Name: Jonathan Rosenberry
Age: 27
Occupation: Freelance videographer

How long have you been vegan? I’ve been vegan for 1 year and 1 month.

Jon, finishing his first ultra marathon (50-mile run)

Why did you choose to be vegan?
I chose to be vegan when I learned that it was the best thing to do for my health, the animals and this planet. I just see it as a win-win-win situation. I’m nervous about what will happen to our planet in 20 years if the majority of society does not adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet. Therefore, I want to spread the message by leading as an example.

Biggest challenge:
The biggest challenge for me was facing belief differences with my family and friends and in social gatherings. But once I overcame that fear, I realized I could embrace those moments of discomfort to spread awareness to others. Someone always asks, “so why don’t you eat meat?” And I can’t wait for that question because it’s such a good conversation starter and a great way to casually inform others about the issues of factory farming and what challenges our planet faces in years to come. My second favorite question is “so where do you get your protein from?” I get so much joy from this question and love educating people about the nutritional value of a vegan diet.

Best reward:
The biggest reward is to see those around me become influenced by my diet and beliefs. For example, after educating my dad more about the health benefits of veganism and having him watch Forks Over Knives, I got a text from him saying he had just thrown away all the dairy in the fridge and was going to try being vegan. He used to eat chicken, fish and dairy products, so to hear him say that made me so happy. And he’s been mostly vegan for several months now. Even just hearing from an omnivorous family or friend that they ate a vegan meal or made a vegan dinner is really exciting to me.

Are you involved in AR, vegan outreach, etc.?
I’ve been a little hesitant to go full force into animal rights participation and vegan outreach because I was nervous about being confrontational, but I have taken baby steps into activism and leafleting and I do it in my own style and it feels really good be a part of it. Now I volunteer about once a week and have been on a leafleting tour through Vancouver, Canada with The Humane League.

Advice for new vegans:
There is so much advice I would like to share with new vegans or those thinking about becoming vegan. I jumped from being a pescetarian to being a vegan overnight which worked for me, but it may not be for everyone. I have found that if I give myself a rule or deadline to do something then I will actually do it. I made a rule that on my birthday, I would become vegan for one year, then after that one year I could change back if I felt it wasn’t right for me. But once I made the jump I never looked back, and now over one year later, I plan on staying vegan for the rest of my life. I like to think that not everyone needs to be a militant vegan if they’re afraid about the switch, just do what you can and do what you feel is right. I highly recommend getting a Vitamix or a decent blender, because making smoothies is so fun, easy and delicious! Just make sure to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in your diet.

Parting words:
Being vegan has been the best and most life changing decision I’ve ever made. It has positively affected my relationships, athletic abilities, achievements, and now I have a better outlook on life.

Keep up with Jonathan and check out his:

facebook page
instagram
cinematography portfolio

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