By Victor Flores and Karla Reyes, VO Volunteers

Towards the end of November, my family and I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of veg-curious folks at a church in Inglewood, CA—the experience was amazing!

In the works was a similar gathering, near our home, in the rural town of Alamogordo, NM. Within a few short weeks, my family and I—with the help of  Vegan Outreach and members of Otero Veg, our hometown Vegetarian/Vegan Meetup group—planned a holiday gathering to inform community members about the joy of living a compassionate lifestyle.

We offered a great holiday meal, personal testimonials, and we showed an informative video by Dr. Michael Greger, vegan physician and author of How Not to Die. We discussed the cruelty inherent in animal agriculture and the impact of animal product consumption on our health and on the environment.

We also had the iAnimal Virtual Reality headsets available for people to view, which gave viewers the opportunity to experience what happens inside of a pig slaughterhouse.

Our expectations for a positive response went far beyond what we ever could’ve expected! We had to keep restocking the information table we’d piled high with Vegan Outreach literature. Everyone was receptive and engaged—you could feel the positive vibe in the room!

Oh, and the tasty desserts didn’t hurt—vegan cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, and Mexican sweet bread. The vegan nog and coffee with almond milk creamer was also a huge hit. We even had chocolate soy milk for the kids!

Everyone enjoyed the holiday roasts, which we ended up having to drive over 6 hours to pick up the day before the event. We also had mashed potatoes with gravy, cornbread stuffing, corn, green chili mac and cheese, and an excellent green bean casserole.

By the end of the night, attendees were asking where they could buy vegan food products, how to best prepare them, and how to maintain a vegan lifestyle. We gave away goodie bags packed with vegan treats and coupons for different types of vegan foods. Many attendees requested to stay in touch so they could ask questions and get support if needed. And we heard many people say they’re excited about future events because they want to bring their friends and family members.

Reflecting back, it was such a powerful event! There’s no doubt in our mind that this is an effective way of doing outreach for our communities. We’ve even heard from people who live in larger, nearby cities, like El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM, who want us to do events like this in their areas!

Thank you to Kristina Marzano, Kathrin Schoos, and Amy Dame for volunteering to share their personal vegan stories. Such a big inspiration! And thank you to Vivian Nevarez and Jesus Loya for making the delicious vegan treats!

A big shout out to Janina Rojas, Silva, Kathrin Schoos, and Leanne Smith for helping serve the delicious meal. Thanks again to Vegan Outreach, Otero Veg, Flowers for Animals, and everyone else that made this event a success!

2017 better be ready because we are coming in strong……Vegan Strong!

Welcome to the last installment of our three-part series featuring this semester’s most prolific leafleters of Vegan Outreach’s Adopt a College Program.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the other top leafleters, be sure to see Part I and Part II!

This week we’ll introduce you to the top 5 leafleters—who’ve all reached a mind-blowing number of people, and, as a result, helped a countless number of animals!

Kimberly Moffatt, VO Outreach Coordinator

“My favorite leafleting experience this semester was at Radford University in Radford, VA. Not only did I meet many vegetarians and vegans, but also I had a few conversations with people about the leaflets. Everyone, including staff, was super friendly and even started cheering me on throughout the day!”

Kimberly leafleted at 77 college campuses this semester and distributed 61,692 leaflets.

Emmanuel Márquez, VO Mexico Outreach Coordinator

“One of my favorite moments during my leafleting tour in Mexico was when I visited the city of Guadalajara. I was invited to give a presentation at Jalisco Vegan Fest on the effectiveness of leafleting and to set up a table. The presentation went very well—the audience was engaged and was asking a lot of questions. One of the students, Lucía, later told me that she wasn’t very interested in the beginning, but ended up enjoying it.

“After the talk, Lucía went to our table and bought a Vegan Outreach t-shirt. She also signed up as a volunteer. Three days later, Katia Rodríguez—VO Mexico Campaigns & Spanish Media Coordinator—and I were visiting a nearby high school and Lucía woke up at 5:00 am to help leaflet. Lucía is super shy, but she overcame that very fast. She told me she was inspired by what I shared in my presentation on how one person can spare many lives by doing this simple and effective activity.”

Emmanuel leafleted at 65 college campuses this semester and distributed 40,949 leaflets.

Sam Tucker, VO Australia & New Zealand Outreach Coordinator

“While I was leafleting at Swinburne University of Technology near Melbourne, Australia a student stopped and asked me why I was vegan. I told him I was vegan because I was against animal cruelty. Then I asked him why he ate meat. He said he hadn’t really thought about it before. We talked for a while about how animals are treated on factory farms and how you can get all the nutrients you need without eating animals.

“After talking for 15 minutes or so he decided he would try going vegan! He took a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating and he also took some more leaflets to give to his friends!”

Sam leafleted at 50 college campuses this semester and distributed 41,183 leaflets.

