Welcome to the 269th episode of Our Hen House, featuring interviews with Scotlund Haisley and Michael Webermann, plus a special appearance by Matthew Liebman. On today’s episode, we discuss our trip to Harvard where Mariann was a judge at the National Animal Law Moot Court Competition. Special guest animal law attorney Matthew Liebman will fill us in on what it was like writing the fictional …
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Episode 268: “No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There’s too much work to do.”
Welcome to the 268th episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Yolanda Eisenstein and a review by Ari Solomon. On today’s episode, we squawk about everything from spinning so-called negative news as it relates to animals with positivity; to David Duchovny’s new book about animal rights (and what it means when he calls himself a “lazy vegetarian”); to a hotel chain that wants to change the …
Film Analysis: “Never Let Me Go”
We’re excited to welcome back to Our Hen House freelance writer and animal activist Jon Hochschartner, this time to offer his analysis of the 2010 film Never Let Me Go. Be sure to check out his last OHH article on intersecting forms of oppressions, as well as OHH Media Coordinator Alessandra Seiter’s review of Jon’s ebook series. For more on Never Let Me …
Welcome to the 267th episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. Today’s episode marks the eighth installment of highlights from the Our Hen House TV show, a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. We dare you not to get excited about our six guests: progressive dance instructor and vegan ballet slipper designer …
Episode 266: “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it…”
Welcome to the 266th episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Jill Ryther and a review by Alessandra Seiter. On today’s episode, we welcome animal law attorney Jill Ryther, who will tell us all about her work advocating for dogs who are victims of police shootings. In her spare time, Jill organizes the Vegan Oktoberfest, and she’ll squawk about that, too, of course. …
Episode 265: “Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear.”
Welcome to the 265th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Michael Mountain, plus a review by Alessandra Seiter. On today’s episode, we will be joined by longtime animal activist Michael Mountain, who is the co-author of a new groundbreaking study of the basic psychology behind our destructive relationship to nonhuman animals. Then, Our Hen House’s Alessandra Seiter — also of the blog Chickpeas & Change — will give …
Episode 264: “It is not necessary to accept the choices handed down to you by life as you know it.”
Welcome to the 264th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Chloe Falkenheim and Eric Mills. On today’s episode, we squawk about eating at non-vegan restaurants, seeing Italy through a vegan lens, and where the New York Times gets it right… and wrong. We have two very special guests joining today on Our Hen House. First, teen activist Chloe Falkenheim will tell you how she’s …
Episode 263: “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”
Welcome to the 263rd episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Pradeep Nath and a review by Alessandra Seiter. In today’s episode, we will discuss a banana diet, a smart mouse, and a very long elevator ride with an anti-animal activist fur-wearer. There’s lots of “Rising Anxieties” today, too. Joining us is Pradeep Nath, an animal activist for over 40 years, and the mastermind …
Episode 262: “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”
Welcome to the 262nd episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Kristen Stilt, a review by Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman, and a special appearance by JL Fields. On today’s episode, we’ll first be joined by Kristen Stilt, a professor at Harvard Law School who is the mastermind behind the brand new Animal Advocacy Program there. Kristen will let us in on all of …
Episode 261: “When we drop fear, we can draw nearer to people, we can draw nearer to the earth, we can draw nearer to all the heavenly creatures that surround us.”
Welcome to the 255th episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. It’s a celebratory day today, as this is our podcast’s fifth anniversary! We have literally never missed a week of our show since starting five years ago almost to the day. (Time for a martini?) Today’s exciting episode features the …
Episode 260: “You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.”
Welcome to the 260th episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Tara Baxter, a review of DIY beauty products by Alessandra Seiter, and a special appearance by James McWilliams. On today’s episode –the first one of 2015 – we squawk about Sweden’s new use of the word “hen”; why we were hemming and hawing about moving and what that has to do with tofu …
6,982 Reasons Why It’s Completely Vital That You Change the World for Animals Before the New Year
We have three days left to raise $6,982. I am writing to ask you to please help us reach our goal, so that our movement to end the exploitation of animals can grow even stronger in the New Year, and so that the media hub that we have created and fostered for the past five years can expand even more as …
Episode 259: “Animals run no risk of going to hell. They are there already.”
