A Guide to Vegan Education & Activism

Aug 05, 2019

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
–Nelson Mandela

What They Don't Teach You in School

There was a time in my life when I disliked school. It felt pointless and absurd that I would be spending what felt like an eternity in classrooms learning all sorts of ludicrous nonsense. But I went, and I learned. As time went on and I did well, I began to enjoy going. However, the four walls of a classroom are rarely when you learn the most essential information. Some of the most important things I’ve learned have come from experience and self-education. And what I actually learned is that I did not necessarily love school; I loved education. But even as a self-proclaimed lover of learning, I can still be blinded by my sense of pride in my intelligence and my laziness to continue to learn more, especially if it’s something I don’t want to know.

I'm Not One of Those Vegans...

I was under the false impression, as many vegans are, that I didn’t need to continue watching graphic footage or be involved in the community in any significant way. I know what’s happening is bad, and I’ve made the decision to stop contributing to it. I could appreciate others that rallied, campaigned, and advocated for veganism and fought against animal oppression. But I could never be one of those people. I’m too shy, too introverted, too…not like them.

I wanted to be one of the good vegans. The kind and peaceful ones that didn’t judge carnists for consuming animal products. I just sat in the corner with my Tofurky while they continued on with their lives. However, I never truly felt comfortable as that kind of vegan because I never really knew how to explain my veganism to people or how to answer questions about why I was vegan. I had no ability to speak about it, and I avoided talking to others at all costs in order to avoid the awkward situation in which I might find myself.

Education is Key

After all my time avoiding it, I finally learned that the key to being a successful vegan – not just an activist – is staying educated. (This doesn’t mean you have to go protest on the streets or anything of the sort, though I encourage you to give it a try.) Undoubtedly, you will be asked questions by nonvegans curious about or trying to poke holes in veganism. It is essential that you always have ready intelligent responses to these questions. The following tips are my personal strategies for keeping myself updated on all things vegan so I’m always prepared to talk to people in any scenario.

1. You Can't Know Everything

Don’t get overwhelmed. It seems like there are a ton of facts, statistics, and theories out there, and when you’re first starting to educate yourself on everything vegan, it can feel like information overload. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to keep it simple. You know why you’re vegan and if you just speak with your heart, others will be able to feel your passion. As you learn more, you’ll be able to throw in some numbers and facts, but don’t worry if you don’t know everything. If you want a very basic rationalization of veganism, either for yourself or to send to family and friends, check out my post, "A Rational Explanation of Veganism from an Ex-Nonvegan," linked here.

2. Why Are You Vegan?

As you get more active and speak with more people, there will be moments of frustration and pain, but you always have to remember why you’re vegan. Specifically, for whom you’re vegan. What keeps me strong in times of hardship is thinking of the animals. They need me most in the world, and as long as I remember that, I know I could do anything for them. If you ever have moments when you’re doubting yourself, think of how many others you’re benefiting by simply being alive and being vegan. That thought alone can get you through almost anything.

3. Learn as Much as You Can

The first step of vegan education is to absorb everything. Become a sponge of veganism. Watch documentaries, films, and YouTube videos; read every book, magazine, and blog you can; listen to podcasts; frequent vegan websites. The possibilities are endless. There are so many amazing vegans out there creating content to make it easier and easier for everyone to find this important information. I’ve found that even if I’m on YouTube all day watching vegan videos (which I've totally done before), I feel like I’m really learning something and spending my time productively. I’m either watching recipe, lifestyle, zero waste/minimalism, activism, health, environmental, or speech/debate videos. It’s like going to school to learn things you actually enjoy all in the comfort of your own home – which I greatly appreciate. So, you could waste your time online watching or reading or listening to silly things (which I still find time for) or you can fill your mind with this powerful knowledge.

4. Know People

Know the names of influencers, activists, celebrities, and athletes that you can drop to people interested in veganism or doubting it. For instance, someone who is interested in health and wellness would be more interested in following a food/lifestyle blogger than an ethical vegan activist. At the end of this post, I’ll give you a small sample of my favorite influencers, news sites, movies, podcasts, and books.

*Bonus: NEVER trust a “vegan” influencer that doesn’t talk about ethics. If they don’t think ethics is important, it’s likely they’re just eating a plant-based diet, and they aren’t actually vegan. (You can learn more about this difference in my “Vegan for Dummies” post.) Unfortunately, even if they do sometimes discuss ethics but they’re not an activist, there is still a possibility that they could revert to carnism. It’s sad that happens, but remember that you are the only person you can control. As long as you remain on the right path, that’s what really matters. (I will be talking more about this in detail in the future, so stay tuned!)

