Antiracism in Animal Advocacy:
Igniting Cultural Transformation
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Antiracism in Animal Advocacy:
Igniting Cultural Transformation
Inspired by Encompass’ racial equity trainings, this collection of essays was written by farmed animal protection leaders who are committed to exploring and prioritizing racial equity, as we work to create a more effective and just animal protection movement. We wish to document our stories and processes in an exploratory space from which we can grow and use our words to hold ourselves and our peers accountable, ultimately creating new paths forward.
We hope you’ll discuss the book with others in your community and we’ve created a discussion guide to support you in having deep and meaningful conversations.
Table of Contents
Awakening
Chinese Eyes: Exploring Identity and White Supremacy in Animal Rights by Shayna Rowbothan
White Veganism Doesn’t Serve Me Either: A White Vegan’s Perspective by PJ Nyman
How Philanthropy in Farmed Animal Advocacy Reinforces White Bubbles by Mikaela Saccoccio
From Speaking Up for Animals to Becoming Antiracist by Rachel Huff-Wagenborg
Introspection
As a Black Man, I Felt Uncomfortable Becoming an Animal Activist by Christopher Eubanks
Racism in Me, the Movement, and the Meat Industry by Jamie Berger
How My Cultural Identity Informs My Animal Advocacy by Unny Nambudiripad
The Need for Ethical Consistency in Animal Advocacy by Malina Tran
Accountability
How Confronting My White Privilege Is Making Me a Better Animal Activist by Cailen LaBarge
What I’ve Learned By Applying an Antiracist Framework to My Animal Advocacy by Dana McPhall
Using Research and Data to Create an Inclusive Animal Rights Movement by Brooke Haggerty
Leading
Oppression Without Hierarchy: Racial Justice and Animal Advocacy by Michelle Rojas-Soto
International Animal Protection Is Stronger When It’s Antiracist by Stien van der Ploeg
How Racism in Animal Advocacy and Effective Altruism Hinders Our Mission by Michelle Graham
Animal Advocates: It’s Time We Move from Performance to True Antiracism by Aryenish Birdie
Meet the Authors
Aryenish Birdie (she/her) is the founder and executive director of Encompass, building a racially equitable animal protection movement. Prior to Encompass, Aryenish spent seven years at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine promoting alternatives to animal tests. Aryenish received a degree from Hampshire College in critical social thought/race and feminist theory and her Master’s in Public Management from Johns Hopkins University.
Jasmin Singer (she/her) (jasminsinger.com)—the editor of this anthology—is the author of The VegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan (Hachette Go) and the memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough (Berkley); the co-host of the award-winning Our Hen House podcast; an editor and columnist at VegNews Magazine; the VP of Editorial at Kinder Beauty; and a longtime animal activist and public speaker.
Michelle Rojas-Soto (she/her) is the Chief Talent and Equity Officer at KIPP SoCal charter schools. She previously served as Managing Director of Encompass, where she trained, coached and consulted with animal protection leaders and organizations. Michelle is focused on creating equitable systems so that future generations on Earth thrive.
Christopher “Soul” Eubanks (he/him) is a climate, human, and animal rights activist dedicated to doing advocacy work to combat all forms of oppression.
Shayna Rowbotham (she/her) is the organizing manager for the US for Mercy For Animals, an international farmed animal protection organization; she’s based in New York, New York.
Jamie Berger (she/her) is an independent documentary filmmaker and the chief of staff at Mercy For Animals.
Dana McPhall (she/her) is a lawyer, humane educator, antiracism activist, and animal advocate who has led an Institute for Humane Education alumni working group examining racial justice and white supremacy issues since 2017.
Malina Tran (she/her) is a software engineer based in Los Angeles, California. She writes for Sentient Media, a nonprofit organization that advocates for animal rights. Her areas of focus include animal welfare, activism, culture, and identity.
Unny Nambudiripad (he/him) is a wellness facilitator and animal activist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
PJ Nyman (they/them) is a Corporate Relations Specialist at Mercy For Animals and holds a Master’s Degree in Social & Political Thought from York University in Toronto.
Brooke Haggerty (she/her) is a life-long animal advocate and is currently the executive director for Faunalytics, a nonprofit that provides research and resources to help advocates maximize their effectiveness to reduce animal suffering.
Stien van der Ploeg (she/they) leverages her management and fundraising experience pro bono for effective animal advocacy organizations—to help make our world more hospitable to all.
Cailen LaBarge (she/her) is co-founder of Strategies for Ethical and Environmental Development (SEED), a nonprofit organization focused on dismantling capital-intensive industrial animal agriculture and advocating for a just transition that is fair and sustainable for animals, people, and the planet.
Michelle Graham (Michelle/Michelle’s) is the Executive Director of Wild Animal Initiative and a Ph.D. candidate in the Socha Lab at Virginia Tech.
Mikaela Saccoccio (she/her) is the Executive Director of Farmed Animal Funders, a donor learning community whose members give $250k+ annually to charitable initiatives fighting factory farming.
Rachel Huff-Wagenborg (she/her) is an ardent animal activist making strides to open her eyes and heart to all injustices and currently works as the Vice President of Operations at The Humane League.
Praise for Antiracism in Animal Advocacy
“I dare you to read this book and tell me that racial justice isn’t important in animal advocacy.”
— Dolores Huerta, labor leader, women’s rights and civil rights activist, co-founder, National Farmworkers Association, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
“Even as a vegan of 20+ years, I hadn’t thought much about the intersection of race, equity, and animal advocacy. Every essay in this collection taught me something. Vital and thought-provoking.”
— Vu Le, writer of NonprofitAF.com
“An important, provocative and accessible book. It has an urgent message for us all.”
— Congressman Jamie Raskin
“Antiracism in Animal Advocacy is at least three critically important things: (1) an honest reckoning of oppression in an anti-oppression movement, (2) a collective call to antiracist action from people across that movement, and (3) a clear vision for what a truly justice-based animal advocacy movement could—and ought—to be.”
— Paul Gorski, Ph.D., founder, Equity Literacy Institute