Building A Vegan Community

For many of us, adopting a vegan diet is the best decision we've ever made. We all seem to share the same postive results from an important dietary and lifestyle change to veganism. We tend to feel more at peace with ourselves and our environment, experience an increase in energy and vitality, and we thrive with rejuvenated health.

As a vegan for more than ten years, I have focused on consuming plant-based foods, avoiding all animal products in all forms, and have been promoting this lifestyle in many forms of media. I thought I was doing everything right for most of the past ten years, but recently realized that eating organic foods was really the key to optimal health and optimal environmental sustainability. Being vegan is great, but supporting non-organic food companies and non-organic mega corporations are not the most environmentally-friendly lifestyle choices. There are numerous reasons to eat organic foods, and supporting local organic farms is ideal in my opinion.

One of my goals is to build my own vegan community of friends and aquaintences. I go out of my way to promote veganism within my community and network with others who share the same lifestyle. I started my own vegan company (Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness) in 2002 and have developed a large online community based on our Vegan Bodybuilding website. Today, many of us within a geographical region meet-up in person on a regular basis at vegan potlucks, animal rights protests, and just to enjoy each other's company watching a movie, going for a walk, or during a weight training session.

I have met a lot of vegans over the past decade and unfortunately some of the people have given up their vegan lifestyle because they did not know any other vegans and did not have the support of like-minded people. Building a vegan community can play an important role in the lives of young vegans and people new to the vegan lifestyle. Any dramatic lifestyle change can be eased with the support of others who have "been there and done that."

Eating a vegan diet comes quite naturally since fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds are all foods we evolved on. The possible difficulties being vegan in today's society is the fact we've moved so far from our natural diet, it is no longer the norm. Having friends and aquaintences who share the same moral and ethical values and eating habits, provides a supportive cast for your dietary choices and gives you someone to eat meals with who won't question or criticize your lifestyle.

As a vegan, I not only like to expand my own vegan communtity but I like to have an impact and positive influence on the non-vegan community. What are we doing if we aren't including the people we're trying to have an impact on? That is how we save human and animal lives and improve all life on Earth; by reaching non-vegans and informing them about the benefits to individual health and planet sustainability of a plant-based, organic diet.

I don't view veganism as a cult group out to recruit as many members as possible. I don't see it as a set of rules we must obey. I view veganism as a compassionate lifestyle with the goal of reducing and eliminating animal cruelty while providing our bodies with proper nourishment for ideal or optimal health.

There are a number of things you can do to impact the people around you and expand your own vegan community. I focus on participating in local vegan education groups, vegan potlucks, supporting local organic farms, and patronizing local vegan businesses. In all of these activities there is an opportunity to network with plenty of other vegans. The larger the vegan group, the greater impact you can have on your non-vegan community.

Search out events going on in your community, and better yet, start your own events. You can start small by making flyers promoting a vegan potluck or picnic. Invite your friends and family to ensure you'll have a decent turnout. Usually the larger the group, the more likely others are to join in and participate a second time. Be inclusive to non-vegans as well. Afterall, we can make a far greater impact on the planet by working with non-vegans than by soley hanging out with a group people who already see the big picture. An all vegan world, or at least an all vegan community, can be an ideal goal, but be open to the involvement of others too. You'll be surprised how many people you can influence by being a positive role model for a healthy vegan lifestyle. Most of the people I've introduced veganism to, and who are now vegans because of that introduction and interaction, were positively influenced by my role model approach rather than my judgements or criticisms of their lifestyle at the time. A favorite quote of mine is from an annoymous source and says, "When your actions speak for themselves, don't interrupt."

The more vegan community events worldwide, the more animal lives we can save, the more human lives we can save, and the greater our chances are of improving the quality of our planet. There are veg fests all over the world and I encourage you to attend one in your area to to get involved in your community. Another great upcoming event is the OrganicAthlete Conference on September 30 in San Francisco, California. Successful vegan athletes who talk the talk and walk the walk will be on hand to present their strategies for success and explain how they thrive on a plant-based diet.