5. Remember Why You're Vegan

New vegans, this is probably the last thing you want to hear: you should continue to watch graphic footage. And if you’ve never actually seen any, now’s a good time to start. I refused to watch almost anything related to animal cruelty for nearly three years after seeing Earthlings, the (free!) documentary that made me a vegan exactly four years ago today. And I can tell you that stubbornness severely hindered my veganism and activism. It will be hard to watch at first, and it will never be easy to see the despicable atrocities humanity inflicts upon other animals. But you will be able to tolerate it. The more you watch it, the less likely insipid comments like, “Mmmm bacon,” will set you off.

Additionally, you will be able to explain what happens to animals in the agriculture and other exploitation industries in detail to carnists that don’t understand the farming and slaughter process. I promise that with time the images you see will fuel your activism, not harm your mental health. And remember, the trauma you may experience when you see this is nothing compared to the horrible lives and excruciating deaths the victims face. Watching helplessly as they suffer is the closest thing I’ve ever come to knowing true pain like that. But it’s what keeps me going. Remember who you’re vegan for.

6. Ethics Isn't Everything

Learn as much as you can about the different aspects of veganism. Though many of us would like to keep it on ethics, myself included, that is usually not enough to sway people. You should also be aware of arguments concerned with health, the environment, humanitarianism, and society. Unfortunately, humans are very selfish creatures, so your best bet to sway people to a more favorable view on veganism is to tell them about the great health benefits.

7. Learn Why People Object to Veganism

Understand the different objections to veganism. You will find that there are usually only a few refutations to veganism (taste preference, tradition, lions, etc.). Once you learn what these are, it will be easy to come up with answers or, even better, pointed questions. Using the Socratic Method of responding to questions with questions allows carnists to come to conclusions on their own as to why it’s wrong to unnecessarily kill animals, making veganism seem like the obvious choice. You can watch an Earthling Ed TEDx Talk on the most common arguments here.

8. Know Your Area

When you’re interacting with people in your area, it’s helpful to know what vegan foods and products are available nearby. You can refer people to vegan/vegan-friendly restaurants, providing them with an immediate alternative. This makes you seem more knowledgeable and helpful. Happy Cow is a great resource for this kind of information. Generally, it's a good idea to be able to refer people to different brands like Beyond Meat or Follow Your Heart that are found in most grocery stores. Next time they're out shopping, maybe they'll try some of the products you recommended instead of animal-based alternatives.

9. Get to Know Other Local Vegans

It’s so much easier to get active with other people. Plus, you’ll probably learn a lot from all their combined experience and education. They can give you the confidence to speak up if you’ve been too nervous to do so before. Facebook is a great tool for this. There are vegan groups for basically every single town/city. This is the only reason I keep my personal Facebook account. It’s just such a great resource for local veganism and activism.

10. Get Active

There are many different ways to use your education, whether it be just in everyday life or activism. But you should always try to get active and spread the message as much as possible. (Remember, veganism isn’t about you or me; it’s for the victims, our planet, and other humans we hurt through animal agriculture.) The most common forms of activism are Anonymous for the Voiceless “Cubes of Truth,” Save Movement vigils, and Direct Action Everywhere protests and demonstrations. You can also follow my introverted guides (part one and part two) to getting active if you find it difficult to get out there. Though I don’t want to suggest ever doing only this in place of traditional activism, there are tons of great small forms of activism that you can do every day.

11. Do Your Research

My last tip is more general. Always do your research before going anywhere. If you’re taking a vacation, going to a new restaurant, or participating in a vigil for the first time, prepare as much as you possibly can. People respect when someone has put thought and effort into their education, especially when it’s all on their own time. It will make you and the people you’re with feel much more comfortable in any situation.

Take Your Time

So those are my 11.5 tips to getting yourself educated and prepared for vegan activism. Education can be as fun or painful and as easy or difficult as you make it. You don’t have to cram it all in at once. Take your time and really absorb the information. I’ve found that it’s easier to focus on one particular area, like health, at a time; I read some health-related books, watched recipe videos by healthy vegans, and watched documentaries focused on that topic. Then you can learn more about other areas of interest. Good luck!