Some of my dear supporters always ask, "what inspired me to go vegan?" I can honestly say that there are countless reasons. Veganism is ethically right, even in denial we all know it is morally incorrect to eat animals or take from animals the vital things we don't want taken from us. Think about it, we mass produce/factory farm animals just for our own consumption. Factory farming is the main cause of animal suffering and abuse. These silent victims have been converted into machines that generate meat, milk, and eggs. There are also countless health benefits that coincide with removing meat and dairy from our lives: less mucus, lower cholesterol, clearer skin and decreased body fat.
Prior to me turning vegan (over 15 years ago) I only met one other vegan and she was my middle school history teacher. As a senior in middle school my agenda was simple, fight like hell to get out so I could join my predecessors in High School and veganism was clearly not on my agenda. However, she shared the health benefits of going vegan and although she made valid arguments, her raw food approach was deemed pretty extreme to a 13-year-old. The thought of not having a slice of my favorite Entenmann's cake or NYC cheese pizza was a "no go" as it was a New Yorker's way of life to eat "hard to digest" and "artery clogging" foods. Now, please pass the knish.
Don't get me wrong, even at 13, I indulged in healthy eating, as my mother was an advocate of fasting and juicing but I could not imagine not having dairy in my life.
Fast forward...I made it out of middle school and that summer I managed to snag a "summer youth" job at a day camp in Coney Island. The day was August 14th, 2003 when a significant incident occurred at the camp. While tending to some toddlers the lights went out and little did I know I was in the midst of one of the biggest blackouts NYC faced. After walking multiple miles home from Coney Island to Bed Stuy due to public transit's inability to accommodate a power outage - I rested my feet on my stoop and chatted with my big sister (3 years my senior). No lights, no problem as our mother was well equipped for any natural disaster, let alone a power outage.
That evening my sister discussed veganism with me under candlelight. She was reading my mother's book, "Back To Eden" and shared the benefits of completely cutting dairy from one's diet as "Mad Cow Disease" was at an all-time high in America. She also explained that although consuming dairy was not viewed as directly harming animals it was still indirectly hurting them as artificial insemination, milking regimens, and sometimes drugs were used to force them to produce milk. She asked that we both give veganism a try for a week to see how we liked it. Three days later my sister bailed out on our challenge. Once the challenge was up I decided to never go back to consuming dairy.
The challenge helped me realize that I no longer needed dairy in my life. NYC was filled with many non-limiting vegan alternatives. The bodega's offered toasted rolls with jam . "Aye, Yo...Papi", I would say, "make sure you wash your knife" and there I had it, a toasted vegan jelly roll that was conducive to my adolescent budget. Whole Foods offered warm vegan cookies, almond cheese and vegan yogurt. On the corner of Brighton 7th Street in Brighton Beach, BK stood an amazing pizzeria that sold vegan slices packed with loads of mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach. Manhattan had a plethora of bakeries that sold fresh vegan bagels smothered in layers of chive vegan cream cheese.
I was completely blown away at all the vegan options that was available in my city. That summer I had an, "ah hah!" moment as I realized veganism was extremely versatile and exceeded the stereotype that vegans only thrived off seaweed, yoga and moon dancing.
Now, as a 15-year veteran to veganism, my pallet has grown as I enjoy eating raw electric foods and minimally processed foods. I believe variety is the spice of life and by allowing veganism in my life I have improved my health and my overall moral compass. My journey taught me that there is no ideal vegan and any lifestyle that promotes healthy eating in addition to leaving a positive impact on the world is grade A in my book.