Here’s a super-short video we made for the (Broadway-)star-studded event, Broadway Barks, brought to you by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. It’s just a teaser, really, which is sometimes all you need to create a wider awareness about your event. Then, go viral.

If you’re in NYC, be sure to catch Monday’s screening (there are two) at the Anthology Film Archives. Oh, and Russell Simmons will be there for the first showing, which is extra incentive for you.

A month later, Jane Velez-Mitchell adopted little Kennedy, and their family (which is also comprised of two other rescued dogs, and a very vibrant 94-year-old lifelong vegetarian mom) was complete. Jane, of course, is a longtime vegan and animal rights activist. I documented the adoption for the Mayor’s Alliance:

Creative Online Activism from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Yes, You Do Have Time for It… from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Personal pet peeves aside, the truth is, if jumping on the pop culture bandwagon from time to time will result in more traffic for that blog that talks all about veganism (so many ways to tie that into celebrities, since folks like Ellen DeGeneres and Emily Deschanel, as well as a tofu-load more, are vegan); or discussing that new undercover investigation (which Alec Baldwin has been vocal about), then so be it. Obviously this is easier to do when your website’s purpose is to highlight pop culture trends. For Our Hen House, since our primary goal is to become a virtual place for animal advocacy, it can be a bit more challenging. That said, if you saw our analytics, you’d also shake your head in disbelief: the times we do highlight celebrities (like this interview with Moby), the hits just keep on coming …

If you’re still reading this and you haven’t yet proclaimed “THEY INTERVIEWED MOBY?” and clicked to that page, here’s my last bit of advice with this: Make it relevant. Don’t exploit for the sake of exploitation. (Wow, there’s a quoteable.) Ask yourself: Is there a way I can make my point while still throwing in that Ginnifer Goodwin quote? Will it distract from the point or will it lend itself to the point?

You might remember that I recently made a video for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, covering their Adoptapalooza event. After discussing the video with the Mayor’s Alliance’s press guru, we decided that I should go in and make another video, this time highlighting the two celebrities — Tinsley Mortimer and Maria Sansone — who generously showed up to support the Mayor’s Alliance and judge the “Pet Costume Contest.” The video is just one minute long (the shorter the video, the more traffic it will receive) and will help drive Tinsley and Maria fans to the Mayor’s Alliance. So there you go: exploitation at its finest.

Tinsley Mortimer and Maria Sansone at the Mayor’s Alliance’s Adoptapalooza from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

Photo: Used with permission by the Creative Commons License.

Yeah, MooShoes. You know them — the vegan shoe store on the Lower East Side of Manhattan that is run by sisters and business partners, Sara and Erica Kubersky.

I recently took a stroll over to MooShoes (what a hard life I have!) for a chat with Sara and Erica. We discussed how they founded their vegan business, advice for others who wish to open a vegan business, and the reaction of the general public when they meander in and find themselves in a stylish mecca of compassionate fashion.

Our Hen House Talks to MooShoes from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

As always, when you do anything for animals, remember to up the ante: Photo it, video it, get it on the internet.

Below is the video of Adoptapalooza. But be forewarned: You might just fall in love.

An animal happened to us when we were in Puerto Rico – a wonderful, and pretty desperate, dog who is now named Tips. So, in addition to helping out in getting him to safety, we tried to follow our own advice and make him a star by spreading his story, and the plight of so many animals just like him, as far and wide as possible. Hopefully, in the process, we will also bring some attention to the wonderful rescue organization that helped us out, All Sato Rescue. Jasmin’s video tells the story:

Rescuing Tips from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

For our second installment of Art of the Animal, we are nothing short of elated to bring you musician Joy Askew. Joy is a seasoned animal rights activist. In fact, I first met Joy while doing “no foie gras” demos several years ago. But what’s particularly moving about Joy is not just her music, and not just her activism, but the absolutely heart-wrenching way she blends the two.

I’ll let the video speak — or sing — for itself.