Welcome to the 259th episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview from Alissa Hauser and Ariel Nessel of The Pollination Project, and a review of Miyoko’s Kitchen Vegan Cheese by Alessandra Seiter. In today’s episode, we discuss bocce ball, having hope, oxford shoes addictions, and why we should all support indie media. There’s lots of “Rising Anxieties,” too, of course, so worry not. Joining us today are Ariel …
Episode 258: “One day we will see our animals again in eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God’s creatures.”
Welcome to the 258th episode of Our Hen House, featuring an interview with Stephanie Feldstein from the Center for Biological Diversity, and a review of the documentary Virunga by Donny Moss. On today’s episode, we will be joined by Stephanie Feldstein from the Center for Biological Diversity’s campaign, Meatstinction: Take Extinction Off Your Plate. Stephanie will tell us all about this unique program, and why her organization is …
Episode 257: “This dream today embattled, With its back against the wall – To save the dream for one, It must be saved for all.”
Welcome to the 257th episode of Our Hen House, featuring interviews with Giacomo Marchese and Dani Taylor of PlantBuilt, and Alokparna Sengupta of Humane Society International/India. On today’s episode, we’ll talk about our newest addition to our already-weird morning drink; our new adventures in a very painful healing art; and how annoying it is when obviously unenlightened people call us on our shit. We’ll discuss fair-trade gifts for this …
Episode 256: “Opinions are made to be changed — or how is truth to be got at?”
Welcome to the 256th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Ingrid Newkirk, with a review by the Vegan Mos’ Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman. On today’s episode, we discuss a new study (from Humane Research Council) that details why ex-vegans have fallen off the wagon. We’ll tell you about a news show we were on to talk Tofurky; we’ll give you the latest news regarding Jasmin’s hair (because …
Episode 255: “In every age, no matter how cruel the oppression carried on by those in power, there have been those who struggled for a different world…”
Welcome to the 255th episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. Today, we have a super special round of highlights from the Our Hen House TV show, a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. Not only do our guests speak about their inspiring activism, they also sing about it! Get ready to …
Episode 254: “Thanksgiving dinner’s sad and thankless; Christmas dinner’s dark and blue; When you stop and try to see it; From the turkey’s point of view.”
Welcome to the 254th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Piper Hoffman, with a review by Ari Solomon, plus a special appearance by Karen Dawn. In today’s episode, Mariann and I will let you know what it’s like to be back in the TV studio again shooting Our Hen House TV — a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. We’ll give you a glimpse into …
Episode 253: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Welcome to the 253rd episode of Our Hen House, featuring Kim Stallwood, with a review by Danielle Legg, and a special memorial to Sue Eakin. On today’s episode, we discuss seeing the world through new glasses; a theater class gone wrong; our experiences speaking at the most recent Main Street Vegan Academy and being on the host committee of the Mercy for Animals Art Auction; and …
Welcome to the 252nd episode of Our Hen House, featuring Marla Rose, with a review by Alessandra Seiter, and a special appearance by James McWilliams. In today’s episode, we’ll give you the skinny on everything from conflicting feelings about carousels, to vegan-hating pickle-eaters, to flesh-consuming zombie actors. Joining us for our “Rising Anxieties” segment today is special guest, historian and animal rights pundit James …
Episode 251: “Trying to regulate climate change without touching the meat industry is like trying to curb the obesity crisis without confronting, well, the meat industry.”
Welcome to the 251st episode of Our Hen House, featuring JL Fields, with a review by Ari Solomon, and a special appearance by Our Hen House’s own Anne Green. In today’s episode, we discuss why we were so excited to run into our favorite web series star at a vegan cafe; where experiential learning plays a role in teaching animal law; ignorant people who you’d …
Episode 250: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
Welcome to the 250th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Sharon Gannon and Alessandra Seiter. On today’s very special 250th episode, we chat about where veganism has come since we started recording five years ago, and where we see it going. Speaking of time markers, it’s Jasmin’s birthday this week, and we expect you to be as excited as she is — we’ll talk about that, too. …
Episode 249: “This may only be a dream of mine, but I think it can be made real.”
Welcome to the 249th episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. It’s that time again: time for another highlights reel of our favorite interviews from the Our Hen House TV show, a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. We’ll share with you the activist — and in some cases culinary — wisdom of …
Episode 248: “You can judge the morality of a nation by how well it treats its animals.”
