Hi friends, I’m excited to announce that my memoir, Always Too Much and Never Enough, has come out today through Penguin Random House’s Berkley. From the extra pounds and unrelenting bullies that left her eating lunch alone in a bathroom stall at school to the low self-esteem that left her both physically and emotionally vulnerable to abuse, Jasmin Singer’s struggle with weight defined…
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Flock Only: A Rooster Joins Our Hen House — Meet Michael Harren, Our Social Media Director
Howdy, flock! I’m Michael Harren, a vegan pianist, composer, and performer from Brooklyn, NY, and a proud member of the Our Hen House flock. You may have heard me on the Our Hen House podcast over these last few months, talking about my artist residency at Tamerlaine Farm Animal Sanctuary, as well as my current project, a multi-media solo theater piece called The…
From Welfare to Well-Being: How Growing Up Poor Shaped My Vegan Activism
On today’s #ThrowbackThursday we’re featuring a continually profound and relevant article from power vegan activist Justin Van Kleeck, who since the article’s original publication has been at the forefront of the microsanctuary movement with the Triangle Chance for All microsanctuary in North Carolina. This article’s originally appeared on Our Hen House on October 28, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 18, with the Vegan Mos themselves Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman, and Marina Benedetto of Yeah Dawg! Now,…
For many of us, eating foods that are rich in fiber is an important part of our path to good health – but what about when one is prescribed a low fiber or “low residue” diet? Today, Our Hen House welcomes Our Farm: By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary author Maya Gottfried, a longtime vegan who explains that with a little…
Fighting Science with Science: The End of Vivisection
Two years later and the scientific arguments against vivisection are still as strong as ever! Brush up on your anti-animal testing knowledge with Dr. Theodora Capaldo on today’s #ThrowbackThursday. This article’s originally appeared on Our Hen House on October 22, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article resurrected, email us at info [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org. *** It’s always fascinating for…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 17, with Jane Hoffman of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals, and Gena…
Thanks To You, Our Hen House Reached Our Goal!
Thank you from the bottom of our hen hearts!! Because of you, Our Hen House reached our goal of matching the Barnyard Benefactors’ $37,500 pool!! We’ll put $75,000 to work to change the world for animals in 2016! Huge thanks to our 2015 Barnyard Benefactors for leveraging their contributions in this way to create the largest matching pool ever for our end-of-year…
Because of you, 2015 has been our best ever!
Because of you, 2015 has been our biggest and best yet! You share our deep passion and our commitment to the animals. You enable OHH to reach more people. You change the world! Before 2015 ends, I have one very important favor to ask you: Please take just a moment and click to make one last special donation today. You can…
We are less than $5,400 away from putting the full $37.5k Matching Challenge to work for the animals!
“Our Hen House has helped me to grow into a better, more informed, more vocal vegan. The extended OHH family gives me hope that things are going to change for the better.” 2015 has been amazing! For 2016, we have even bigger plans – you might even say audacious aspirations – to change the world for animals. But we can’t do…
Dear Santa: Let’s Squawk About Measurability Bias…
Dear Santa, You are hugely busy these days, of course, and every day, you are being bombarded by pleas for support and donations. But if you could give us just a few minutes of your time, I’d be hugely grateful! As you might know, we were recently on a panel with Peter Singer, talking about how to have the biggest possible…
Book Review: “The End of Captivity? A Primate’s Reflections on Zoos, Conservation, and Christian Ethics” by Tripp York
A previous contributor to Our Hen House on the intersections of food and faith, the Reverend Lauren Lisa Ng lends her voice to the ever-changing discourse regarding animals in captivity via a review of Tripp York’s recent book, The End of Captivity? A Primate’s Reflections on Zoos, Conservation, and Christian Ethics. It seems the line between “captivity” and “freedom” may not…
Why I Am Becoming More Conscious About the Media I Consume and Support (and What That Has to Do With Animal Rights)
Trust me, I understand how easy it is to expect media for free. I admit that I do it too sometimes, without always realizing it. There are times when I listen to a podcast or read an article online where there are “tip jars” or pleas for donations, and I somehow manage to skim over those parts. That’s why my own personal resolution for 2016…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 16, with Erica Kubersky of MooShoes, and vegan chef and cookbook author Bryant Terry. Now,…
Imagining Other Worlds: Science Fiction and Animal Ethics
How does the world of science fiction have the potential to drastically alter human perceptions of non-human animals? Vegan digital media freelancer Ian McDonald shares his views on today’s edition of #ThrowbackThursday! This article’s originally appeared on Our Hen House on September 30, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article resurrected, email us at info [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org. *** Science fiction…
Today, OHH board member and supporter, Liz Dee, explains why – when it comes to media that changes the world for animals – she can’t get enough. *** My Name is Liz Dee, and I’m an OHHolic by Liz Dee My name is Liz Dee, and I’m an OHHolic. I’m a good listener. On my weekday “reverse commute” from NYC to…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 15, with Robin Lamont — author of the animal rights novels The Chain and The Trap — and Sofia…
Book Review: “Suffering Eyes: A Chronicle of Awakening,” by Franceen Neufeld (Review by Robin Lamont)
For some, the awakening to animal suffering at the hands of human indifference happens in an instant. For others, it is a process. But whenever and however that understanding surfaces, a continuing deep pain and sadness for animals is inescapable. Trying to put those feelings into words can feel like communicating from a place outside the five senses, from a kind…
Using Empathy to Overcome Personal Suffering
On this edition of Throwback Thursday (which just so happens to concide with Thanksgiving, so have yourself a fabulous turkey-friendly meal!), we feature the story of one of our very favorite Vegan Mos — none other than Ethan Ciment — as he uses his post-surgery experience as an opportunity to empathize with non-human animals. This article’s originally appeared on Our Hen House…
Flock Only: Your Survey Results! We Hear You!