Art of the Animal: Joy Askew from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

I caught up with TVP (that’s The Vegan Police, not Textured Vegetable Protein) last month at the The Institute for Critical Animal Studies North American Conference. I spoke with Dylan and Crista about everything from how they started to what they think is effective activism.

Bellow is the video interview from the conference, followed by a Q&A with Dylan Powell where he sheds light on his group’s name, the importance of community-building, and how he stays regular. (Oh, and since we’re a mutual admiration society, The Vegan Police is doing a feature on me and Our Hen House today! We like to scratch each other’s backs.)

Our Hen House Talks to The Vegan Police from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

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dylan powell

Our Hen House: What is The Vegan Police?

The Vegan Police: The Vegan Police is a radio show/podcast/website. It is the idea of “promoting veganism” put to practice.

OHH: What inspired you to pick the uber-creative name, The Vegan Police?

TVP: Flashback to October 2008. Isa Moskowitz put a call out to all Vegan Warriors to start making food blogs for the upcoming Vegan Month of Food. Problem: I took horrible food porn pictures and wasn’t the greatest chef. I thought it over and by this time I had numerous campus/community radio shows under my belt, so I thought, “hey why not use that skill and start a vegan radio show!” Next came the name. I wanted something that was a little abrasive, but also comical (i.e. punx). The Vegan Police summed that all up for me. There are still a ton of omni’s (and even vegans!) trying to paint vegans as authoritarian, so for those people I wanted to have an uncompromising show that also let people know how funny veganism could be, and how funny vegans are! For the most part though, most people see the name, beside our comic cat or our new Pignet design, and realize its just a lighthearted take on self policing. In a lot of ways it has taken on its own meaning. It’s funny to see some academics really try and break the name down. I am waiting for a post-modernist critique of The Vegan Police name and logo. Har!

OHH: What is your favorite part about having a podcast?

TVP: We have done the podcast thing and we have done the campus/community radio thing. The best things about podcasting are the things that were supposed to make campus and community radio (college radio in the U-S-EH?) special; the direct connection between the listener, the host and the community. The ability to give a voice and become a hub for activity. Unfortunately, regulations, careerists entrenched in positions of power, and the general unpopularity of veganism make a vegan radio show a really hard thing to accomplish. Podcasting cuts right through to your audience and literally has no rules or regulations (at least none we abide by). You can promote and support your favorite local businesses and restaurants and you can even cuss too! I tend to believe that the less reliant you have to be on other people, the better and more effective you will be. Podcasting represents all of that.

OHH: Why do you find community-building important?

TVP: Absolutely nothing beats face to face community. There is a lot to be said about internet activism and the way vegans have been able to network in the social networking age, but there is also a hell of a lot to be said about faux internet communities. I was lucky enough to live in a place where the animal rights community was already vibrant and where the people actually stayed! Niagara Action for Animals, HOOPLA HOOPLA! I owe a huge debt to them and the amazing work that happens in this community is a direct result of people consciously laying down their roots and fostering community. Although it might get us some more listeners to not talk about the Niagara Region so much, it definitely has been and will always be the focus of the show. “Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are.” – Anon

OHH: When and why did you decide to partner with the Institute for Critical Animal Studies? What does the partnership consist of?

TVP: The partnership with ICAS came out of a relationship between Anthony Nocella and me. Anthony is definitely someone I point to as doing extremely important on the ground activism. Anthony says Paulo Freire, I say Antonio Gramsci, tomato/tomato-oo. There is definitely a bridge ICAS is trying to build between the academic world and the activist world, and both of us feel that is EXTREMELY important. Thus far the partnership has consisted of a lot of idea and contact sharing (I stayed at Anthony’s place during the last ICAS Conference and he wouldn’t let me sleep!). It’s kind of exciting times right now in the Critical Animal Studies world, with the local University, Brock University, also growing its Critical Animal Studies program. I would urge everyone to head over to the Institute for Critical Animal Studies website and delve into one of their journals to find out more about the focus and motivation. Oh, and readers who want to go to University to study and advance the rights of all animals, should definitely look to Brock University as a possibility! (We can hang out and be friends!)