Welcome to the 248th episode of Our Hen House, featuring anti-vivisectionist Dr. Murry Cohen and film critic Noah Gittell. In today’s episode, we ruminate on everything from our handyman who told us that rodents “serve no purpose,” to folks who proclaim that cosmetics shouldn’t be tested on animals but on prisoners instead, to what we think you should do with the rest of your …
Episode 247: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”
Welcome to the 247th episode of Our Hen House, featuring mini-interviews with Philadelphia activists Rachel Atcheson and Corey Waters; the guests of Lantern Books‘ 15th anniversary party — Martin Rowe, Kara Davis, Cathy Berlot, Christine Frietchen, and Kimatni Rawlins; and a review by Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman of the new cookbook The Lusty Vegan. On today’s episode, we come to you from the City of Brotherly Love, where we’re presenting a talk about veganism for …
Episode 246: “In order to change something, don’t struggle to change the existing model. Create a new model, and make the old one obsolete.”
Welcome to the 245th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Rich Hoyle of The Pig Preserve and a review of the Better Booze Festival by our very own Danielle Legg. In today’s episode, we talk about two new fast food chains and the recent vegan offerings on their menus; whether we have the capability of having fun; and why Mariann recently found herself in …
Episode 245: “We’re under some gross misconception that we’re a good species, going somewhere important, and that at the last minute we’ll correct our errors and God will smile on us. It’s delusion.”
Welcome to the 245th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Wayne Hsiung [transcript], with a special review by Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman. On today’s episode, we tell you about a dog on Broadway, a vegan Philly cheesesteak in Brooklyn (Marty’s Vegan Fast Food!), a disappointing coffee outing, a new reclaimed piece of furniture that is changing the world for animals (we love Jim Tower!), and why we …
Episode 244: “Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.”
Welcome to the 244th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Deirdre “Little Darling” Franklin [transcript]. In today’s episode, we are back with the banter and news that you know and love — and sometimes hate — us for. We’ll chat about why Mariann is comparing herself to France, we’ll squawk about famous pit bull puppies, and we’ll ruminate on the power of imperfect activism. Joining …
Episode 243: “Poor animals, how jealously they guard their bodies, for to us is merely an evening’s meal, but to them is life itself.”
Welcome to the 243rd episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. Today we’re bringing you more of our favorite interviews from the Our Hen House TV Show, a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. You’ll hear from five powerful changemaking women, including wildlife rehabilitator Adair Moran [transcript], co-founder of the Woodstock Farm Animal …
Episode 242: “People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times.”
Welcome to the 242nd episode of Our Hen House, featuring two cookbook reviews by Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman, and Alessandra Seiter. Today’s show is the second and final in our two-part series all about every vegan’s favorite topic: food! We’ll hear from Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman of Vegan Mos, who have a little something to say about Afro Vegan, the new …
Anyone who hasn’t lived under a slab of tofu for the past four years of Our Hen House’s existence knows that we love and live animal activism, especially the effective sort! Author and longtime animal activist Caryn Ginsberg shares this very passion, which is exactly why we’re thrilled to revitalize this past piece of hers from the OHH archives for #ThrowbackThursday. This article originally …
Episode 241: “It is a kind of theological folly to suppose that God has made the entire world just for human beings, or to suppose that God is interested in only one of the millions of species that inhabit God’s good earth.”
Welcome to the 241st episode of Our Hen House, featuring two very foodie reviews by Alessandra Seiter [transcript], and Ethan Ciment and Michael Suchman. This episode will kick off our two-part series of (vegan) food, (vegan) food, and more (vegan) food! Both of these shows are sure to get your tastebuds tingling with reviews of nightstand-worthy vegan cookbooks and some of our favorite …
Episode 239: “Often it does seem a pity that Noah and his party didn’t miss the boat. Heaven is by favor; if it were by merit, your dog would go to heaven and you would stay out!”
Welcome to the 239th episode of Our Hen House, featuring a thoughtful interview with the man behind Germany’s Albert Schweitzer Foundation, Mahi Klosterhalfen [transcript], and a special review by Alessandra Seiter, who is giving us her take on the new book Choosing Raw by Gena Hamshaw. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website (beneath this paragraph!) or you can listen and subscribe on iTunes or …
Episode 238: “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
Welcome to the 238th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Mickey Z [transcript], with a special review by Alessandra Seiter. In today’s episode, we discuss almond milk, ex-vegans, preachy vegans, preachy ex-vegans, and animal agriculture’s most recent “Rising Anxieties.” Joining us today is activist and writer, Mickey Z, who will talk about his new book — Occupy This Book — as well as share …
Episode 237: “If a rabbit defined intelligence the way man does, then the most intelligent animal would be a rabbit, followed by the animal most willing to obey the commands of a rabbit.”
Welcome to the 237th episode of Our Hen House, a place to find our way to change the world for animals. Today’s super special show is our third reel of highlights from the Our Hen House TV show, a co-production with Brooklyn Independent Media. We’ll bring you interviews with Rachel Winard [transcript], Melanie Joy [transcript], Charles Siebert [transcript], Donny Moss [transcript], and Noah Gittell [transcript]. We are so …
Today, I’m excited to tell you about a screening tour across China of the 30-minute documentary What’s For Dinner? Providing a unique look into the rapid growth of industrialized animal agriculture in China, the film follows various people in Chinese society – from a retired pig farm worker to a vegan restaurant owner – and examines the impacts of the country’s …
Episode 236: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
Welcome to the 236th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn [transcript], with special reviews by Noah Gittell and Alessandra Seiter. In today’s episode, we squawk about Brooklyn’s weekly food festival (which — lucky for the animals — is very vegan friendly), how extremely annoying gluten-free doughnuts can be, and the book party to end all book parties (as well as …
Episode 234: “Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
Welcome to the 234th episode of Our Hen House, featuring Julia Orr [transcript], with a special appearance by Alessandra Seiter. On today’s episode, we squawk about everything from gay pride and vegan pride, to how to strategize as social justice activists. There’s lots of “Rising Anxieties” today, too. Joining us is Julia Orr, who is currently curating an exhibition for the National Museum …
Big news here at Our Hen House! We are thrilled to welcome a few new chickens to our coop. Joining our Board of Directors is one of our favorite people on the planet — Alexander Gray, the genius behind the New York contemporary art gallery, Alexander Gray Associates. Alex is a passionate change-maker with a rich history in both art and …
Episode 222: “Leadership does not always wear the harness of compromise.”
Welcome to the 222nd episode of Our Hen House, featuring Dave Neale [transcript] and Alessandra Seiter [transcript]. In today’s episode, we squawk about thrift stores, Doris Day on vinyl, and an environmental organization that is finally taking the plunge and discussing the extreme toll that animal production takes on our planet. Plus, there’s lots of Rising Anxieties today to chat about, as well as …
In my time as a vegan/animal rights activist – and I’m sure many of you can relate – I’ve encountered a singular sentiment from non-vegans perhaps more often than any other: “I would totally go vegan… if I didn’t have to give up cheese!” I smile. I let them know that, hey, I understand – I’m from Wisconsin, after all. I …
Book Review: “Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy” by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone
Looking for some hope? Look no further. All you need to do is get to know Alessandra Seiter, a college student who gives me hope for the next generation. Alessandra last joined us at Our Hen House when she reviewed Trash Animals. You may also remember her moving OHH essay, “From My Eating Disorder to My Life’s Purpose: How Veganism Changed …
Book Review: “Trash Animals: How We Live with Nature’s Filthy, Feral, Invasive, and Unwanted Species”
We are elated to welcome back to OHH one of our fresh, new writers – Alessandra Seiter. Today, Alessandra, an absolutely brilliant sophomore at Vassar College, is reviewing Trash Animals: How We Live with Nature’s Filthy, Feral, Invasive, and Unwanted Species, which is edited by Kelsi Nagy and Phillip David Johnson II. *** Book Review: “Trash Animals: How We Live with …
From My Eating Disorder to My Life’s Purpose: How Veganism Changed Things Forever
Today’s Thought for Food column is extra special. It is written by animal advocate — and college sophomore — Alessandra Seiter, who is the brilliant voice behind the blog, Farmers Market Vegan. Alessandra shares with us a story about sickness and, ultimately, recovery — by way of veganism. Beneath her article, don’t miss Alessandra’s delectable recipe for The Green Smoothie-Granola Breakfast …