Dear Flock, Thank you so much for taking part in the OHH flock survey in October! I want you to know how much we value your input! We really, really do! When we surveyed you in 2014, so many of your requests and suggestions were implemented into our 2015 programming and planning, and the same holds true now. I wanted to pull…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 10, with Woodstock Farm Sanctuary co-founder Jenny Brown, and vegan poet extraordinaire Gretchen Primack.…
Roadkill by Jasmin Singer When I pass you I shield my eyes, avert my gaze, change my footing, gasp, wretch. What’s it all for? You’re discarded. Disregarded as nothing, as gross. As guts. You are bloody disgusting. Your tossed apart body pieces, track marks intended through you, maroon guts spilling onto the pavement like a splattered 1980s paint design, like…
The Skinny on Feed-Ins, Restaurant Outreach, & Vegan Cooking Classes (Q&A With Compassionate Action for Animals)
Food-related community outreach remains a cornerstone of vegan advocacy, so for today’s #ThrowbackThursday we’re reminding you of some quite useful tips from Compassionate Action for Animals‘ Unny Namburdiripad for hosting feed-ins and vegan cooking classes, and working with restaurants. We originally divided our interview with Unny into two installments, but we’ve compiled them for you today. These articles originally appeared on Our Hen…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 13, with film critic Noah Gittell and vegan runner Christine Frietchen, whose piece was recently published…
Pablo’s Legacy: Violence and Animal Rights in Times of War
It’d take more than two decades before Fernando Cuenca, who lived his formative years during the worst decade of the war on drugs in Colombia, would understand the emotional effects of the bloodshed that surrounded him. Today he shares an introspective journey that had him revisit his childhood memories, the healing of wounds, and how – even in times of war…
Touching the Future: How My Experience Volunteering as a Humane Educator Made Me a More Optimistic Person
Children are the future, so it’s of huge importance that we nurture their innate propensities for compassion, generosity, and creativity. That’s exactly what humane educator Jennifer Gannett does in her classroom, and we’re excited to feature her teaching experiences once again on #ThrowbackThursday! This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on August 5, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article…
Effective Altruism As It Relates to Animal Rights: An Open Ended Approach to Advocacy
On October 9, 2015, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan — co-founders of the multimedia nonprofit hub, Our Hen House — were asked to sit on a panel organized by NYU’s Animal Studies Initiative, about the growing discussion of Effective Altruism in animal advocacy circles. The event was entitled “Effective Altruism for Animals.” The other two panelists were famed ethicist Peter Singer (no…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 12, featuring Adair Moran of Urban Utopia Wildlife Rehabilitation, and the vegan chocolate…
Gretchen Primack’s Animal Rights Poetry, Plus a Bonus Giveaway for the Flock of Animal-Themed Holiday Cards!
We love Gretchen Primack‘s animal rights-themed poetry and are thrilled to publish this poem from her Kind collection (with her permission, of course). We’re grateful, too, for the beautiful, animal-themed holiday cards designed by Beth Lily Redwood that a lucky flock member can win today! Not yet a flock member? Now’s the best time to join – your contribution will be matched, dollar by dollar,…
Order from Amazon? Give Our Hen House a Smile (and a Portion of Your Purchase)!
You can support Our Hen House with your purchases from Amazon by shopping via AmazonSmile. Here’s how it works: Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in using your Amazon account info, if you have one already. If you are new to Amazon, create an account there first. You’ll be asked to select a charitable organization before you start shopping. Type Our Hen House into…
We’ve featured a number of farmers-turned-animal activists here on Our Hen House over the years — Bob Comis and Renee King-Sonnen, to name a few — and we’re excited to once again highlight our first — Jim Mason — today on #ThrowbackThursday. This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on August 6, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain OHH article resurrected,…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 11, featuring author and journalist Charles Siebert, and Donny Moss — the brains…
Your Support to Change the World for Animals is Now Being Doubled! Change the World for Animals and Keep Vegan Indie Media Alive!