OHH: One of your goals is to promote independent music made by vegans. What made you focus that aspect of your advocacy on music?

TVP: Insert lyrics to Propagandhi’s “Rock For Sustainable Capitalism” here. First off, most major label artists and their listeners don’t recognize  how tied the “Major Four” are to the Military Industrial Complex, as well as a host of other not so vegan friendly things. Secondly, there is community in supporting local independent arts. I can go and see Lemuria in Buffalo, bring Sheena a donut, and have her rave about the donut between songs! I can book those bands and I can help them out by feeding them, offering them a place to stay or throwing a potluck when they are in town! I can ACTUALLY talk to these people, as in they care who I am as a human being, not just as a “fan.” Plus, they can reciprocate by supporting fundraisers and offering their talents. I think it is great that there are major label musicians/artists/celebrities, etc. out there who use their popularity to shed light on these issues, but I have always been a fan of the “little guy/gal” and always will be.

“All the songs you hear down there they have a purpose.” – Ted Leo.

OHH: When it comes to activism, what irks you? What inspires you?

TVP: What irks me is the tendency to want to draw a million lines in the sand. I am still young, and still very much working my way through my own ideas on what effective activism is, but I do know that this movement constantly teeters on being divisive to the point of losing focus. What inspires me is the people who day in and day out volunteer their time to rescuing animals. I owe a large debt to my older sister for showing me the importance and joy of helping out an animal in need. There are a ton of people throughout this world who are dedicated to that cause and who will never get the respect they deserve. The people who give up dreams of early retirement, or retirement at all, so that they can run sanctuaries. Or the people who get second and third mortgages to continue to care for animals. Or even the people who disregard the law and risk imprisonment to save animals. Those are the real heroes of the animal rights movement. Being vegan is easy.

OHH: What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

TVP: I am of the Seinfeld crowd. Nothing beats a good cereal with Almond Milk. As I have grown older I have learned to appreciate what most would consider very dull and boring cereals. GIMMIE FIBER!

OHH: Is a vegan world possible? How do you think we can most effectively work toward one?

TVP: I think a vegan world is very possible, but a vegan paradise does not exist. I think the best way we can effectively work towards a vegan world is to recognize this movement’s struggle within the grand picture of every struggle. The outcome will always be a reflection of the hard work that people put in everyday. We have to be relentless but also honest that this struggle will only open our sensitivity to other forms of oppression which we previously considered “normal.” Some may see that as a real sad note to end on, but at the same time, realizing that this work is never done is one of the best ways of dealing with all of the stalemates we currently find ourselves in, and really the only way to stay relevant.

***

Visit The Vegan Police

Art of the Animal will be an ongoing series where we will feature different artists from all modalities (visual artists, musicians, photographers, etc.) who are speaking up for animals through their artform.

To launch our series, we bring you visual artist Jonathan Horowtiz, whose new exhibition, Go Vegan, is currently making people slightly nauseous at Gavin Brown’s enterprise (and I mean that in a good way). The exhibition is being held at a former meat-packing plant, La Frieda Meats, and it is a harrowing multi-media exhibit that includes a portrait gallery of more than 200 celebrity vegetarians, a video installation featuring Paul and Linda McCartney, and footage of animal slaughter. According to the press release, “By turns violent and comical, the project is a vivid, engaging and forthright attack on complacency.”

I caught up with Jonathan at his opening yesterday and talked to him about art, politics, and what it means to him to Go Vegan.

Jonathan Horowitz: Art of the Animal from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

In perhaps my favorite video assignment yet, I was able to go behind the scenes at Veggie Conquest 4. Turns out there’s a lot more than meets the eye involved in making this event successful. I’ll let the video speak for itself…

Our Hen House on Veggie Conquest from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

Just below, you can listen to the segment of the radio show featuring Jasmin. But we highly recommend you listen to the entire episode — and their other episodes, too — which you can do  via their Facebook page. Seriously, follow Animal Voices Vancouver.

