Our Hen House
Our Hen House
  • Home
  • Podcasts
    • Our Hen House Podcast
    • Animal Law Podcast
    • Flock Bonus Content
    • Antiracism Audio Series
    • Limited Series: Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan
  • About
    • About Our Hen House
    • Inside the Coop – Bios
    • Join the Flock
    • Suggest a Guest
    • Press Coverage
    • Policies
    • Contact
  • Learn More
    • Videos
    • Blog
      • Book Reviews
    • Hen Press
    • Why Animal Rights?
      • Animal Testing and Research
      • Clothing
      • Companion Animals
      • Dairy
      • Eggs
      • Entertainment
      • Fishes
      • Meat
      • Veganism
      • Wildlife
      • What to do?
  • Donate
BlogJasmin SingerNewsletter — DailyNewsletter — WeeklyThrowback Thursdays

3rd Grader to Her Teacher: “Instead of going to the zoo, I will watch a documentary about baboons.”

by January 22, 2015
written by
495

Three years after Mia penned the letter below and we’re STILL blown away by the thoughtfulness, articulateness, and activist drive of this young lady. Just try not to tear up a little when you read it on this #ThrowbackThursday…we dare you.
This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on May 23, 2012. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article resurrected, email us at info [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org.
***
I admit to not having that deep, inherent fascination with human children that most people seem to have, with the exception of my niece (who is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT AND GORGEOUS AND OH MY GOD YOU SHOULD MEET THIS GIRL!), and my 7-year-old friend, Ruby (a lifelong vegan, whom we interviewed on our podcast). That said, I’m clearly a huge proponent of humane education, and of fostering a next generation of compassionate, caring, active, and vegan young ones. Not only do I think it’s the only chance our planet — and all of its inhabitants — has to survive, but on a completely selfish level, when I’m 100 years old and sitting in a rocking chair somewhere drinking prune tea, and no doubt blogging, I’d like to know that the world is inhabited by at least some people who were brought up knowing how to work to create justice for animals — human and non.
Every now and then I come across a truly special kid, one of the ones whom I look at and breathe a little easier, because I know that this complicated, oftentimes horrifying world will soon be in their hands. It’s these children, who are way too few and far between (not as commonplace as parents or teachers will argue they are), whose eyes carry a depth that is almost worrisome — but ultimately hopeful.
3rd-grader Mia is that kid. Last week [EDITOR’S NOTE: And now some years ago…], her class was set to take a field trip to the zoo to study baboons. Mia — who decided, on her own volition, to go vegan (a decision that then influenced her inspired dad to follow suit), woke up on the morning of the trip and, unbidden, wrote the following letter to her teacher explaining why she decided to boycott the trip:

Verklempt, folks? Yup — me too…
I’m also inspired, beyond words, to cling onto that raw passion that this 9-year-old [EDITOR’S NOTE: Now 12-year-old!] carries inside of her, passion that will, one day, change the world. And after reading this moving letter, I am further inspired to use my own voice with more clarity and consistency. I am old enough to be this girl’s parent. I have been an activist for well over a decade. And yet it is that raw and clear determination that Mia has — that simple distinction between right and wrong — and that lack of hesitance when it comes to speaking up for those who can’t, which, even for me, can on occasion get lost in a pond of ego and vanity. As Mariann frequently says — and as Mia organically knows — it’s not, after all, about us. It’s about the mission. It’s about the animals. 

Mia’s teacher encouraged her to read the letter to the rest of her class during share time. The other students had lots of questions, and Mia gracefully and unabashedly educated the other kids. And that, of course, is how change starts — with one passionate, committed, activist willing to use her voice.

Share 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
previous post
Episode 26 of the Our Hen House TV Show is Now Viewable Online!
next post
Episode 263: “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”

You may also like

From Jainism to Activism w/ Nirva Patel

Excerpt From “Project Animal Farm” By Sonia Faruqi — Giveaway For Our...

TV Tuesdays: Episode 6

Seven-Year-Old is Sewing Dog Beds, and Sowing Seeds

Double Your Love Today (for Jasmin’s Birthday!): All Donations Up to $25,000...