This past year was colossal. Because you care about changing the world for animals — as we do — Our Hen House has recently been able to expand our podcast lineup to include the Animal Law Podcast, with Professor Mariann as your host. Coming very soon is the much-anticipated Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan podcast, bringing you Jasmin-friendly vegan recipes…
Wanna Win a Mug? Special Offer for the Flock!
We can always count on the darling Our Hen House Flock! We have some questions for you — and some prizes, too. Do us a solid, wouldja? Take a moment to answer these questions and help us make OHH even better! Not yet a flock member? Become one today! And you can take part in this special offer! You’ll also get an…
Excerpt From Short Story, “Free Range,” by John Yunker — Giveaway For Our Flock, Too!
At Our Hen House, we do our best to bring you the latest from the world of animal rights. That said, when it comes to telling you about books and stories, there are just so many amazing new ones covering all kinds of animal issues, and we simply don’t have time to review them all (but don’t miss the ones we have reviewed). That’s why we…
Announcing the Winners of the Lisa Shapiro Award for Unsung Vegan Heroes!
Our Hen House is honored to once again serve as media partner to The Pollination Project’s Lisa Shapiro Award for Unsung Vegan Heroes. Ten winners were chosen this year for the awards in memory of the amazing activist Lisa Shapiro, an award-winner in 2014, who died in June 2015 after battling cancer. Lisa was a hero to us and to so…
“The Art of Defiance”: Ellen Kanner Interviews Jasmin Singer (PART I)
Remember when that small, purple book burst into the animal rights literary canon in a big, purple way? (We’re talking about Lantern’s Defiant Daughters, here.) We like to relive that moment as much as possible, so #ThrowbackThursdays seem like a great time to do so! This articles originally appeared on Our Hen House on April 17, 2013. If you’d like to see a certain…
We Can’t Stop Squawking! Upcoming Events for the Hens…
I am not quite sure what I put in my coffee the morning I decided it was appropriate to accept my fourth speaking engagement in one week, but here we are! I am very excited and honored to be speaking at a number of events next week, and I thought I’d tell you about them! And speaking of coffee, I’d better…
I Desperately Need You to Help Make My Birthday Worth Celebrating. Will You Help Me? Will You Help the Animals?
For the love of bunny! I’m turning 36 in one month! Your donations to my birthday fundraiser this year will be MATCHED — as will all donations made to Our Hen House between now and the end of the year — thanks to the generosity of our Barnyard Benefactors (an incredible group who we will be squawking about a bit more in the coming days and…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 10, with Melanie Joy — author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and…
Story From New Collection “With Animal” by Carol Guess and Kelly Magee (Bonus Giveaway for the Flock!)
At Our Hen House, we do our best to bring you the latest from the world of animal rights. That said, when it comes to telling you about books, there are just so many amazing new ones covering all kinds of animal issues, and we simply don’t have time to review them all (but don’t miss the ones we have reviewed). That’s why we thought long…
Local meat and dairy is often praised as the antidote to modern factory farming practices – but is it true? Today, Our Hen House is excited to welcome animal advocate and Yoga International associate editor Kathryn Ashworth. In her moving essay below, Kathryn explores the paradoxes inherent to farming beings in a so-called “kinder” way. *** My Trip to a Local Dairy Farm: Shall We…
We Need Your Help! Shed Light On “Coming Out for Animals” On National Coming Out Day! Sign Up!!!
National Coming Out Day is coming up on October 11, which is the perfect day to spread the word about Our Hen House’s new video, Coming Out for Animals — in which a great group of passionate activists from the LGBT world talk about how they personally connected the dots and came out for animals, too. We signed up for a…
Curating Compassion
Here at Our Hen House, we’re enormous fans of using art as a medium for activism. In this #ThrowbackThursday post, visual arts professor Keri Cronin reflects upon the possibilities for curated spaces like museums, galleries, and exhibitions to help in changing the world for animals. This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on June 12, 2013. If you’d like to see a…
Coming Out for Animals
We have been looking forward to this video for a long time. All social justice movements are about extending the circle of compassion. In this new short film from Our Hen House, a great group of passionate activists from the LGBT world talk about how they personally connected the dots and came out for the animals, too. “Coming out for Animals”…
We wanted to tell you about Anne Green, Our Hen House’s Director of Operations. There is no “ask” behind this post, no bottom line from us, no secret agenda. We just deeply appreciate the work Anne does for us — and has done, consistently, in this movement, for decades now — and we wanted to share that awesomeness with you. Anne…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 9, featuring David Karopkin of Goosewatch NYC, and Rachel Winard of Soapwalla. Now, pop some…
Cat Stories from the Flock (with a Bonus Giveaway of Gretchen Primack’s “Kind” for Flock Members!)
