ANIMAL RIGHTS CONFERENCE 2018 ‘STRENGTHENING THE MOVEMENT’ ORGANIZED BY FARM IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FROM 28TH OF JUNE TILL 1ST OF JULY 2018 Source: FARM, for the Animal Rights The Save Movement, The Humane Attending the conference has been Conference 2018 in Los Angeles, League, The International Primate an experience rich in sense and in California Protection League, A Well-Fed World, meetings; it has been the opportunity Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!, to approach animal rights from a new, Vegan Outreach, VegFund, Veganuary, multilayered perspective, recognizing etc. The program of the conference is the variety of paths to advance the FARM logo available here. rights of animals: that of activism on the one hand, and of the many Inspiring, challenging, exciting. So ramifications and relations the animal can we summarize the Animal Rights rights movement maintains with a vast Conference of 2018, ‘Strengthening the swath of social justice issues at global Movement’, that took place from June level on the other hand. 28th till July 1st of 2018 at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Marine Lercier1, Researcher at ICALP and PhD candidate at the Faculty of Law of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, could attend Opening speech to the Animal Rights Conference thanks to a scholarship granted by the 2018, preceded by a minute of silence for the animals exploited and abused worldwide organizers. The conference was organized by the Farm Animal Rights Movement 2 (FARM) and sponsored by many Dr. Milton Mills giving a presentation on myths of the most influent and human- and facts about the human diet during a Plenary Assembly at the Conference. animal world-changing animal defense organizations in the USA The conference has been a success in and worldwide, among which highlighting and answering many of Animal Equality, Mercy for Animals, the challenges the movement currently Compassion over Killing, Animal Legal faces and will have to face in the future, Defense Fund, In Defense of Animals, and a stage for setting objectives Meeting with Earthling ED , vegan activist, at towards achieving animal liberation, 1https://derechoanimal.info/es/persona/ma- the Animal Rights Conference 2018. rine-lercier-0 while procuring a welcoming and safe 2 Read more at: http://www.farmusa.org/ ISSN 2462-7518 space for all participants. Forward- Lives Project’10, ‘Kangaroo’11, ‘César speakers, many exhibitors were also looking, this event put in the honor Chavez’12, ‘The Invisible Vegan’13, and present to discuss about their work. the youngest activists, among whom last but not least of the new Australian The message, more than ever, is VeganEvan3, a young boy from documentary ‘Dominion’14 for its US beyond clear: ‘every animal is someone, Melbourne known for rapping and Premiere ,in presence of Chris Delforce, not something’ which should mean speaking in favor of animals since Shaun Monson and Kat Von D among to grant animals the right not to be his youngest age, and Genesis Butler, celebrity guests. The conference youngest TEDx Speaker4 who received went on addressing the necessity of the youth award, as well as the work of building coalitions, of raising funds the Animal Hero Kids organization5 for the cause, of supporting vegans, of that encourages young people to help running local events, of utilizing video animals. for mainstream media or of winning and enforcing laws and of publicizing our message. It treated topics related Shemirah Brachah, Food & Networking Events to either animal activism whether in Director during the conference, met with a nonhuman friend. Latin America, Mexico, India or China, or to animal abuse, whether, among treated as mere objects, and to adopt others, of aquatic animals, of animals a lifestyle that takes animals into used for science, of land animals used consideration within all aspects of life for food, of animal companions, of choices, to minimize the harm done nonhuman primates, of animals used as much to animals as to humans. Of US Premiere of Dominion at the Animal Rights for entertainment, of animals used for course, all food and merchandise at the Conference 2018 in Los Angeles, California, in presence of special guests. conference were animal-cruelty-free, and it has also been the opportunity The discussion has been constructive for non-US residents to taste some on a broad spectrum of topics and products that are not available yet strategies, from dealing with the for instance in Europe, such as The power of individual advocacy with the participation, among other talented and renowned presenters, of James Aspey6, who reminded us to ‘educate ourselves the most possible to educate others’, or considering the future of animal sanctuaries and advising how to run one, to learning from Damien Lindsay Leigh was present to exhibit her works. Mander7 about women changing She is an artist whose activism for the animals is reflected in her paintings the face of conservation in Africa, recalling that ‘the fate of humanity is fashion, or