version of Vegetarian Journal for the following reasons:
(1) Reading hard copy, illuminated by ambient light, stimulates more of the brain than the radiant images of the computer or other hand held
devices.
(2) Hard copy can be carried, is easily accessible, and can be stored.
(3) Given a computer uses electricity and is dependent on contaminating materials, an online version will not produce a smaller carbon footprint.
(4) Many people do not have access to a computer.
(5) There is a tactile and three dimensional visual experience generated by a hard copy magazine totally lacking in the abstract, one-dimensional, electronic version.
(6) I would like to see The Vegetarian Resource Group support print culture rather than electronic-digital culture. Digital culture encourages an ephemoral, non-reflective, fragmented way of being, which works against the deep values needed to support animal and human rights
and veganism.”

If you would like to support the print version of the Vegetarian Journal please click here to join or give gift subscriptions.

If you would like to donate so we can give Vegetarian Journals out during tabling and conferences, please donate at http://www.vrg.org/donate and indicate in the comments that this is to give out print versions of Vegetarian Journal. $100 allows us to give out 100 copies. At a national dietetic conference, we can typically put 1,000 copies into the hands of dietitians. Thank you!

Interview by Aileen McGraw, VRG Intern

“Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life.” A seemingly Utopian cliché finds true form in Marla Rose – vegan writer, event producer and community builder.

Below, read her interview with the VRG for a “Vegetarian Action” feature in Vegetarian Journal.

You were recently reported saying Chicago is a great place for veganism in a Chicago Parent article. In what ways does the Chicago Vegan Family Network contribute to this environment?

That’s a good question. Honestly, at first thought, I didn’t think we contributed much because as a group, we do not do much in terms of outreach or activism. The group is a pretty fluid, organic thing but so far people have mainly been interested in the monthly potlucks and our annual events (such as our visit to an animal sanctuary and camping trip) as opposed to activism.

This being said, I will say that on a more subtle level, we do contribute to the vegan-friendly environment of Chicago and this is why: when we empower people to raise their children with compassionate values, they are going out into the world and influencing others: classmates, parents, friends, businesses owners, schools, politicians and so on. The parents are asking for more vegan-friendly options at restaurants, they are creating dialogues with teachers about how animals might be exploited in the classrooms, they are raising children with pride and confidence about how they live and the children, in turn, are influencing their peers. Undoubtedly, our large and small efforts create a powerful ripple effect, which results in an environment that is more open to our values. In this way, every time you help to empower someone else to trust their core convictions about living with kindness and help them to trust that it’s wonderful to raise children with these values, you are helping to create a community that embraces compassionate living more and more.

How does your son impact your activism? Do adults and kids take on veganism differently?

He influences me in virtually every way. He is a naturally kind and forgiving person and this is a positive influence on me, helping me to remember to extend my circle of compassion to other humans who disappoint me. The main thing, though, is that he influences me to make the most of my time. When you have a child, you can become very aware of how quickly time passes, which is both bittersweet and motivating. From an activist’s perspective, it makes me more eager to get work done. I am also aware that I don’t know how long I will have this influence on my son: I want to be an example to him that it is up to us to create the world we want to inhabit. You don’t like what you see? Change it. You don’t see what you want to see? Create it. This is the one life we are guaranteed – no one can say how long it will last – and we are not passive bystanders. I want my son to see me using my energy and time toward fostering positive change and I already see him doing the same thing.

I think that children and adults do often take on veganism in different ways but the root is the same, a beautiful innocence found in even the most cynical person: we don’t believe that animals are ours to exploit, harm or kill, and that is a very kind-hearted, childlike (in the best use of the term) conviction. Beyond that, I think that adult animal advocates could learn a lot from children when it comes to our activism. One is a lot less likely to burn out if he or she is enjoying the activism they are doing. There are so many associations we have with the dour, humorless, angry activist and I think we would be wise – as communicators and as people who want to be doing this long-term – to lighten up and have some fun with our outreach. Taking a few seconds to smile will not result in any more animals being killed but it may make people more willing to consider what you have to say.

How and when did you realize the need for a community like the Chicago Vegan Family Network?

As soon as I learned I was expecting a child, I knew that I wanted a group like CVFN. Quite simply, every community with vegan children should have such a network. CVFN has filled our lives with wonderful friends, monthly potlucks, annual camping trips, visits to an animal sanctuary and more to look forward to throughout the year. With very little effort, we have grown from six families at our first potluck to more than 50 families. The children are cultivating lifelong friends with people who share their values and some of their unique experiences and that is a very valuable thing. Vegans are swimming against the current and while many of us do not mind being “different,” it is important that everyone have sanctuary, a place where they are understood, supported and accepted. That is what CVFN provides. Through building community, we deepen the foundation of compassionate living values and help to create proud, confident, independent children. As adults, of course, we enjoy the support and friendships as well.

Do you approach outreach to kids differently than with Chicago VeganMania or your blog, Vegan Feminist Agitator?

These are just different facets of my interests. With Chicago VeganMania, we wanted to create a dynamic, inclusive festival that captured the exciting spirit of our vegan community in Chicago. Vegans are so often misunderstood and portrayed as a bunch of negative scolds: spend five minutes at CVM and anyone would have that preconception shattered. We have diverse vendors, great bands and entertainment, cooking demos, wonderful speakers, and it’s all vegan, something that thousands of people get to enjoy.