Remember that healthy food defines you, and you are in a position to make a tremendous impact on your community and your planet. Embrace the opportunities before you and share your organic vegan lifestyle with the world, encouraging and motivating others along your journey.

Robert Cheeke

it would be so much simpler to get the amount of attention necessary to really change society if a couple of key politicians could be won over. i mean, if bush or blair were vegans and spoke out on behalf of this lifestyle, many people would start to think. but they wouldn't dare, even if they wanted to. i observed many an election campaign and found that at least in germany,and probably not only there, you don't stand the ghost of a chance if you don't do what simple-minded traditional people want. and the last thing they want is change. if you said you don't drink beer, they would simply dislike you, but if you said you don't eat animals, they would accuse you of being against farmers, tradition etc. and you would be finished before you got started. also, people like myths, like the one that meat makes strong. so they would conclude that vegan politicians would be too weak to guide. sad, but true.

here in rural portugal, there is not much point in trying to create a vegan community. i guess i am the only vegan and maybe even vegetarian in this little town of 15,000 souls. people think it is normal and they would only shake their heads if you promoted living without meat. after all, this is a country where people are increasinly fond of bull-fighting again...

I would love it if there were a larger veg*n community around here. And I'm not even that much in the boonies! I'm only an hour's drive from Toronto, but the general sentiment here is that your financial worth is proven by how upscale a steakhouse you take your significan other to on a date. *sigh*

I just don't know how to promote without preaching... I was preached to last year by an enthusiastic vegan and Peta supporter and I wasn't exactly inspired to follow. I just felt defensive about my own choices. And that is how my family behaves around me, even though I never say a word! They always justify WHY they are alright with eating meat and WHY Canada has better farm practice than other countries and WHY they have no desire to go veg... It boggles my mind. Why would they behave that way?? (sorry, going OT)

I am in Southern California, and am amazed at the amount of ignorance here regarding vegetarianism/veganism.

I am in Southern California, and am amazed at the amount of ignorance here regarding vegetarianism/veganism.

Me too.

Me too.

Why do you suppose it's like that here? My husband travels a lot in CA for business. Right now he's in Santa Barbara, and he's been lucky enough to find a pretty good Thai restaurant. Last week he was in Northern California, and the pickings were slim indeed. When we went to San Diego last year, I just about starved. I found more vegan options in Vermont than I have here.

I dunno, it's very strange. For being so hip and trendy San Diego has very few vegan/vegetarian restaurants. There's a few in Hillcrest (San Diego's gay neighborhood downtown.) I know of one in North County but I haven't tried it yet. We do have healthfood stores up the wazoo here which is nice (there's 6 within 10 minutes of my house and they're building another one down the street from my son's highschool.) If you know where to go, you can get pretty good vegan food at some of the mexican places around here. They don't drown everything in cheese and most places don't use lard in anything (some of the little taco shops do and there's a tremendous language barrier in those places so I generally avoid them nowadays.)

a friend of mine has to go to austin, texas, from time to time for business reasons and she says it is hard to find vegetarian food there. actually, she says there is the smell of bbq and steaks in the air everywhere you go :cool: i don't know if she is exaggerating because she is vegetarian or if it is true.
wasn't it the semitic god who got all excited about the smell of animals being bbqed and who promted the first murder when he rejected cain's plant sacrifice in favor of abel's animal sacrifice? :think:

We do have healthfood stores up the wazoo here which is nice

That's one thing we really lack here-except for trendy, expensive places like Wild Oats or Whole Foods (neither of which is near us, anyway). There's supposed to be a little one in the next city just north of us, but I haven't found it yet. There's another one closer, but it's mostly vitamins and supplements. I wanted Brewer's Yeast, but haven't found a place that sells it in bulk. We will go back to SD later this year, so maybe you can tell me if there are any near where our hotel will be.

We have Henry's which was a local chain but Wild Oats bought it. For the most part, it's cheaper than the grocery store.

Dennis Kucinich the democrat that ran for president in 2004 is vegan