I’ve been vegan for about 5 years now. Before going vegan, I was on and off with vegetarianism. Sometimes I would, say, choose meat with my school lunches, but I rarely ate meat elsewhere. A desire to fit in really gave me the urge to eat animal products around my friends.

Around 2010, my parents transitioned to a vegan diet. They educated my younger brother and me about veganism with documentaries, online videos, and books. Since we were only ages 9 and 6, we watched videos and like My Friends at the Farm and read books such as The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach.

After being educated about the health, environmental, and animal abuse issues associated with animal agriculture, I gradually started to transition. Once I had learned about veganism, peer pressure didn’t have such a great influence on me. Meat wasn’t too hard to let go of, but cheese and eggs took longer. As I found products like Daiya and Silk, my transition became easy.

When my family was transitioning to veganism, we lived in a very rural area that supplied a lot for the chicken industry. One day, we noticed a chicken in the middle of the road. She must have fallen out of the truck on the way to the slaughterhouse. Of course, we took her home and made her our pet; we named her Flowers. Sadly, due to how chickens in the meat industry are bred, Flowers grew too fat to support her own weight and passed away. I never ate chicken again. Flowers was like any other pet to me, and my heart sank when she died. She was only one of the almost 9 billion of chickens bred by the meat industry annually, and it disgusts and confuses me how people can continue to torture such sweet, innocent animals. This experience had a long-lasting effect on me, and I will never forget her.

Every vegan teen faces struggles, but my journey as a vegan has been a lot easier than many others have experienced. My parents and friends have always been super supportive.

Unfortunately, I have gotten some hate from others. Some people have put me down for my dietary choices, and even if I have tried to reason with them, those people usually don’t seem to listen. I think a lot of vegans feel this way. On the other hand, I definitely have changed the opinions of some of my peers. A few of my friends at least have tried vegetarianism because of my encouragement, and one of my friends has been vegetarian for a year and is considering becoming a vegan!

I feel that just advocating to the people around me isn’t enough, however. Vegan teens don’t have enough websites or organizations where they can connect and receive support. I’m looking forward to seeing this site grow, and I hope to really help others! (You can help me by submitting your story here.)

Besides being vegan, I have many interests and hobbies, including fencing. The type of fencing I do is called foil, where you use the tip of a blade to hit the torso of your opponent. Fencing isn’t just physically demanding; it’s mentally demanding too, which makes it so interesting to me. I’m really dedicated to the sport and hope to be very skilled in it someday. Fencing is a great way to stay in shape to retain my super vegan powers (ha-ha)!

Another thing about me is that I love to volunteer. Sometimes I volunteer the local literacy council to tutor an ESL (English as a Second Language) student with my mom. Our student is a native Spanish speaker, and helping her really helps me with my Spanish classes; I’ve learned a lot from her. I also volunteer at a soup kitchen once a month. Helping people is like helping animals: I love it.

I hope this helps my fellow vegan teens get to know me better! However, I would like to know more about you guys; please submit your stories too!

-VT

Originally, there were so many things urging me towards the change, but I somehow never made the actual switch. Now, when I say that I was addicted to dairy milk; I mean, I was literally addicted to it. It’s all I ever drank. Glass after glass, meal after meal, from morning until I brushed my teeth for the night. I even ordered milk at restaurants. I kid you not, the first word I ever said was ‘cheese’. The thought of running out of some form of dairy was my nightmare. I was a huge proponent of reducing meat consumption, but still naively believed that there was no suffering in my milk.

Flash forward to my junior year of high school. By then I had curiously joined every vegan Facebook page I could find, but out of laziness and little motivation, continued living off my animal products, until the day in biology class where we were introduced the fetal pig lab. It sickened me to the core, as I am a naturally empathetic person. I considered opting out of it, but the teacher threatened the lab workbook would be much more difficult to complete without the hands-on experience. Out of peer pressure and a fear instilled in me by the teacher, I participated. I don’t remember anything about what I learned from that damn packet I was forced to do, but I sure as hell will never forget the events of that class.

