About Me: I am a 26 year old animal rights activist who recently gave up my old life as a grad student in Santa Cruz, CA to really pursue an old passion: using my voice to help those without a (human) voice. I have been tabeling and leafleting for about three years, but until recently I hadn't given this important action as much of my energy as I wanted. I was working as a drug/alcohol counselor for teens and had begun graduate school by the time I realized that I wanted to dedicate my life to end animal suffering. So I withdrew from school and moved to Seattle to work with an AR group up there, and it was perhaps the best decision I have ever made.

How I became a veggie: I became a vegetarian when I was 15 after reading a book called "Old Mcdonald's Factory Farm." That book got to me, and I never saw meat in the same light again. I remained vegetarian for the next 9 years, though I wasn't a huge cheese fan and wouldn't have considered myself "addicted" to it like so many people claim to be. When I was 24 I discovered You Tube, and the first thing I typed into the field was "animal rights." Well, that did it. I think I watched a video on dairy farms or something. Honestly, I had known better than to dismiss dairy and eggs as "harmless" for a while, but I didn't realize the severity of the situation. So, I decided to take that next step and stop supporting animal cruelty in all forms. I love being a vegan and would have it no other way.