Yuri Mitzkewich, VO Southeast Outreach Coordinator

“My favorite day of the fall semester was when I leafleted at the University of Alabama’s main campus in Tuscaloosa, AL in mid-September. Within a short amount of time, I met not only one, but three, vegans! What was great was that the third vegan who passed by, Stephanie, was an officer for the new student animal rights club, Vegan Alliance. Stephanie told me that they had five members when the group started in August and that the group had grown to an astounding 36 members in just a few short weeks! This is a great sign of a growing awareness and compassion for animals at this major southern university!

“Thanks to Vegan Outreach being on campus that day, we helped sign up three new members for the student group, and now I’m making plans to team up with Vegan Alliance during the spring semester. Just one of many great developments I saw taking place across Alabama this fall!”

Yuri leafleted at 88 college campuses this semester and distributed 66,522 leaflets.

Steve Erlsten, VO Northern California Outreach Coordinator

“One highlight of this semester was meeting a student named James at Cal State San Bernardino. He had been vegetarian since receiving a booklet from Vegan Outreach last year. We spoke for a few minutes, and he told me he was excited to try to go vegan with the help from the Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating booklet I gave him.”

Steve leafleted at 82 college campuses and high schools this semester and distributed 58,886 leaflets.

A big round of applause to these 5 leafleters, as well as to every other member of the Adopt a College Program.

The time and dedication everyone put into doing outreach is time well spent for the animals! We look forward to seeing you all next spring!

Did you know Vegan Outreach’s cofounder and Executive Director, Jack Norris, is a Registered Dietitian (RD)? In this video he talks with Paul Kelly of Raw and Cooked Vegan about a wide range of vegan nutrition topics—and more!

Jack describes how a fishing trip led him toward a vegan lifestyle. He covers various vegan nutrition topics, including the importance of eating foods high in protein and calcium. He also discusses the welcoming approach to veganism that Vegan Outreach uses to make the lifestyle mainstream.

By Jamila Alfred, VO Maryland/DC Events and Outreach Coordinator

For those with a sweet tooth, we’ve got a treat for you today!

The face behind the California-based dessert business Charlie’s Brownies gave us the scoop on his successes and challenges as a young, vegan entrepreneur of color.

Charlie Fyffe, the company’s founder and CEO, had been making baked goods for quite some time before he started selling them. The many technicalities and obstacles were no match for a mid-20s Charlie when he finally built his brand and shared it with the world.

And although he didn’t start out as a vegan, the savvy businessman recently veganized his company and has been a hit in the Los Angeles vegan scene ever since!

In addition to running a business, Charlie recently volunteered with VO’s Community Engagement Initiative (CEI). He donated brownies at an informational session—organized by VO’s CEI Manager, Roxanne Hill—and he answered questions that attendees had about animal product substitutes in baking. He also allowed VO to purchase his brownies at a discounted rate for an information session the following week.

Want to learn more about the Brownie Man? Well, keep reading on!

Jamila Alfred: What brought about your entrepreneurial spirit?

Charlie Fyffe: My entrepreneurial spirit came from needing to pay for basic necessities while I was in high school—food, clothes, and gas for my car. I had to find creative ways to make money, so I started out selling candy and Gatorade, giving people rides home after school, providing weekly iPod music uploads, and later selling baked goods like brownies.

Jamila: What inspired you to sell brownies?

Charlie: In my senior year of high school, as a family bonding activity, my mother and I made brownies from a box mix to bring to my varsity basketball potluck. After packaging up the brownies nicely and seeing my teammates devour an entire box in minutes, the light bulb within me sparked. I decided to bring brownies to sell at school the next week. And sure enough, they were a top seller almost instantaneously.

In college, I continued to sell brownies to make side money. When a customer recognized the brownies I was selling as box mix brownies I decided to make my own recipe.

I joined the baking club, refined my recipe, and eventually got a contract with my college to sell my brownies in the coffee shop on campus.

Jamila: Why did you decide to veganize your business after selling non-vegan desserts?

Charlie: I veganized my business for the same reasons I went vegan personally. Supporting the dairy industry is an atrocity to this planet. Also, I personally believe that you cannot make “the best brownie” if a quarter of the world can’t eat it due to allergies or intolerances. Making the product dairy-free made it safer and more accessible while tasting even more delicious than the original non-vegan recipe.

Jamila: How did you begin your involvement with VO?

Charlie: My friend, Roxanne—VO’s CEI Manager—reached out to me to see if I’d like to help out. I’d heard about VO before, but never really looked into it. After conversing with Roxanne, I found that my deep-seated mission is not too far from that of VO’s, so naturally it’s a good fit for me.

Jamila: What are your challenges as a businessman of color?

Charlie: Luckily, I haven’t had any doors closed on me strictly because of my race, but the main challenge has been access to capital and resources to grow my business.