of animals in the wild; and intertwined with our will to preserve discussed the power of documentaries, biodiversity’. The conference also investigations, and vegan businesses. provided many screenings, including Truth, facts, and data, are the most of the documentaries ‘So Give Me effective tool in bringing about 8 9 An F’ , ‘The Last Pig’ , ‘The Stolen awareness and empathy. Beyond Lindsay Leigh was present to exhibit her works. the brilliant speeches given by the She is an artist whose activism for the animals is 3 https://www.facebook.com/VeganEvan/ reflected in her paintings 4https://www.facebook.com/aveganchildsjour- 10 Read more at: https://www.facebook.com/ neyGenesisButler/ thestolenlivesproject/ 15 5 Read more at: https://animalherokids.org/ 11 Read more and watch the trailer at: http://kan- Beyond Meat Burger and Miyoko’s 6 Read more about James Aspey’s activism at: garoothemovie.com/ Kitchen products16; one more proof http://www.jamesaspey.com.au/ 12 Read more about César Chavez’s activism on 7 Founder of the International Anti-Poaching VegNews at: https://vegnews.com/2018/3/did- that another form of alimentation Foundation (IAPF). Read more at: https://www. you-know-cesar-chavez-was-also-an-animal- and care is possible without harming iapf.org/ rights-activist 8 Watch the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/ 13 Read more and watch the trailer at: http://the- others. Furthermore, the future of watch?v=JEtCrjSDaVs invisiblevegan.com/ 9 Read more and watch that trailer at: http:// 14 Read more and watch the trailer at: http:// 15 Read more at: http://beyondmeat.com/ www.thelastpig.com/ www.dominionmovement.com/ 16 Read more at: https://miyokoskitchen.com/ meat - as much regarding substitutes the interconnections between all myths and negative prejudices against and plant-based alternatives as lab- struggles for equality among beings. animals. In this context, it appears grown ‘clean-meat’17- was discussed, Once again it has been made clear presenting the incredible work, among that, as a philosophy of compassion others, of the Good Food Institute18, and respect towards all beings and and looking forward to the publication as a social movement for global of Jacy Reese’s 19book, ‘The End of justice, there is no giving a so-called Animal Farming’20, that describes ‘superior consideration’ to animals’ how scientists, entrepreneurs and interests within the animal rights activists are building an animal-free movement - but simply, a will to give food system, after the devastation animals consideration at all, as the Photo-shoot with Vegan Future Now and Justine. animal agriculture has caused to individuals they are. Many footages human health, to the economy, to the and testimonies recalled the stories of important to underline the false environment, and of course to the rescued or fallen animals, displaying narratives and contradictions used by welfare of animals has been addressed their individuality and personality those who exploit animals, particularly throughout the conference. almost as a tribute in light of the in the meat and dairy industry, and Indeed, many speeches given inspired constant and institutionalized denial that lie in the use of a terms such as the audience to consider the links, of the smallest amount of dignity ‘humane slaughter’ or ‘happy meat’ - among others, between animal rights to the billions of animals exploited there is none of the kind. and women rights or feminism, every day on the planet, and inspiring Veganism, promoted and celebrated compassion through telling the stories during the conference, is conceived of who they are, to consider them, at not as a solution or the end of all last, as the victims they have been. oppression, but as a framework inside In doing so, we shall keep in mind that which it is the most appropriate to language matters to get more people on undertake tackling the identified board, by changing the representation issues - whether they relate to the of animals - in the media, in literature, in movies, in our everyday discussions. Presentation given at the Conference by Bruce Friedrich from the Good Food Institute on the plant-based and clean meat revolution. Picture of animals rescued and living happily ever after at a sanctuary. environment, to the human health, to the welfare of animals, to the social Addressing the roots of speciesism with Mercy challenges - at a time when a vast for Animal’s Lindsay Wolf, asking: majority of people agree that animals What is the difference between the animals we love and the animals we exploit and abuse? deserve protection from abuse. Omri How can a same practice be illegal for one Portrait of Marine Lercier, Researcher at kind, but legal for the other? ICALP, published on the Instagram page of ‘Vegan Future Now’ , dedicated to vegan advo- animal rights and afro-american cacy, education, and outreach, for the ‘Vegan Because’ project, after a photo session at the rights or the movement for civil rights, Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles, during the Animal Rights Conference 2018.