American Vegan Society

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• Cooking classes (conducting vegan cooking classes directly; resource and consultant for others to con- duct their own vegan cooking classes for adults, youth, and young children) • Gourmet vegan dinners by culinary students, en- couraging culinary students to learn vegan cooking by hosting events with only vegan food. • American Vegan Society consults with the chef-educators, markets the event, and provides the diners for the event. Currently this is four AVS-coordinated and hosted events each year; the template for these events is used in- creasingly throughout America. • Outreach at public events (vegan books, vegan liter- ature, and speaking about veganism) • Other support for direct inquiries, consulting for vegan community outreach The logo of the Vegan Society (UK), which associated international groups of such (similar) societies based on veganism. • Other events

The American Vegan Society (AVS) is a 501(c)3 Prior to broad and widely-accessible search capabilities nonproﬁt organization that promotes veganism in the of the Internet, the American Vegan Society published United States. networking and business resources which supported vegan lifestyle. AVS was founded by 1960 by H. Jay Dinshah. The date of the earlier The Vegan Society (UK)'s founding, Novem- ber 1, is now celebrated annually as World Vegan Day. 2 History

1 Activities Jay Dinshah founded the American Vegan Society[1] early in 1960 and later that year (August) married the English- born Freya Smith. Freya, whose parents were active in • Operation of a website The Vegan Society (of England), contributed to the early • Publishes American Vegan quarterly magazine, growth of the American Vegan Society and is president of which is sent to members of the society (earlier is- the American Vegan Society today. The American Ve- sues are published on the website) gan Society is headquartered at Malaga, New Jersey, on a parcel of land which is called “SunCrest”, or “the Sun- • Bookstore (hundreds of new and classic vegan books Crest Educreational Center.” During Jay Dinshah’s life, for sale) the American Vegan Society was characterized by vegan publishing and outreach, annual vegan conferences, ve- • Book publishing explaining and supporting vegan- gan archiving, spiritual inspiration, providing people with ism (since 1964) an experience of vegan living, vegan food-preparation • Video production; YouTube channels: “Powerful demonstrations, maintenance of a small veganic garden, Vegan Messages” and “American Vegan Society” and extensive networking. Jay Dinshah served the Amer- ican Vegan Society as its president and as editor of its • AVS Speakers Bureau (18 popular vegan speakers publication, Ahimsa magazine (1960–2000). from throughout the United States) Ahimsa was a quarterly publication that explored com- • Vegan conferences (the ﬁrst annual event was held in passionate living (“Ahimsa” meaning “dynamic harmless- 1960; bylaws require an annual vegan conference) ness”) as a philosophy, practical aspects of vegan living,

1 2 3 AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY CONVENTIONS

and personal and cultural resources for vegans. Ahimsa Britain, Europe). included vegan menus and recipes, and news about food. • The American Vegan Society continues to publish a quar- 1967 and 1968 - the American Vegan Society orga- terly periodical, now titled American Vegan, with the nized and carried out an international (“Round the [5] motto “Ahimsa lights the way.” The American Vegan World”) Lecture Tour. Society is now led and managed by its president, Freya Dinshah, Jay Dinshah’s widow, and advised by the AVS Through these efforts, Jay Dinshah managed to lecture to Council of Trustees, all of whom are vegans, and oper- general audiences in 19 different nations, on 5 continents, ated by a team of staff and volunteers. and in a dozen languages about veganism and ahimsa. Al- though Dinshah would lecture in English, local multilin- The American Vegan Society “promotes, supports, and gual vegetarians interpreted his talks for each audience. explores a compassionate, healthful, and sustainable lifestyle. The diet is plant-sourced, varied, and abun- Crediting the wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert dant. For ethical, health, environmental, and other rea- Schweitzer Jay created and promoted the Pillars of sons, (vegans) reject all animal products in food, cloth- Ahimsa, one for each letter of the word: A-H-I-M-S- ing, and commodities, and the exploitation of animals for A. Jay explained each in great detail in his book Out of sport or entertainment. AVS is guided by the doctrines the Jungle [6] A-Abstinence from Animal Products; H- of Ahimsa (non-slaughter, non-violence) and Reverence Harmlessness with Reverence for Life (from Schweitzer); for Life, and provides community and friendship to those I-Integrity of Thought, Word, and Deed; M-Mastery over following and learning about this way of living.”[2] Oneself (against greed, envy, and materialism; instead fo- cus on enlightenment); S-Service to Humanity, Nature, In both American and Europe, the term vegan has been and Creation (3 main draws to veganism: health, envi- used variably to refer to (a) a diet composed entirely of ronment, and animals; devotion to improving the world); plants and (b) a lifestyle characterized by a completely A-Advancement of Understanding and Truth (applying plant-sourced diet and, as the American Vegan Society Gandhian principles of Truth) has consistently described it, making choices in every as- pect of life that avoids harming others while doing the Today, countless vegan organizations (and animal rights most good to help animals, people, and environment. organizations and organizations bearing the name 'vegetarian) promote this purer form of veganism, in the self- AVS founder H. Jay Dinshah decisively transformed the effacing and missionary spirit of AVS in which the mes- usage and meaning of the term vegan with the historic sage is far more important than any of the messengers. redefinition of veganism as a lifestyle of dynamic harm- The word vegan did not appear in most English dictio- lessness. naries published in the USA until the late 1970s or the Donald Watson in England[3] (and possibly others) coined mid-1980s. By the mid-1990s, a much clearer appreci- the term 'vegan' in 1944; it referred to an entirely plant- ation of the meaning and implications of the word 've- based diet (with or without spiritual or philosophical or gan' (AS 'ahimsa' or dynamic harmlessness) had pervaded ethical underpinnings). American Vegan Society used American consciousness. Even if they didn't practice ve- the term vegan to mean dynamic harmlessness and suc- ganism, most younger Americans - and older Americans, cessfully developed a broad social base of practicing veg- too - now know the basics of what veganism is. How- ans who committed themselves to that meaning and prac- ever, idiosyncratic practices continue to dim the clarity tice. of 'ahimsa'. Even as a teenager, Jay Dinshah was a popular mo- tivational speaker, following the example of his father Dinshah P. Ghadiali who promoted vegetarianism along 3 American Vegan Society conven- with color therapy. Dr. Catherine Nimmo and Rubin tions Abramowitz formed a vegan society in California (1948 to 1960),[4] and they both joined the American Vegan So- ciety when Jay Dinshah founded it in 1960. Throughout Annual Conferences were held since 1960, when Jay Din- his life, Jay Dinshah continued to lecture extensively and shah began the AVS. to organize conferences advocating 'positive veganism' Alternate conferences and conventions were held, largely as “dynamic harmlessness” ("Ahimsa" is derived from a in the northeastern US (New Jersey and New York) but Sanskrit term "non-harming"). also earlier in California, then later in California (Arcata), Colorado (Denver), Oregon (Portland), and Washington • 1961 - the American Vegan Society organized and (Olympia), often sharing logistical responsibilities with carried out a Coast to Coast Crusade for Vegan- local and regional vegetarian societies. For a number of ism across North America, including various parts years, beginning in 1989, convention proceedings were of Canada and the USA. videotaped. • 1965 - the American Vegan Society organized and The Dinshahs conducted weekend workshops, cooking carried out North Atlantic Lecture Tour (Iceland, classes, and other educational programs at SunCrest in 3

