Voices for Animal Liberation: Inspirational Accounts by Animal Rights Activists

by Brittany Michelson, Ingrid Newkirk (Foreword by)

Overview

Immerse yourself in the world of animal rights protests, campaigns, demonstrations, outreach, rescue, and so much more.
 
In today’s world, voices of the marginalized are in the spotlight and people across the globe are recognizing animal rights as a social justice movement. During a time of historic actions and victorious campaigns, Voices for Animal Liberation depicts the full spectrum of animal rights activism that is currently at work to create change.
 
This book offers the words of both new and highly influential voices in the movement today, with the intention of inspiring and educating those who are sparked by the vision of a more ethical world. Including a foreword by Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PETA and arguably one of the most prolific figures in the animal rights movement, other contributors include:  

• Jasmine Afshar, army veteran
• Chase Avior, actor and filmmaker
• Gene Baur, founder of Farm Sanctuary
• Dotsie Bausch, Olympic medalist and founder of Switch4Good
• Alex Bez, founder and director of Amazing Vegan Outreach
• Matthew Braun, former investigator of farms and slaughterhouses
• Saengduean Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation
• Amy Jean Davis, founder of Los Angeles Animal Save
• Karen Davis, founder of United Poultry Concerns
• Sean Hill, award-winning multidisciplinary artist and humanitarian
• Wayne Hsiung, cofounder of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE)
• Gwenna Hunter, event coordinator for Vegan Outreach and founder of Vegans of LA
• Anita Krajnc, founder of the Save Movement
• Cory Mac a’Ghobhainn, organizer with Progress for Science
• Jo-Anne McArthur, photographer and founder of We Animals Media
• Zafir Molina, truth seeker and movement artist
• Shaun Monson, documentary filmmaker
• Alexandra Paul, actress and cohost of Switch4Good
• Brittany Peet, Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement for PETA
• Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia
• Zoe Rosenberg, founder of Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary
• Dani Rukin, citizen journalist for JaneUnchained News
• Jasmin Singer, cofounder of Our Hen House and Senior Features Editor for VegNews
• Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary
• Natasha & Luca, “That Vegan Couple,” social media influencers
• Will Tuttle, visionary author and speaker
• Gillian Meghan Walters, creator of MummyMOO project 

Connect with activists from different backgrounds as they reveal their perspectives on animal rights, their experiences taking action for animals, the challenges they've faced, and the meaning of activism in their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510751262
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	637,326
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Brittany Michelson is a teacher, writer, and animal rights activist. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Antioch University Los Angeles and teaches writing and activism-related classes in a private K–8 program. Brittany’s writings appear in multiple journals and literary sites. She lives in Southern California.

Table of Contents

Foreword Ingrid Newkirk, founder and president of PETA xi

Introduction xv

I Seasoned Warriors: Inspiring & Transforming 1

How I Became a "Poultry" Rights Activist Who Started an Organization Some Said Would Never Fly Karen Davis, founder of United Poultry Concerns 3

Documenting Invisible Animals: Photography as a Tool for Change Jo-Anne McArthur, photographer and founder of We Animals Media 12

The Spectrum of Life: Not the Same but Equal Shaun Monson, documentary filmmaker 18

Ending Bear Bile Farming: A Clarion Call Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia 26

Liberating Animals and Ourselves Will Tuttle, visionary author and speaker 32

II Connecting the Dots: Perspectives on Animal Rights 41

Copy-and-Paste Activism Does Not Work: Perspectives from a POC Gwenna Hunter, event coordinator for Vegan Outreach and founder of Vegans of LA 43

Living in Alignment with My Values: My Path to Animal Rights Activism Brittany Michelson, teacher and writer 51

How I Made the Connection: Gay Rights, Feminism, and Animal Liberation Dani Rukin, citizen journalist for Jane Unchained News 62

The Girl I Finally Let In: How Personal Narrative Sets the Stage for Powerful Animal Rights Activism Jasmin Singer, cofounder of Our Hen House and Senior Features Editor for VegNews 71

The Evolution: From Animal-Loving Child to Intersectional Vegan Activist Gillian Meghan Walters, founder of Animal Voices Vancouver 79

III Overcoming Personal Challenge: Opening the Door to Activism 89

Through Empathic Eyes: A Survivor's Story Jasmine Afshar, army veteran 91

From Addiction to Healing to Activism: An Olympic Medalist's Journey Dotsie Bausch, Olympic medalist and founder of Switch4Good 100

Giving My Struggle Purpose: Overcoming Depression through Animal Advocacy Matthew Braun, former investigator of farms and slaughterhouses 106

Activism as a Fast Track to Growth: My Spiritual Awakening Zafir Molina, truth seeker and movement artist 114

How Veganism Transformed My Relationship with Food Alexandra Paul, actress and cohost of Switch4Good 120

IV Campaigns & Outreach: Anchors of Change 127

How to Speak about Animal Rights: What I Learned from Working in Corporate Sales Alex Bez, founder and director of Amazing Vegan Outreach 129

Lost Souls: Fighting the Harms of Animal Experimentation and beyond Cory Mac a Ghobhainn, organizer with Progress for Science 139

The Least We Can Do: Communicating the Animal Rights Message Natasha & Luca, "That Vegan Couple," social media influencers 150

Saving Joe and Legal Wins for Captive Animals Brittany Peet, Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement for PETA 157

V Bearing Witness, Civil Disobedience & Open Rescue: A Movement Rising 167

The Power of Protest: Learning from Nonviolent Social Justice Movements Chase Avior, actor and filmmaker 169

Bearing Witness to Babies before and after Motherhood Amy Jean Davis, founder of Los Angeles Animal Save 178

Turning Repression into Liberation Wayne Hsiung, cofounder of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) 182

The Power and Duty of Bearing Witness Anita Krajnc, founder of the Save Movement 187

The Urgency of Animal Liberation: A Teenage Activist's Perspective Zoe Rosenberg, founder of Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary 198

VI The Sanctuary Life: To Heaven from Hell 209

Farm Sanctuaries: Healing Animals, the Planet, and Ourselves Gene Baur, founder of Farm Sanctuary 211

In the Steps of Giants: Saving Elephants in Southeast Asia Saengduean Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation 217

Our Partners, the Animals: The Power of Personal Connection Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary 222

Nonstop Loving: An Ode to Activists Sean Hill, award-winning multidisciplinary artist and humanitarian 227

Closing 235

About the Author 239

About the Contributors 241

Acknowledgments 253

Resources 255

Index 261

Editorial Reviews

Speaking with passion, each author conveys a deep sense of commitment to provide inspiration and incentive to anyone who may feel similarly moved but seeks validation to act on those instincts”
—Booklist

“With fascinating personal stories and brilliant insights, Brittany Michelson explains why animal rights is emerging as the defining social justice movement of the 21st century. Read this and find out why respect for other living beings is the key to human survival in the face of senseless violence and climate change.” —Jane Velez-Mitchell, founder of JaneUnchained News

“As an animal rights activist for over twenty years, I’m thrilled to recommend Brittany Michelson’s groundbreaking book. So many inspirational testimonies illustrate that animal rights is a growing worldwide social justice movement.” —Jenny McQueen, cofounder of Animal Rights Toronto

“Voices for Animal Liberation is a compelling look at our treatment of animals using riveting stories and searing essays from a wide array of thinkers, but its value doesn’t stop there. This is also a momentous guide to compassion and integrity and it should be read by all of us striving to be better human beings.” —Caroline Paul, author and activist

"Brittany Michelson has brought together powerful stories and meaningful experiences from inside the world's animal rights movement. Times are definitely changing and animals, other than we human ones, are firmly and finally on the agenda. Read this book to understand why!" —Patty Mark, founder of Animal Liberation Victoria and pioneer of open rescue 

From the Publisher