Jasmin Singer on Animal Voices Vancouver from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

Let’s Get Baked! from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

Needless to say, what Gary and the other folks at WWVBS have created is a masterpiece of activism. They have taken a small grassroots tactic and made it global. They are literally changing the world, one bite of compassion at a time.

What does this mean for you?  Well, for one thing, you need to keep an eye out for organizations who are already utilizing mobile advocacy — and sign up. Or, if you are starting up an organization (or already have one, or work for one), perhaps mobile advocacy would be a good fit to further propel your outreach.

Websites like Mobile Commons and Mobile Giving Foundation serve, as Mobile Giving puts it, “as the glue between a charitable giving campaign, the wireless industry and the 250 million wireless users in the United States.”  Thus, for the individual, mobile advocacy can help you turn your mobile device into the effective little activist you always knew he could be. For advocacy organizations, mobile advocacy can dramatically increase the ability to quickly communicate with and “mobilize” supporters.

Mobile advocacy can manifest in a few different ways.First, there’s text action alerts. Groups like the Humane Society of the United States are putting this to use with their text alert system. From their website:

You can expect to receive text alerts from us on breaking news, important events, and key issues where your voice can make a critical difference for animals. You can opt-out from text alerts at any time—just reply with STOP to any text message

Next, there’s legislative call campaigns. Mobile Commons calls this the “Target Congress” option. Though the price-tag that advocacy organizations must pay for this is heavy (plans for this start at $500 a month), Mobile Commons boasts that this option allows campaigns to target geographic regions, specific legislators, or a particular office, making them exponentially more effective. From their website:

By combining text messaging, phone calls, location information and congressional district matching technology, Mobile Commons offers the most effective application for legislative call campaigns ever created.

Lastly, there’s donations via text messaging. This is also something that HSUS has utilized, and their success speaks for itself. According to Mobile Commons, the Humane Society’s “supporters who received a text message donated online with an increased response rate of 77%.”

The profound impact that mobile giving can have is undeniable. That certainly was proven just recently, after the crisis in Haiti. At one point, text donations were ranging upwards of $50,000 per hour through Mobile Giving Foundation.

With the power of mobile advocacy, my hunch is that — as more and more animal groups jump on that virtual bandwagon — the implication for animal rights is profound.

Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Mahady.

But what about when all you want you to do is plop yourself down in front of your Netflix insta-queue and enjoy a delectable vegan meal, TV-dinner style? Though there are options of yummy frozen prepared meals (Amy’s Kitchen springs to mind), there’s kind of nothing else on earth like Veggie Brothers.

Veggie Brothers is an online vegan restaurant. You pick what you want from their vast menu, and — providing you reside in one of the 50 states or a Canadian province — it is delivered right to your door.

Check out the fun, one-minute video they made, detailing the process of ordering:

And look at their noble “philosophy”:

It is Veggie Brothers philosophy that we can awaken the world to the benefits and joys of a vegan diet but only with a “one-two-combination” of (#1) great delicious vegan food that people already know, love, and enjoy, and that doesn’t require anyone to give up their culture, identity, or traditions, and (#2) with proper well organized information that touches, moves and inspires the heart, the mind, and the soul to make a better dietary choice for themselves, the planet, the animals, all of mankind, and the creator above and within us all.

Though we haven’t yet tried Veggie Brothers (but plan to imminently), there is a thorough and helpful review on SuperVegan.

It should go without saying that Veggie Brothers is a unique and effective form of food activism. The only downside is that now, I feel absolutely ravenous!

Rescue Chocolate is literally saving animals’ lives, one bite of cruelty-free chocolate at a time. That’s because of two reasons: 1. 100% of the net proceeds of Rescue Chocolate go to animal charities, and 2. the products are deliciously vegan, so no cows were exploited in the process of creating this delicacy.

If ever I wished that I could offer you the opportunity to lick your computer just to get a taste, now would be that time.