Never had I first-hand witnessed such brutality and heartlessness.These classmates had been with me since Kindergarten, and I expected a mournful tone in the room during the dissection. I watched as these children grew with me and laughed with me and learned with me. Never in my wildest imagination could I fathom the things they did to a baby, whose sole purpose in this world was for our own selfish gain. They laughed, they named them, they took pictures with them, they mutilated their tiny bodies as if they were made of clay. My face grew tight, and I swear the room began to spin as I sat imprisoned in that biology room for 40 minutes, spectating such acts of cruelty and of no empathy at all. They chuckled at each other’s lame pig jokes, at the dilapidated corpses without any blood, at the way one of the babies had taken its last breath with its little tongue exposed. My classmates could have done the killing themselves and I wouldn’t have known the difference.

I suppose I had never seen such cruelty for myself. I had read about it, I had watched it on the television, but I had never witnessed it first-hand. These were my friends, my heartless, cold friends that objectified these innocent babies. There was a part of me that believed none of them were capable of such brutality. Eventually, I took up the courage to ask the teacher where the pigs had come from, hoping and praying they were just still-borns. No one else in that room cared, nor wanted to hear the truth. He was blunt: “The mother was sent to the slaughterhouse and they removed the babies after.” Never had I felt words impale me with such force that I physically cringed. I berated the teacher for almost 15 minutes about the details, trying to uncover some unknown compassion for these innocent lives. It never came. I began to question everything I thought I knew about humans. If they were so willing to send a pregnant sow off to slaughter, what else were they willing to do?

For the rest of class I let my partner, who was just as silent and disturbed, do all the work. I just sat there and nodded my head, holding back tears. It tore apart my soul to listen to the cheers of my fellow comrades as they dismantled their babies. To those teens, they were no such thing. They were hot dogs and bacon and ham steaks. They were objects, nothing more. Seeing such joy in their eyes as they sliced and diced their ‘lab’ scared me to the core. How they could look at their little faces and still make a bacon joke or scrape a knife along their tongue in a fit of ecstasy was such a mystery that I swear a piece of my soul died that day. I went home and cried the hardest I had ever. My mother talked with me as I sobbed for the stolen lives of these innocuous souls, for the ruthless torture of their bodies by my guiltless colleagues.

The only peace I found was in my mother’s reminder that those baby pigs never had to know pain. They only ever knew the warmth and safety of their mother’s womb. Maybe they heard their mother scream as her life was ended, but before they even knew what was happening, their hearts stopped and they died in a tranquil slumber. My mother told me that my classmates’ hid their guilt through humor. They objectified the pigs as a way to drown out their guilt. If a pregnant woman were ever killed in such a manner, outrage would only begin to describe the backlash. That bothered me immensely. How could no one make the connection?

As my mother had advised, I went back to that biology room for the second day of the lab and did my half of the work on the piglet. My mother said the best thing I could do for the baby was to make sure her life wasn’t wasted, now that her life was already lost. As I completed the lab, I was gentle and I softly whispered to that baby to apologize to her. If we had been required to name our fetus, I would have called her Justice. That’s what I promised her. I promised her that I would bring justice to her lost life and to the billions like her. Those two days were excruciatingly painful for me. When we were finished, the pigs were not buried…no, her final resting place was the landfill…a cold, hellhole to thank her for all she had done for us. I wish I could have saved her and held her with blood in her veins and a wet snout to kiss me with. Never could I look at animal products the same way again.

The first to go was pig meat, then cow meat, then eggs, then dairy milk, and then everything and anything that came from a living being. Justice taught me that. She taught me that we all come into this world for different purposes and maybe humans don’t completely understand those reasons, but it is never our right to take it upon ourselves to give sentient beings the purposes we believe they should have. A pig deserves to know the feeling of the sun on his face, a mother’s kisses, the joy of the first time he sees a bird soar above his head. Justice taught me that we rape this from them, mercilessly giving them a purpose here, and believing that without this purpose, they are useless. No amount of documentaries or news articles could teach me such awareness. I needed to understand it for myself. The lab taught me things about my character, about my supposed friends, and about life. I think a lot about Justice, and I hope there is a heaven. I hope she’s with her mother, and I pray there is no pain wherever she is. Her physical body may be in some horrid landfill, but a piece of her soul is with me, and I will always hold onto it until I can give it back to her someday on the other side. For the sake of the billions of innocent animals without voices, I will be here to speak for them until every cage is empty and every earthling is without pain. The world may silence them, but they will never silence me and they will never silence Justice, because a part of her lies within me, refusing to remain forgotten.

In about ’06 I watched the film “Peaceable Kingdom” with my Mom and some other people in a local vegan Meet Up group (these are great resources for young vegans, btw, and if there isn’t one near you, make one!). During the film, when they got to the part about the male egg-layer breed chicks being unnecessary and hence, they were on a conveyor belt headed to the grinder, still fluffy and chirping and adorable, I promptly burst into tears and declared myself Vegan.

Well, I was straight-forward at least.

Now, since I was already like 95% vegan at that point, admittedly, it wasn’t a huge leap. In fact, our household was vegan since I was born. But, the decision to change myself (keep in mind, I was like, five years old at that point, tops) was something kinda big. So, the occasional pizza slice at Chuck E Cheese’s was gone from my diet and I was feeling pretty good.

Now, this is about the time when the vegan meats, cheeses, dairy, and all of the good stuff hit the shelves. This was the dawn of the movement going mainstream. Suddenly Tofurky has a new take-and-bake pizza, Silk has product placement in all of my favorite TV shows, and Gardein is invented. It’s been a pretty exciting time to be alive, really. In the years since my own days as a novice vegan (I like to think of myself as a pro vegan, next-level vegan, OG vegan, epic vegan, etc.), I’ve seen some products come and go, but the enthusiasm never dies, and the conversation never stops. The world keeps growing more compassionate.

Some of my favorite things include cooking and creating yummy vegan recipes, reading just about everything, comics, singing around the house to all the animals, writing, and spending time exploring the city of Chicago, which is only about an hour and a half away from my house. I also attend protests and vegan events as often as I can, and I help rescue animals in need nearly every week. Besides animal rights, I’m also passionate about helping people experiencing homelessness, and I hand out food to hungry people in the city whenever I can. My Mom and I even have a tradition where we do this on our birthdays, and it makes us pretty happy to know that we’re helping in our own small way.

About three years ago, my Mother and I decided to open an animal sanctuary called EARTH, a place for rescued animals needing help and a place for them to live out their lives. And after three years of working really hard every day, rubbing pig bellies, and feeding chickens, we’re still goin’ strong. I’m pretty proud of us. We share our home and land with dozens of animals of all different species, and growing up with a huge bunch of animal brothers and sisters has definitely changed my life and shaped me into a more patient and understanding human being.

My life has been fortunate. I’m home-schooled, so I don’t have to deal with bullying or rejection because of a diet I’ve chosen. And I recognize that maybe my experience has (will) be different than a normal kid, but my advice…?

There isn’t anything about a vegan lifestyle you’re going to regret, except not doing it sooner. And never did I realize that more than when I looked into an animal’s eyes and was able to say with both my words and my actions, “I love you.”

If that makes me a Freak, O.K.

-T.A.D.

I’ve been vegetarian since I can remember—never had a steak, or eaten bacon (I’m quite proud of that)—but more recently, my parents took me to The Gold Coast in Queensland for my birthday. Since 89% of what I ate there had no cheese, milk, or eggs, I thought, “Wow this is great!” And I was off! Since then, I’ve been full 100% VEGAN! And I don’t think I’ll ever go back.

Most people think that vegans chow down 3 times a day to dirt, water and mountains of mushrooms for their protein, but NO! We eat better than any other diet can make you eat, and you feel better than any other diet can make you feel! The strength and pride you feel for not having anything to do with animal cruelty was something I’d never imagined, or experienced before.

It is hard sometimes, having 99% of your friends tell you that they had beef ravioli out of a can for dinner or leftover Spaghetti Bolognese for breakfast. You know, I’ve tried to rant and rave to them about how they’re killing the planet by consuming flesh foods, but they won’t listen no matter hard I’ve tried and tried and tried. They just keep telling me that they could never give up their meat and that they’d miss it too much. If only they had a better consciousness about what they were truly eating!

You see, the thing is over all the stuff and the people and the KFC ads on TV, the best part about being vegan is I find it gives me hope … hope that maybe one day the world will know, and change the way they see themselves. Then and only then will we have the world peace that pageant girls across the globe have been saying is their biggest dream for years (a bit of a cliché, I know, but it is possible).

Being home-schooled (as I am) doesn’t open me up to all the stuff that school kids go through—the names and the bullying that so many do—so I guess you could say I’m in my own little vegan bubble, and it’s great!

The world we live in today is young, and all the people in all the places in all the world are in their own little bubbles, and it’s hard to break them out. It’s hard for many people to see that animals are our ancestors, and although our ancestors for generations have been looked up to for guidance, now animals are being run down, ground up and looked at as only a meal waiting to happen. But we can change that, because more than a billion people have dug themselves into their own holes, and WE the vegan teens of the world hold the ladders to get them out so they can see the light beyond the meat.

On a lighter note, to quote Audrey Hepburn, “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says IM-POSSIBLE!”

And that my friends, is all the hope we need!

Thank you!

I’ve been vegan for almost a year. It’ll be a year on August 25. 🙂 Definitely when I first went vegan, it was tough because it was really hard to say no to desserts, which are my weakness. It was also hard to find all new foods that I liked, since virtually all my favorite foods before going vegan had animal products in them. It was also difficult because I’m not a huge fan of cooking, and I wasn’t very motivated to find new recipes, much less try to make them.

My parents have been nothing but 100% supportive about it, which I am very lucky for. My brothers tease me about it the most, but it doesn’t bother me. I think the hardest part is all of the stereotypes and things that people assume about you when they find out you’re vegan. When I first went vegan, I didn’t like telling people or answering the “why” question, because I felt uncomfortable and didn’t want people to think I thought I was better than them or something. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that people are a lot more accepting than I give them credit for, and they’re not going to hate me for not wanting to cause harm to animals. And they may not agree with me, but if they ask, it’s generally because they really are curious. If I can do anything to teach people that it’s not extreme (in fact, the opposite) and maybe break some stereotypes—like explain to them how it really isn’t that difficult—then I definitely will.

My best friend (who is wearing the blue dress in the second picture) is actually the reason I went vegan. She went vegan a few months before me, so she was a major source of support and someone I could talk to about it. In terms of my friends and school, I got teased about it at first but now not as much. You just kind of have to accept it and know that whenever you do something so drastically different from the societal norm, people are going to point it out and try to make you feel uncomfortable—ESPECIALLY something that makes them question their own actions and beliefs in such a blunt way. I’ve also found something very, very interesting since going vegan: I found that the people who tease me the most are actually the ones considering going vegan themselves. Since I’ve gone vegan, my mom, and one of my other best friends have gone vegan, while 6 of my other friends have gone vegetarian, and a lot of others have just been doing Meatless Mondays!

The best part of being vegan for me is living in alignment with my morals and values. It’s definitely given me some spiritual guidance that I did not have in my life before. When I was younger, I was fishing and caught a fish, but it swallowed the hook, and I remember running inside and crying hysterically for a half an hour while my grandfather fiddled with the hook trying to get it out. I remember freaking out that it was in pain or that it was going to dry out and die. I also always hated it when my parents boiled lobsters alive when we ate them.

Looking back, I’ve always been vegan at heart; it just took me a while to actually break old habits and form new ones, which is really all being vegan is. Temporary inconvenience is a small price to pay in order to spare animals needless suffering, do the single best thing an individual can do for the planet, and just to be happier because I don’t feel guilty about any of the products I buy or the food I eat. Overall, being vegan has just made me a more selfless person. I care about things that are so much more important now. And it’s also forced me to become more conscientious and be more aware about a lot of global issues.

Some things about me other than being vegan are that I really like to take pictures of people. Portrait photography is my passion. (You can see some of my photos on Instagram here.) I like to help people, and I’m an artistic person. I love connecting with people and traveling and learning new things. If veganism has taught me anything, it’s to have an open mind and to be accepting of everyone.

Rose

I first went vegan because my grandmother passed away from a 26-year-long battle with breast cancer in September of 2009, at 69 years old. My mother, knowing that she had a family history of cancer and that this was another link in the chain, then decided that she didn’t want me, my twin sisters (10 years old at the time), or anyone else in the family to die of the same disease.

In the hospital waiting room, she heard a voice in her head, which she still doesn’t understand to this day, telling her to stop eating animal products. She then did some experimenting with veganism and later read the book “The China Study” by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and discovered the connection between health and diet – that the leading causes of death in Americans are diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, that are preventable by avoiding the consumption of dairy and meat products.

After discovering this important connection, she decided she knew what was best for the health of her family. So, she sat down with me and my sisters and flat out told us “No more dairy.” (We were raised vegetarian, so we already didn’t eat meat.) And we cried, and cried, and cried. We were addicted to our yogurt, milk, and cheese, and through the first few months of our veganism, we felt great withdrawal from our typical meals.

That is, we felt withdrawal until we discovered substitutes for our typical meals – transition foods. Things like Daiya Cheese were really effective at first as substitutes for classics like pizza and grilled cheese, but as we went on, we eventually broke away from them and processed foods overall (except for bread, of course). My mother also went to a conference called Vegetarian Summerfest early on (which we’ve continued to go to for the past few years as a family), where she met Chef AJ, a famous vegan chef. She came home with Chef AJ’s cookbook, “Unprocessed,” and started to make recipes from it that everyone in the family liked. That book and cookbooks like it really came in handy for our transition, and because of them, we’ve found that it’s really easy to not only replicate the food we used to eat but also create entirely new and delicious flavors just with whole plant foods! More recently, we’ve even stopped eating foods with refined sugar, salt, and oil, and our family has been holding a monthly sugar, salt, and oil-free and whole food vegan potluck for the past four years. Also, my mother was even able to convert my very stubborn grandfather to veganism within the last two or three years! You can read about his success story here.

Before going vegan, I used to throw up almost every time I consumed a large amount of dairy, effectively throwing up at least once per month. My family never really identified the cause before we went vegan, but once I stopped consuming dairy, I stopped throwing up. It turns out that I’m lactose intolerant, so eating whole plant foods is healthier for me in that additional way. But, besides that, I feel more energetic and livelier than ever before, and I’m able to concentrate and behave better in school. My family as a whole has continued to be vegan not just because of the health benefits, but also because of the positive impact on the animals and the environment, which we discovered later on.

Unfortunately, being vegan hasn’t always been so great for me in every way. Many times in school, I’ve faced a lot of peer pressure and sometimes even direct confrontation just for the way I eat. No one in my grade and none of my friends eat exactly how I do, and most don’t understand why I eat the way I eat. For example, they make fun of my lunch because I drink a green smoothie for lunch every school day. (The smoothies, though they taste good to me, often don’t have very appealing colors. Some kids have made fun of me for it in the past, and some even continue to. I’ve learnt to ignore it.) They feel bad for me because my food palate is so “limited,” and they don’t understand that it’s my choice of eating. My story is a bit long, so when I can’t tolerate their questioning, I just shorten it down to being raised vegetarian and lactose intolerant. But, I honestly feel bad for them, since I know that I’m eating healthier food than they are, and that the way they’re eating takes a toll on their own health in the long run.

I hope that this story is inspiring in some way, and I hope that many other teens will be inspired as well and start to eat the way that I do.

Thanks for reading, and good luck on your own vegan journey!

Evan

Before, I was a vegetarian for five years. I remember the day I became a vegetarian I went to the state fair and saw a steer with the sign “beef” above his head. At first, I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that this steer was going to be killed. I remember walking up to it and seeing its brown eyes, as if the steer knew his fate. Ever since that moment, I never ate meat again.

Through 7th grade to the beginning of 9th grade, I had twisted views on food. My eating disorder made me feel afraid of food, and my relationship with it was unhealthy. I remember googling videos of people who overcame eating disorders, and so many of them said “veganism saved me.” I knew I wanted to be part of this movement and this lifestyle. I wanted to change my views on food and help support a cause I strongly believe in, so on February 12th, I became a vegan.

There was nothing really smooth about my change to veganism; I just cut out all animal products. I remember the first week was one of the hardest. I felt alone, because no one in my household really approved. They acted like my new lifestyle was an inconvenience and annoyance. I felt confused because I wondered if this was really something I wanted. However, I stayed with the vegan lifestyle and ignored all the negative comments. Within a couple weeks, I knew I had made the right choice. My eating disorder was no longer present, because eating plant-based food made me feel good about what I was putting in my body. I had more energy and it was easier for me to focus in school. I had severe acne and my skin cleared up. Most of all, I was happy that I was helping save animals.

Till this day, I picture that steer in my head and wish there was something I could have done to stop him from being killed. However, I know I am making a change even if it’s not saving a whole farm. Since becoming vegan, I inspired my mom to become a vegetarian too. If there is one thing I learned through this journey, it is to stay true to yourself. I know that’s a corny piece of advice, but it’s true. If I would have listened to my family, I might not be the person I am today, and still would have my eating disorder. Also, I wouldn’t have met so many amazing people who have the same views as me about killing animals. I hope my story might help you, and I wish you all the luck on your journey.

While first learning about how farm animals are treated and transitioning to veganism, I remember I was so angry and upset. A new passion formed, and I was so frustrated when people wouldn’t listen to me. Also, I confused: Why hadn’t I been exposed to all of this information before? This needs to be common knowledge.

It took a long time for me to learn how to handle myself in debates and keep my cool. I decided to channel all of this frustration, passion, and newfound knowledge into my Instagram page @kindnessovercruelty and my blog Kindnessovercruelty.com. It has been such a great outlet for me and has helped me meet many friends.

At first, I faced lots of resistance from family. They worried that I would become unhealthy or not get the proper nutrients, and this was the case for the first few months of eating vegan. I was still new to veganism and most definitely should have learned more about the health aspect of this lifestyle. However, now I am the healthiest I have ever been and feel amazing! Vegan food is so fresh and flavorful! My family’s hesitation and uneasiness has turned to support, and I have actually managed to convert a few to the lifestyle. Lead by example and others will follow!

Of course there is some teasing at school, but I know what I’m doing is right, and I have found many genuinely interested people in my classes. I try to use school as a platform to spread the message and educate peers. I have a whole community of young vegan friends online and also a few in person! Three friends of mine have decided to make the transition and have been inspired by my journey. It is so rewarding!

For me, the best part of being vegan has to be the people. Through this lifestyle, I have met so many amazing like-minded people who share my passions. It gives me hope for the future and keeps me inspired to keep writing, posting and speaking out about animal rights.

Aside from veganism and animal rights, I have a deep love for reading and writing and absolutely adore traveling. Visiting new places and experiencing the things they have to offer is so interesting and enlightening.

In the future, I hope to create a career for myself in journalism. This way, I can travel, write, and speak out for those in need, combining all my passions in one! Veganism has had such an amazing impact on my life, and I strongly encourage anyone considering the lifestyle to join as soon as possible! We need you!

I’ve faced many struggles as a vegan, such as not being able to find vegan food on field trips/in general, and feeling a bit hopeless because of the oppression of my ideals.

I first went vegan because my mother made me (lol), but soon, I adopted the ethics of veganism and became an activist. My friends have been extremely supportive of me; they provide vegan food when I am at their houses, and a couple friends of mine are even in the process of going vegan themselves.

For me, best part of being vegan is the feeling of being healthy, and knowing that you’re doing something to help animals who are suffering in the cruel world that we live in.

Besides being a vegan, I also love to read, hike, and translate Latin!

I became vegan because I was (and still am) passionate about animal rights. I had been vegetarian for a while, and I realized that I was still contributing to animal abuse by eating dairy and eggs.

My family was pretty supportive of my going vegan. My mom became vegan at the same time as me. My dad, even though he wasn’t vegetarian at the time, was fine with it.

I went vegan the summer between grades seven and eight, and eighth grade was pretty awful. The guys in my class were really rude to me about my choice and would make mean and sometimes dirty jokes towards me.

My advice for other vegan teens would be to stay true to your beliefs. Everyone is trying to find themselves and, as cliché as it may sound, they might try to bring you down just to make themselves feel better. Vegans are making the world a better place, and that’s all that matters.

I have one vegan friend who is a few years older than me, so I don’t see her much. I’ve gotten three of my friends to go vegetarian. (It was four, but one of them had some sort of nutrient deficiency and the doctor made them eat meat. *sigh*)

The best part about being vegan for me is being able to look and be with any animal and not feel any guilt. The pig in my picture is one I met when I went to volunteer work day at Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary.

Aside from being vegan, I’m proud of being a black belt in taekwondo! I’ve been doing taekwondo for a little over five years.

Some other hobbies of mine include drawing, reading and listening to music. One of my new interests is astrology and learning about the different signs.

For most of my life, I had been a hardcore meat-eater and dairy consumer. I come from a European family, so there’s actually no vegetarians or vegans in my ENTIRE family. When I was about 13, I wanted to go to vegetarian but was never able to follow through. About a year later, I asked myself why I was in so much pain after eating. Not only was I lactose intolerant, but I was sensitive to poultry, making every meal a digestive hell for me. One day, I asked myself if it hurts so bad, why do I keep doing this to myself? There was no logical response.

I vividly remember the day I went vegan. It was dinnertime and my mom was just about to put a pork chop on my plate when I stopped her and said “I don’t agree with this anymore,” and filled my plate with more vegetables instead. They never questioned my choice. I had finally done what I had wanted to do.

Being fueled by Freelee’s vegan fury, I was ready for anything. I started trying a crap ton of vegan recipes and fell in love with baking and cooking! I always make my own meals. It’s been a year now, and I’ve become quite the experienced vegan; I’ve even inspired my friends to go vegan! I honestly think this is the best time to go vegan because we’re learning how to be ethical at a young age; we’re teaching the newer generation how to be ethical. We’re the next generation of teachers, doctors, scientists, and engineers, and we can spread the knowledge we have today to the younger generation. That’s beautiful to me.

This world is changing for the better and it’s because of us. We are such an accepting generation and it’s such a refreshing concept—just imagine what our generation will do for this world!! It’s only up from here. Not only is eating vegan food amazing but BEING vegan is amazing. We’re causing a positive impact and shaping our future for the better. Being vegan just feels better; it’s the ultimate way of living. You’re healthy, free, and ethical. (Also, I dropped 40lbs being vegan—BONUS!)

I’d love to connect with y’all!

@glenda.gav on insta💟

I originally went vegetarian almost two years ago when a girl posted a picture of a deer her dad killed on Instagram captioned “my daddy got a dear!” I looked into the deer’s lifeless eyes and knew that seeing someone so happy about death and taking the life from another animal immediately caused me to go vegetarian.

When I was little, I always asked my parents if I could go veg, and they would never allow me. After I saw that picture on Instagram, I waited a week before telling my parents I had gone vegetarian, so they would see I could do it. My mom was pretty supportive; she would buy me food but always told me “you know you don’t have to be vegetarian” in a voice suggesting I stop. My dad has tried to trick me into eating meat on multiple occasions, but I haven’t fallen for it. Since going vegan, my mom makes me go to the grocery with her every week and make my own food every day.

I run cross country and track for my high school, and even have a friend on the team who went vegetarian shortly after I did and decided to go vegan after me! I also play ice hockey and participate in a few clubs.

If anyone wants to talk, my insta is @carolinewatsonnn

I see no reason to take what isn’t mine especially when I have healthier, better options. I also have a Pagan spirituality which makes me even more connected to the life around me.

I’m almost 17 years old and I have lived in Oklahoma, USA the entirety of those years. Its not always easy to be vegan where I live. My parents consider my choices ridiculous, and just a phase, as does everyone in my small town, but I am trying to make a difference. I have managed to inspire a few close to friends to go vegetarian but none have made the full switch. I also have made more people aware of the atrocity of animal agriculture.

I’m in band and color guard and I play several instruments. Hopefully one day I will become a doctor of physical therapy and integrate with a Yoga practice. I love reading, laughing and watching Netflix. You can find me on Instagram @white_bishop77. Please don’t be afraid to say hi as I would love some vegan penpals!
Much love,
Namaste