About a month ago, in preparation for National Pet Memorial Day (which is today!), we asked OHH’s flock members to share with us their most heartwarming stories about the beloved cats in their lives. Unsurprisingly, because we have the best flock members ever, we received a number of beautiful stories, and are excited to publish two them today for your reading…
Book Review: The Cats on My Block by Valerie Sicignano, Illustrated by Jane Sayre Denny
If you love cats as much as we love cats (and something tells us that you do), then you’ll want to hear all about Katrina Donovan Fleming’s take on the book The Cats on My Block by Valerie Sicignano, illustrated by Jane Sayre Denny. Long live the cat lady! *** Book Review: The Cats on My Block by Valerie Sicignano, Illustrated by…
Peanut Butter for Vegan Advocacy (BONUS RECIPE: Curry Peanut Butter)
Peanut butter: the ultimate timeless food. Whether it’s #ThrowbackThursday, a holiday, or basically any old day of the week, you’re sure to find us Hens with a spoonful of PB in our mouths. And thanks to Ginny Messina and JL Fields, we know exactly why that spoonful will nourish our bodies inside and out! This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on March 12, 2013. If…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 8, featuring vegan author and founder of the Main Street Vegan Academy Victoria…
Finding Your Favorite Our Hen House Podcast Episode Just Got Easier!
Hello Our Hen House weekly podcast friends and fans! Have we got some news you can use! As the number of weekly podcast episodes swells to 300 (and beyond…), you’ll be happy to know that we’ve made a list and checked it twice! You can find your favorite episodes even more easily now. Yes, you can still use the search feature on…
Recipe: Beet Burgers, from “Eat Like You Give a Damn” (With a Bonus Giveaway for the Flock)
Whether you’re a new or an ‘old’ vegan, you’ll want to check out the cookbook, Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipes for the New Ethical Vegan, by Herbivore Clothing‘s Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten! Try the scrumptious recipe below, and share the results at your next gathering, because you know you give a damn! Flock members, be sure to read on after the…
Main Street Vegan Academy is Coming Up, and You Want to Go
Hi everyone – Jasmin here. About one day per season for the past few years, I’ve had on my calendar: ‘Teach at Main Street Vegan Academy.’ This is a small, elite, and downright magical program developed by author and 30-year (!) vegan, Victoria Moran, to train and certify Vegan Lifestyle Coach/Educators (VLCEs). Lucky for me, the next MSVA course is coming up…
Book Review: “Strays” by Jennifer Caloyeras (Review by Robin Lamont)
If I had read this book as a kid, I’m certain I would have begged my parents for a dog — preferably one with three legs. My wish might not have been granted, but I still would have made two new friends in Iris Moody, a sixteen-year-old girl, and Roman, the abused pit bull she helps to rehabilitate. The new young…
Animal Law Podcast Episodes 1 and 2 (with Steve Wise) Now Available as Written Transcripts
It was exciting enough when the media hub that is Our Hen House expanded its landscape once more and introduced The Animal Law Podcast, hosted by Mariann Sullivan. Add to that excitement the fact that the first guest on The Animal Law Podcast was none other than Steve Wise, of the Nonhuman Rights Project, who squawked with Mariann all about the groundbreaking…
Book Review: “Green Is the New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege” by Will Potter
Sadly, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) and other forms of governmental targeting of animal rights and environmental activists still provide significant barriers to our movements, but today there’s more activism than ever aimed at stopping them! Get an important overview of such activism today on #ThrowbackThursday. This article originally appeared on Our Hen House on December 3, 2012. If you’d like…
Remember your favorite re-runs to watch when you were a kid? Well, now we want to help you foster similar memories OHH-style! Gear up for TV Tuesdays — all the hairstyles, glasses, and guests from Season One of the OHH TV show, brought to you every other Tuesday. This week we bring you Episode 7, featuring our very own Advisory Board member Danielle Legg, and the folk-stomp…
Flock Only: Submit Your Favorite Cat Stories to OHH (and Win a Copy of Gretchen Primack’s “Kind”)!
Hello there, Flock members! Alessandra here — your friendly Our Hen House Media Coordinator. Today I’m excited to let ya’ll know about a little holiday known as National Pet Memorial Day. Launched by the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, National Pet Memorial Day takes place annually on the second Sunday in September, providing a venue for human companions to honor their…
Book Review: A Boy and A Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz, Illustrated by Catia Chien
Today we’re excited to welcome back reviewer extraordinaire Katrina Donovan Fleming to get her take on a poignant picture book by Alan Rabinowitz, all about finding one’s own voice and amplifying the voices of those around you who have less power to do so. *** Book Review: A Boy and A Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz, Illustrated by Catia Chien Review by…