With Vegan Feminist Agitator, that is another part of me: the person who loves creative writing, enjoys satire, has fun exploring ideas, connecting with like-minded souls. Even though VFA is pretty different from Chicago VeganMania, it’s clear – at least to me – that this is part of my self-expression, just another aspect of it.

With children, it’s not as much about me. I just try to listen to where they are at and connect with them. Kids can spot a phony from a million miles away, so I strive to be authentic, to not have preconceptions.

As you probably can see, I think it’s very important that we don’t assume a cookie-cutter approach to our activism. I think that people are drawn to realness, honesty and individuality; the more we cultivate our advocacy around our unique voices, perspectives and talents, the more other people will be able to envision themselves as animal advocates. We need to make room for everyone. Not everyone is cut out for leafleting, not everyone is cut out for organizing events. Some people are just damn good accountants and others are fantastic flamenco dancers. We have a place and a need for everyone and their gifts.

What are common inspirations behind your novel, freelance writing, your Examiner columns, and vegetarian action at large?

I’ll try to answer this without sounding pretentious: creative writing, reading, visual arts, my friends, my family, my grandparents, people watching on the train, activists, Gandhi, feminist pioneers, living in the city and so on. I’d say that I grew up as a “weird kid” who spent a lot of time daydreaming alone and the enjoyment I find from just immersing myself in solitude, brainstorming ideas and chasing my muse is invaluable to me. A fertile imagination is the gift that keeps on giving. To be productive and make ambitious projects come to fruition, though, you need to foster relationships within your community. So understanding one’s perfect calibration of introversion and extroversion helps to keep us engaged, charged and inspired.

What does a vegan family mean to you? How (as a family) do you pursue vegetarian action?

To me, the common thread of a vegan family is that we emphasize critical thinking and compassionate action. We value our passionately held beliefs over fitting in and conveniences. Beyond that, we are all different just as omnivorous families are all different.

As a family, our vegetarian action takes many different forms: off the top of my head, we volunteer at the local animal shelter; we have a vegan lemonade and treat stand called the Stand for Kindness; we put up an inflatable turkey every November with a sign encouraging people to try a vegan Thanksgiving and Vegetarian Starter Kits; we are all deeply involved with Chicago VeganMania; we are making videos of Justice speaking as a vegan child to demystify how we live. We have our fingers in a lot of different pots because we like to stay active and engaged.

Can you speak specifically on your outreach to kids and your novel, The Adventures of Vivian Sharpe, Vegan Superhero?

I call Vivian Sharpe your classic, American vegan coming-of-age superhero thriller. I didn’t write it to preach at anyone or have readers reach a foregone conclusion. One of the things that has been most gratifying to me is reviewers pointing out that the story captures the complexities and grey areas of activism as well as the process of waking up to injustice, which has shared universal qualities no matter our personal journeys. In deciding to follow our convictions, especially those that are so in opposition to how our world is set up, there are often what we could consider negative consequences: jeopardizing longtime friendships, alienation from family, the initial feeling of loss when we let go of familiar comforts. Especially for young people, popularity and fitting in are very emphasized, and vegans, just by our very presence, are the elephant in the room people don’t want to see. Vivian Sharpe is a 15-year-old sophomore and she starts out as someone who considers herself “normal” and “average” in every way, only to have everything she thought she knew upended overnight. She goes from being an omnivore to being a vegan when she is visited by a pig spirit named Tolstoy, who tells her in the most elliptical way that she has a major journey ahead of her, and whether she likes it or not, she has no option but to follow this path. There is no going back for her.

As the story evolves, Vivian develops a heightened empathy and intuition, which is both her source of strength and her Achilles heel. As a result, she becomes aware of a deadly and secret contamination of her town’s water supply by the largest employer in her area. The ramifications are very far-reaching. For the first time in her life, Vivian has to step up to the plate and face the consequences of investigating and exposing this corporation, the consequences of not conforming. There is a lot of suspense and drama, but it’s also, as I said, a coming-of-age story: How does Vivian break away from the role she has played in her family and town? How does she understand herself now that she is suddenly so different? How does she navigate the ups-and-downs of teenaged life while suddenly having huge responsibilities only a couple of people know about?

In terms of my novel and outreach to kids, my first obligation was to write a compelling story with complex characters. So much popular Young Adult fiction is insulting to the intelligence and way too predictable, filled with stock characters. Believe me, I spent a lot of time researching this market. So my first obligation was to write as good a story as I could. After that, if there is any outreach with my novel, it is to inspire readers to think about their own lives, where they can make positive changes that go against the grain, and become empowered to be bold, passionate and engaged members of our world.

What does the future look like? (How) Do you plan future activism? What do you do to transform “now” to “next?”

I operate intuitively but I also try to be pragmatic. I try to get a sense of what there is a need for in the community and I try to fill that gap. I also frequently find myself sad when projects end, so I try to find new ones right away! It really is a blend of the imagination and the practical that leads me to wherever I go next. I try to find things that are creatively fulfilling but also needed.

Want to join the vegan family? Connect with VRG’s Parents List or visit the Chicago Vegan Family Network Facebook page.

Read past Vegetarian Action features in our Vegetarian Journal.