Malaga, as early as 1969, when their ﬁrst building (head- • 2006 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 46th Convention of quarters) was donated. American Vegan Society In 1995, the AVS cohosted the 8th International Vegan • 2007 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 47th Convention of Festival in San Diego California, with VUNA (Vegetarian American Vegan Society Union of North America) and Vegans International (VI). • 2008 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 48th Anniversary Incomplete List of American Vegan Society conven- American Vegan Garden Party (May 25, 2008) tions[7] • 2009 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 49th Anniversary American Vegan Garden Party (May 2009) • AVS Vegan Conferences have been held annually since 1960. • 2010 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 50th Anniversary American Vegan Garden Party (May 30, 2010) Some of these conferences were: • 2011 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 51st Anniversary American Vegan Garden Party (May 29, 2010) • 1960 - Malaga NJ(?) The American Vegan Society mentored and enabled the growth toward independence of VUNA, the Vegetar- - Some annual conferences were in California during the ian Union of North America, the IVU’s North Ameri- 1960s can regional arm, by cosponsoring biennial conventions with VUNA. Alternate AVS conferences and conventions • 1969 - Malaga NJ: Educreational Program were held, largely in the northeastern US (New Jersey and • 1987 - New York) but also in California (Arcata CA - 1989), Colorado (Denver CO - 1991), Oregon (Portland OR - • 1989 - Arcata CA (videotaped) 1993), and Washington, often sharing logistical responsibilities with local and regional vegetarian societies. For • 1991 - Denver CO (videotaped) a number of years, beginning in 1989, convention pro- • 1993 - Portland OR (videotaped) ceedings were videotaped. Jay and Freya Dinshah conducted weekend workshops, • 1995 - San Diego California: 8th International Ve- cooking classes, and other educational programs at Sun- gan Festival, co-hosted with VUNA (Vegetarian crest in Malaga, as early as 1969. Union of North America) and Vegans International (VI) Additional Workshops[8]

• 1996 - ?Johnstown, PA (with the World Vegetarian • 2002 - South Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington DC - Congress?) Day-Long Workshop with Vesanto Melina, RD, MS • 1997 - Olympia, WA (videotaped) • 2003 - Kind Café, 724 North 3rd Street, Philadel- phia PA - World Vegan Day (November 1, 2003) • 1998 - Olympia, WA (videotaped) • 2007 - Candle 79 154 E 79TH New York NY - • 1999 - Boulder, CO (videotaped) World Vegan Month (November 17, 2007) • 2000 - Toronto, ON • 2010 - Atlantic Cape Community College - Spring Celebration Dinner (March 23, 2010) • 2001 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 41st Annual Con- vention (May 26 and 27, 2001) • 2002 - Philadelphia, PA - International Scientiﬁc 4 References Conference on Chinese Plant Based Nutrition and Cuisine - February 15, 16, 17, 2002 (videotaped) [1] American Vegan 13 (3): 4. Fall 2013. [2] American Vegan 13 (3): 33. Fall 2013. • 2002 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 42nd Annual Con- vention (May 26, 2002) [3] Obituary of Donald Watson, who died at 95, by Karen Dawn, Thursday Dec 8th, 2005 6:50 PM • 2003 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 43rd Convention of American Vegan Society (May 25, 2003) [4] History of American Vegan Society [5] Dinshah, HJ (1973). Song of India. • 2004 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 44th Convention of American Vegan Society (May 30, 2004) [6] Dinshah, H J (1995) [1967]. Out of the Jungle. • 2005 - Malaga, NJ (AVS HQ) - 45th Convention of [7] AVS Events American Vegan Society [8] AVS Events 4 6 EXTERNAL LINKS

5 See also

• List of vegetarian festivals

• List of vegetarian organizations • Vegan Awareness Foundation

6 External links

• (The) American Vegan Society

• The Vegan Society (UK) • ZoomInfo page about American Vegan Society 5

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