Episode 396: Mayim Bialik, Ingrid Newkirk, & Wayne Pacelle!

Flock Only: Seeking Your Thoughts on Effective Time-Managment, Plus a GIVEAWAY of...

Calling All Abolitionist Pundits — Here’s Your Chance!

Ashland Creek Press Seeks AR-Related Book-Length Manuscripts

Upcoming Squawking Engagements

Search Episodes

Subscribe to our Shows

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocketCastsAmazon Music
More
  • Apple PodcastsApple Podcasts
  • RSSRSS
  • SpotifySpotify
  • Google PodcastsGoogle Podcasts
  • Amazon MusicAmazon Music
  • StitcherStitcher
  • PocketCastsPocketCasts
  • CastBoxCastBox
  • Player.fmPlayer.fm
  • TuneInTuneIn
Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherPocketCastsAmazon Music
More
  • RSSRSS
  • Apple PodcastsApple Podcasts
  • Google PodcastsGoogle Podcasts
  • SpotifySpotify
  • Amazon MusicAmazon Music
  • StitcherStitcher
  • CastBoxCastBox
  • Player.fmPlayer.fm
  • TuneInTuneIn
  • PocketCastsPocketCasts

Subscribe to OHH Emails

We don’t spam or share your email with others. Privacy policy.

Please Check Your Email to Confirm Your Subscription!

Instagram

Join us On Facebook

Join us On Facebook

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

©2023 - Our Hen House - All Rights Reserved


Back To Top
Our Hen House
  • Home
  • Podcasts
    • Our Hen House Podcast
    • Animal Law Podcast
    • Flock Bonus Content
    • Antiracism Audio Series
    • Limited Series: Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan
  • About
    • About Our Hen House
    • Inside the Coop – Bios
    • Join the Flock
    • Suggest a Guest
    • Press Coverage
    • Policies
    • Contact
  • Learn More
    • Videos
    • Blog
      • Book Reviews
    • Hen Press
    • Why Animal Rights?
      • Animal Testing and Research
      • Clothing
      • Companion Animals
      • Dairy
      • Eggs
      • Entertainment
      • Fishes
      • Meat
      • Veganism
      • Wildlife
      • What to do?
  • Donate
Our Hen House
Search Podcasts
  • Home
  • Podcasts
    • Our Hen House Podcast
    • Animal Law Podcast
    • Flock Bonus Content
    • Antiracism Audio Series
    • Limited Series: Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan
  • About
    • About Our Hen House
    • Inside the Coop – Bios
    • Join the Flock
    • Suggest a Guest
    • Press Coverage
    • Policies
    • Contact
  • Learn More
    • Videos
    • Blog
      • Book Reviews
    • Hen Press
    • Why Animal Rights?
      • Animal Testing and Research
      • Clothing
      • Companion Animals
      • Dairy
      • Eggs
      • Entertainment
      • Fishes
      • Meat
      • Veganism
      • Wildlife
      • What to do?
  • Donate

Subscribe

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music
More
  • Apple PodcastsApple Podcasts
  • RSSRSS
  • SpotifySpotify
  • Google PodcastsGoogle Podcasts
  • Amazon MusicAmazon Music
  • StitcherStitcher
  • PocketCastsPocketCasts
  • CastBoxCastBox
  • Player.fmPlayer.fm
  • TuneInTuneIn
Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAmazon Music
More
  • RSSRSS
  • Apple PodcastsApple Podcasts
  • Google PodcastsGoogle Podcasts
  • SpotifySpotify
  • Amazon MusicAmazon Music
  • StitcherStitcher
  • CastBoxCastBox
  • Player.fmPlayer.fm
  • TuneInTuneIn
  • PocketCastsPocketCasts

OHH NEWSLETTER

We don’t spam or share your email with others. Privacy policy.

Please Check Your Email to Confirm Your Subscription!

 
Sign In

Keep me signed in until I sign out

Forgot your password?

Password Recovery

A new password will be emailed to you.

Have received a new password? Login here