Here at Our Hen House, we like to feature entrepreneurs who are using their interests and skills for the betterment of animals. Sarah Gross epitomizes this with Rescue Chocolate. Sarah’s favorite chocolate item is called “Peanut Butter Pit Bull,” which not only tastes like a much more delicious and compassionate version of the old stand-by, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but it also works as an educational tool. According to the website:

With their tenacious work drive and high intelligence, pit bulls are all about pleasing their owners and giving lots of love. They’ve been given a bad rap, but they’re only following the lead of their human companions. If you train them with love and affection, they’ll return the favor in spades. To know them is to love them!

I’m so excited about Rescue Chocolate, and you should be too. I recently got the chance the catch up with Sarah — who, by the way, is like a big ball of energy and a poof of glitter. Maybe that’s a side effect from the (vegan!) sugar?

Fiction advocacy can be extremely effective. Under the umbrella of fiction, a really interesting opportunity is presented to get people to think (imagine that!) — something that can sometimes be challenging in non-fiction documentation, since there are those who shut off or become defensive when you present them with the cold hard facts. Just as Scarlett Thomas did in PopCo, fiction allows you to still present the ugly underbelly of animal agribusiness in a truthful way — but in a way that some people find more accessible. Plus, fiction is art, and art touches people in deep and profound ways. For a lot of us, art has a way of creeping in, sometimes in ways we don’t really understand.

Given my feelings about fiction as a form of effective advocacy, you can probably imagine how giddy I was when I heard about Bold Native, a new fiction feature film that tells the story of an animal liberator wanted by the United States government for domestic terrorism. In the film, the main character, Charles Cranehill, attempts to coordinate a nationwide plan, as his CEO father tries to get to him before the FBI does.

When I chatted with Bold Native’s director and writer, Denis Henry Hennelly, he agreed that fiction is an important possible route in for anyone trying to spread compassion. “There’s something about hearing a story that allows people to let their defenses down,” he told me, “which allows you to communicate with a deeper and less ego-based part of them.  With Bold Native, we tried to make an adventure movie… a story with a basis in reality that also was a fantasy and exploration of ideas.  We tried to make something that was fun, without shying away from the fact it was about people fighting horrible atrocities.”

More about Bold Native:

The filmmakers’ background in documentary informed the creative approach to Bold Native. Self-financed and shot with a four person team in real-world locations, sometimes using real activists, lawyers, and formerly imprisoned animal liberators, the film weaves an intricate tale of one of the most important issues facing America and the world morally and ecologically – the impact and consequences of industrialized animal use. And with a character who faces prosecution and potential lifetime imprisonment under the recently passed Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) for property crimes currently considered terrorism, the film also illuminates the danger of corporate interests influencing the law in a post-9/11 world.

Here’s the trailer. Hold onto your tofu:

The amazing activists (hundreds of them, literally) who helped to put together Bold Native are looking for folks to help promote it, so if you have outlets, use them. This film looks like one that is not to be missed, and one that we animal advocates will want to share with our various networks of friends and colleagues.

The talk focused on the moral imperative of going vegan and getting active for animals in whatever way we can, and some possible categories where your animal activism could fit. Below are some of the highlights from my workshop. Thanks for watching!

Veganism to Activism with Jasmin Singer from jasmin singer on Vimeo.

Animal Rights & Feminism from Health and Happiness Club on Vimeo.

From their website:

So what sparked Dylan to try veganism? He’d always admired the lifestyle and knew that factory farming was a major cause of environmental degradation, but it wasn’t until he met Planet Verge host Jordana Reim that he decided he was ready for the change. “It seemed really interesting and I think I was too comfortable in my lifestyle and ready to try something different when Jordana asked if I would try cutting out animal products. Talking with her made me realize that you don’t really know what you’re eating when you eat meat and I wanted to learn more about what I was putting into my body.”

Jordana is a perfect example of an activist taking her skills (video production) and interests (music) and blending them into something that ultimately creates change for animals. For the non-vegan who happens upon this documentary series, even just taking one look at cutie-pie Dylan Mandel will make them ditch the meat and dairy. Aside from looks, the journey that Dylan takes alongside Jordana is profound. The videos are short enough for you to watch in between reading Facebook updates, but they also pack a punch.