Starting a business means spending money and taking some losses in the beginning. I’ve watched some of my white and Jewish friends raise $150,000 easily in what they call a “friends and family round.” In many other cultures, it’s a tradition to support the growth of new ventures. The community provides investment, support, and a customer base that’s loyal. When money is spent, it circulates and everyone wins. I don’t have that same foundation and backing within the black community, although they have greatly supported me in my journey as customers.

Jamila: What’s your advice for young people of color who are up-and-coming entrepreneurs?

Charlie: My advice is to work harder than everyone around you, only take advice from people that are in the position you want to be in, and let failure only be defined as a lesson rather than a reason to slow down or quit.

Jamila: Thank you, Charlie, for getting involved with VO and providing vegans with their brownie fix!

For the sugar fiends out there, Charlie will be re-opening his company’s web store for online orders in 2017 and he’ll be placing packaged goods in stores in Los Angeles this March. In the meantime, follow him on Instagram @charliesbrownies and on Facebook to stay updated.

By Taylor Radig, VO Campaigns Manager

There’s no doubt that the treatment of animals is becoming a serious topic within the Christian Church in recent years. Pope Francis himself shocked the world when he released his encyclical Laudato Si last year expressing concern about climate change and the treatment of animals.

He even got on Twitter and said, “It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly.”

Yup—he really did say that and he really is on Twitter!

Inspired by the encyclical, St. Francis Alliance: Faithful Voices for Animals is hosting the very first American Catholic retreat focused on animal protection.

Featuring speakers like Bruce Friedrich and Dr. Alka Chandna, the three-day event will be held in Virginia over the weekend of February 17-19, with presentation and discussion sessions, time for individual prayer, and daily mass. The retreat is open to all people of faith, and delicious vegan food will be served all weekend. Registration closes December 31.

The St. Francis Alliance is a faith-based group of volunteers who work to improve the lives of animals. Additional details about the retreat may be found on the group’s website.

Continuing our three-part series of highlighting this semester’s most notable leafleters of Vegan Outreach’s Adopt a College Program, let’s turn our attention to these four hard-working Vegan Outreach employees and volunteers as they tell us about their favorite interactions of the semester! Be certain to see the earlier Part I and the next Part III as well.

Jevranne Martel, VO Canada Outreach Coordinator

“I recently had a conversation with a hunter who started off aggressive and defensive when he heard I was handing out vegan information. I turned the conversation around instantly by letting him know I was aware most hunters hunt because they are against factory farming and the cruelty in the large agricultural businesses. He said, ‘We need meat to survive.’ Then we had a great conversation about the negative health aspects of eating meat, dairy, and eggs. He left the conversation by taking VO’s Your Choice booklet and a Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating.

“When he saw me later on he told me that he wanted to know more information and that he was interested in making the shift. He said he wanted to cause the least amount of harm possible.”

Jevranne leafleted at 60 college campuses this semester and distributed 43,825 leaflets.

Katia Rodríguez, VO Mexico Campaigns & Spanish Media Coordinator

“My favorite leafleting experience was at the Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, where I met Rubén, an economics student. After receiving a leaflet from me he came back to ask a few questions. I answered all of his questions nicely and respectfully. What I loved about his response was that he was surprised and happy to meet a friendly vegan who was willing to having an open dialogue without attacking him. He has had bad experiences with talking to vegans in the past. He even told me that he’d give it a shot and transition to a vegan diet.”

Katia leafleted at 56 college campuses this semester and distributed 32,711 leaflets.

Rachel Shippee, VO Outreach Coordinator — Wauconda, IL

“My favorite leafleting experience this semester was at the University of Nebraska Omaha in Omaha, NE. I had numerous conversations with people who said they had been thinking about the issue or wanted to get involved. One conversation that sticks out was with a hunter who was skeptical at first, but left agreeing with our message and told me he would look further into plant-based eating.”

Rachel leafleted at 37 college campuses this semester and distributed 30,096 leaflets.

John Deetjen — Grayslake, IL

“I would have to say my favorite leafleting of the semester was in October at Macalester College. Macalester is a small school in St. Paul, MN, and the reception here was fantastic! My friend Rachel Shippee and I dropped 340 booklets in only an hour. And during that short hour we had numerous fantastic conversations with students who were interested in moving towards veganism.

“I had many great conversations with students about the ethics of eating animals, and with the help of the Guide to Cruelty-Free Eating we chatted about how they could move towards a plant-based diet in a sustainable way. Great use of an hour!”

John leafleted at 32 college campuses this semester and distributed 14,201 leaflets.

Thank you, Leafleting Rockstars! Your hard work is appreciated by a lot of people and animals!

Next week we’ll wrap up this three-part series by featuring this semester’s top 5 leafleters! You’re not going to want to miss it!