Episode 616: Why is Vegan Media Essential? with Richie Bowie

Our Hen House welcomes Richie Bowie, Senior Editor of VegNews Magazine, for an engaging, critical conversation about what vegan media is and what it needs to be in order to change the world. Richie joins Jasmin to discuss how the misperception that veganism is a white movement has withstood the test of time despite the higher percentage of Black Americans identifying as vegan or vegetarian than the rest of the US population. Richie also shares how the world’s leading plant-based magazine is challenging this false idea, including how it is  promoting the values of the Black Lives Matter movement within vegan communities. But that’s not all! On the lighter side, Richie gives us a behind-the-scenes look into his day-to-day role at VegNews and shares some not-to-be-missed inside tips on the recent food trends he’s especially excited about.

Richie Bowie is the Senior Editor of VegNews, the largest vegan media brand in the world. His passions for plant-based living, storytelling, photography, editing, and design mean that Richie has found his perfect fit managing VegNews Magazine. A full-blown lover of food media, you can usually spot this Southern California native at vegan restaurants and pop-ups standing on chairs and borrowing other people’s drinks to compose the perfect Instagram shot. Richie reports that the vegan dish he would cook to dazzle a veg-curious but still carnivorous friend would be Beyond Meat tostadas with cabbage and cashew sour cream.

“Veganism is not a perfect movement, and we don’t want to pretend otherwise. We want to be honest about what’s going on, be accountable to ourselves, and actually make change.” – Richie Bowie

Highlights:

• How Richie progressed from intern to Senior Editor at VegNews in just six years
• How VegNews incorporates the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement
• How COVID-19 impacted vegan media
• The importance of incorporating diverse perspectives
• Why it is important to Richie to cover deep societal issues within VegNews
• How Richie and his team deal with the backlash over controversial topics they cover
• Vegan taste testing
• Exactly how much Richie loves the food-focused part of his job
• Whether there is still a place for print media
• How Richie’s path towards veganism began with self-introspection and reflection into his internalized prejudices
• Why Richie sees overlap between identifying as LGBTQ and identifying as vegan
• The times when Richie has felt the need to step away from activism and what made it feel safe to come back
• What people can expect from future issues of VegNews Magazine

Connect with Richie Bowie:

• VegNews Website
• VegNews on Facebook
• Richie Bowie on Instagram
• VegNews on Twitter

Connect with Graphic Designer, Weronika Kolinska:

• Weronika’s Website
• Weronika on Instagram
• Weronika on Etsy

Connect with Our Hen House:

• Our Hen House Website
• Le Twisted Spoon
• Our Hen House on Facebook
• Our Hen House on Instagram
• Our Hen House on Twitter

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This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org.

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Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast.

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