Planet Verge has also managed to get some top sponsors for “Going Vegan,” including PETA2 and Vegan Essentials.

In Episode 2, “Taking the Alternative,” Dylan gets some advice from yours truly about the potential hurdles and delicious cuisines that come with making the transition to veganism.

Before you watch this video, I should warn you: It will make you insatiably hungry. Well, not quite insatiably so, but you will need to take a trip to Washington Square Park immediately, in order to be sated …

The photo used in this blog entry is from the 2007 NYC Walk for Farm Animals. That’s me in the mini-skirt, the blonde is Marisa Miller Wolfson, and Isa was our very special speaker. An oldie but goodie!

Rounding out the fourth and final video that is part of the vegan mini-mall “series” is my chat with Lisa Higgins of Sweetpea Baking Company — the truly amazing and mouth-watering vegan bakery that helps make up the vegan mini-mall. Lisa discusses how she started Sweetpea, the reaction of the general public when they bite into a delectable and cruelty-free baked good, food as a form of activism, and advice to up-and-coming vegan businesses owners.

Check out Sweetpea’s website and then watch the video, below.

Photo on blog from Sweetpea Baking Company.

Did I mention that Lisa Shannon is vegan?

Today, Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof, writes about Shannon in “From ‘Oprah’ to Building a Sisterhood in Congo.” The piece, which begins by telling a harrowing and truly unbelievable story about a woman whose leg was chopped off by extremist Hutu militiamen after her husband was murdered in front of her and their children (the story actually gets worse, if you can believe it), goes on to say:

In a land where so many “responsible” leaders eschew responsibility, Lisa has gone out of her way to assume responsibility and try to make a difference. Along with an unbelievable cast of plucky Congolese survivors such as Generose, she evokes hope.

At a recent Let Live Foundation talk, Shannon discussed her veganism and how it informs the work she does for Congolese women. This video is not to be missed. You can — and should! — watch it below.

Lisa Shannon is, to say the absolute least, a model for those who wish to create social change. She is not only making a significant difference by way of shedding light on the travesties happening to women today and implementing the groundwork for it to change, but she’s also a living, breathing example of the fact that social change has intersections everywhere, and part of the natural spectrum of standing up for various marginalized, oppressed groups includes not contributing to  animal cruelty.

In response to those who have passed by me, or any other animal activist for that matter, during a protest and yelled “don’t you care about people?!” the answer is yes, yes I do. It is not one or the other.

Change One Mile at a Time: Lisa Shannon and the Run for Congo Women from Let Live Foundation on Vimeo.

Last week, during my Portland extravaganza, I talked to Brian all about owning a vegan business, within a vegan mini-mall, but in a non-vegan world. Brian had some interesting insights about how anyone can make their business a vegan one, and the reward can be beyond just financial:

I think that it’s really essential for people who are vegan and have non-food and non-clothing businesses to start “veganizing” what they do. As a the owner of a tattoo shop, I know what may or may not have animal products in it. The lucky part for me is that most of these things are food-like ingredients. But say, an art supplier [...] will obviously know that quite a lot of brushes are made of animal hair, i.e. fur. There are a lot of synthetics out there, but, come to find out, some labeled synthetics actually contain some fur! I only found this out when looking into wholesale art supplies. [...] I guess what I’m saying, is that anyone who is vegan and a business owner can become a vegan business owner. The more there are, the more aware everyone becomes. And that is where the best part comes into play. Sure, I get a lot, probably 75% of my customers are vegan. So, that leaves me with 25% that aren’t. And, as time goes on and the shop’s reputation as a good tattoo shop brings in more non-vegans, these people are exposed to the idea that there is more to this “vegan thing” than just eating tofu and caring about animals. And, every now and again, someone asks questions and checks out the information around them and decides that it makes sense and they might give it a shot.

Brian also talked to me about the skinny on vegan ink. Take a look: