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Transfarming the Food System at Home Activism

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Transfarming the Food System at Home Activism SUMMER 2020 Living CLCompassionate Kris Carr Uplifts & Inspires Us Transfarming the Food System Mercy For Animals Tackles One of Earth’s Biggest Threats At Home Activism Fighting for Animals (from the couch) Disease Hotbeds New Undercover Investigation in Mexico were sacks of unwanted potatoes. Tyson DEAR FRIENDS, Foods claimed the food supply chain was “breaking.” But we animal advocates know our food system was already broken. It’s just As advocates for a more compassionate and that now, more than ever, its fractures are equitable society, we are accustomed to the on full display. world not feeling “normal.” For us, normal is knowing that billions of animals are We recognize too that the food system is suffering for the sake of human taste buds. not the only system in desperate need of Normal is watching major meat companies’ change. The Black Lives Matter movement «ÀwÌÃ}ÀÜ>ÃÌ i}À>ÌÜÀiÀà ÌÌÌ iÃÌÀiiÌÃ>vÌiÀÌ i ÀÀwVÕÀ`iÀ toiling in their plants and the farmers raising of George Floyd at the hands of police. their animals languish in poverty. Normal is Mercy For Animals joined in solidarity remembering that the machine that churns because we know, in the words of Martin billions of animals into meat is also largely Luther King Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a responsible for the greatest public health threat to justice everywhere.” We honor and and ecological crises of our time—crises live this principle—we must stand against that disproportionately harm the most oppression no matter its form. oppressed people. As you will discover in the following pages, And yes, normal is systemic racism. It is at Mercy For Animals, we are working speciesism. It is sexism. It is oppression. harder than ever to ensure the world does not go back to a pre-pandemic normal. Being an advocate for the rights of the most We’ve pivoted and launched powerful vulnerable sometimes feels like seeing the new initiatives to instead move our society world through distorting glasses—and then forward, and we are joining with allied realizing it’s the world, not our lenses, that is ÛiiÌÃ>ÕÌi`w} ÌvÀV >}i° misshapen. But we cannot do this work without you. COVID-19 has, to a large extent, Thank you for standing with us during these universalized the recognition of suffering all challenging times. Together, we are creating around us. Never before has a global crisis a world where all beings are respected, Coverr Photo: Bill Miles touched so many so directly—or so plainly protected, and free. revealed that the “normal” life so many had snugly settled into was the real distortion. With hope and appreciation, The virus has ripped through slaughter plants and sickened thousands of workers, causing a “backlog” of animals who are exterminated en masse on farms with no Leah Garcés more regard for their sentience than if they President Fresh New Arrivals New looks for the summer season! ShopMFA.com Through their Feed A Million+ pledge, plant-based company Beyond Meat is working to provide over a million Beyond Above and LÕÀ}iÀÃÌÌ ÃiÃÌ>vviVÌi` LÞÌ i "6 £«>`iV° We “Heart” Tofu ƂVVÀ`}ÌiÜÀiÃi>ÀV vÀÌ i “Beyond” >ÀÛ>À`-V v*ÕLVi>Ì ] i>Ì}ÌvÕV>ÜiÀÞÕÀÀÃv i>ÀÌ`Ãi>Ãit Tik Tok Tabitha Actress, vlogger, and Mercy For Animals supporter Tabitha Brown has gone viral on TikTok, amassing an impressive ÌÜvÜiÀà ÕÃÌÕÃÌwÛiÜiiÃtwÛiÜiiÃt Kindness on Cable VEG Animal Planet has released a new documentary series—Saved by the BarnpÌ >ÌvÜÃ Ì i>`ÛiÌÕÀiÃv > TREND McKernan, who converted Ãv>Ì iÀ½Ãv>Þv>ÀÌ an animal sanctuary. SUMMER A Blossoming Market Plant-based company Upton’s Naturals has debuted a new vegan wà >`ivÀL>>> blossom at Whole Foods stores nationwide.ationwide. Billie Pays It Cred Cr it: i Forward : Sta S rsto ck Singer-songwriter Billie EEilishilish k | Dre and her brother, Finneas,nneas, r amst highlighted plant-basedbased businesses during the EEartharth ime. co com >Þi`Ìv6iÀâ½Ãâ½Ã #PayItForwardLivedLive Plant-Based Perks online concert.ncert. A 237,000-person study conducted by the dating website EliteSingles reveals that vegans and vegetarians are more popular on dating apps. Leaving a legacy Photo: Sylvia Elzafon Written by Nik Tyler. She supported Mercy For Susan was loyal, honest, outspoken, intelligent, kind-hearted, and so much fun. She was one Animals because our work of my best friends. We supported each other gave her hope through challenges, celebrated victories, . laughed often, shed some tears, and sometimes Ì`>ViLÀi>ÃÌ ivwVi°-ÕÃ>>`i every day at Mercy For Animals memorable. Irene was suffering increased physical pain and disability when her partner, Erika, passed away in Outside the organization, our lives intertwined 2016. Nevertheless, during this tough period her in a way neither of us could have imagined. I ÀiÃÛiÞÌiÃwi`]>Ãà i`iÌwi`iÛi accompanied Susan on much of her journey more strongly with the pain and restriction faced through cancer. In the face of unfathomable by farmed animals. At the time, Irene needed to adversity, she was indelibly funny and remarkably reserve her income for medical expenses, so she courageous, graceful, and strong. made a bequest to Mercy For Animals to further her mission of compassion. In the midst of her treatment, she stayed with me on a cold street in the middle of the night for Irene’s love for animals never waned, even as she over three hours as we tried to help a frightened transitioned to an assisted living facility. Visits animal who had been hit by a car. That night, I from Zoey, a therapy dog, soothed her spirits. saw who Susan truly was: someone who put the Zoey brought light and love to Irene, and Irene plights of others before her own. Susan was a returned these to Zoey. true hero. The way Irene’s friends talk about her, it’s Irene made the world brighter for all. Mercy For She dedicated her life to animal advocacy, no wonder her legacy is of compassion and Animals is humbled to continue her legacy. tirelessly uplifting organizations, campaigns, goodwill: “The world needs more Irenes. If we iÛiÌÃ]>`viÜ>VÌÛÃÌð iÀw>ÃÝÞi>ÀÃ] had more people like her, the world would be Susan used her extraordinary talents to helm a much better place.” As a gay woman, Irene Mercy For Animals’ most successful galas and endured years of ostracization. But rather than other special events. become resentful and hurt others in response, By including Mercy For Animals in she developed even more empathy and your will or living trust, you can help determination to help any person or animal in build a kinder future for animals long She showed me what it means need. after your passing. to live a life of service, A champion of many social justice causes, she purpose, and dedication to was delighted when her city council legislated To learn more, please visit against anti-gay discrimination. As much as she MercyForAnimals.org/will a cause greater than myself, loved people, Irene felt particular compassion or contact with an open heart. Susan for animals. She rescued dogs and became a [email protected] longtime Mercy For Animals supporter. Irene unequivocally changed the once remarked that she thought about animals world, and me, for the better. every day and was saddened by their suffering. 4 COMPASSIONATE LIVING SUMMER 2020 ACTION REPORT 01 Plant Powered Mercy For Animals launched an exciting new Plants to the People initiative. We partnered with restaurants and allied organizations to donate and deliver 2,250 «>ÌL>Ãi`i>ÃÌ V>} and New York City families >À`iÃÌ ÌLÞ "6 £° 02 04 At Home Activism March On Mercy For Animals staff and volunteers participated in annual With most of the world International Women’s Day marches in Mexico City and Monterrey. sheltering in place, the Mercy Throughout history, women have spearheaded countless social justice For Animals team wants you movements, including the animal protection movement. Mercy For to know we are still here Ƃ>ýÌi>]V«Ãi`>À}iÞvÜi]ÀiyiVÌÃÌ Ã°7Ì ÕÌ for you. We’ve handpicked Ì i]Ì iÀ}>â>ÌVÕ`Ì>iÃÕV yÕiÌ>«À}ÀiÃÃvÀ recipes, activities, and simple animals. actions to help animals and Ûi}>LÕÃiÃÃiÃÜ i social distancing. AtHomeActivism.com 03 Joining Forces Against Cruelty 05 Mercy For Animals India Stop Slaughter Foundation and other groups joined forces to urge the Indian ÀÀwVv>ÀÃ>Õ} ÌiÀ]Ü V VÕ`iÃÃÜÞÃÕvvV>Ì}LÀ`à health minister to shut down >`Ã>}«}iÌà i>`wÀÃÌÌÌ i}ÀÕ`]ÕÃÌÃÌ«°/ ÀÕ} illegal meat and animal markets petitions and meetings, we’ve urged Congress and the USDA not to to prevent the emergence of fund the killing and instead allocate stimulus funds to farmers who new diseases and limit the Ü>ÌÌÌÀ>ÃÌÌ«>ÌL>Ãi`v>À}° ëÀi>`v "6 £° SUMMER 2020 COMPASSIONATE LIVING 5 INSPIRING Intersectionality IN THE ANIMAL PROTECTION MOVEMENT Why should members of the Lawyer Kimberlé Crenshaw coined LGBTQ+ community consider “intersectionality” to describe going plant-based? the unique discrimination she experienced as a Black woman. Emilia: Since then, the term has expanded Eating plants is gay. I mean and as a framework for understanding “gay” in “happy” in the queer how one’s social and political sense. Introducing more plants into identities—gender, race, class, and your diet alters your perspective so on—can create unique forms of on food. History constricts oppression. marginalized queer and trans voices, but we offer broadening views of love and identity. Nourishing your body with plants Vegan drag queen Honey is similarly expansive. How do we construct a more compassionate LaBronx, Campaign world for (human) animals and Specialist Emilia Cameron, dismantle intersecting systems of and Corporate Partnerships oppression and structural violence? Look to plants.
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