Name: Heather Bolint
Age: 28
Occupation: Seattle Director for The Humane League

How long have you been vegan? About 2 years

Why did you choose to be vegan?
I became vegetarian overnight when I was ten years old because I had pet chickens that I loved and were my best friends. We never ate them, and it occurred to me one day that I didn’t want to eat any animal because I realized that my chickens were no different than my cats and dog, and that if I had a pet cow or pig, I wouldn’t want to eat their relatives either. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I attended Farm Sanctuary’s National Conference to End Factory Farming in 2011, that I learned how the dairy and egg industries are still just as bad and contribute to horrific animal suffering. It was a slower process for me to become vegan, but I finally went 100% vegan when I became an intern at Farm Sanctuary two summers ago, and I haven’t looked back since!

Biggest challenge:
How to effectively discuss my reason for being vegan with family and close friends. It can be especially hard around the holidays, and it’s still a challenge to not get too emotional when others still don’t respect my decision.

Best reward:
Being surrounded by a huge network of supportive vegans and animal rights activists who all share the same passion. It’s amazing the amount of love and understanding that this community of people share with each other all across the country and across the world!

Are you involved in AR, vegan outreach, etc.?
Yes, it’s my job! The Humane League is a nationwide farm animal protection organization that focuses on public outreach and education. So much of my work includes distributing literature, tabling at events, giving classroom presentations about factory farming, and organizing people to become effective activists. I feel very fortunate each day to do what I love for work, and it’s rewarding to see others excited about getting involved as well.

Advice for new vegans:
Attend as many vegan/animal activist conferences, workshops and Meetups as possible to gain a stronger network of support. It’s easy to feel isolated and alone after making the decision to be vegan, so it’s very important to surround yourself with others who share your passion and are eager to make a difference. And for students who want to get involved in the movement, networking with people at these events is a great way to find internships and potential jobs – that’s what I did!

Parting words:
It sounds cliche, but it’s true: Be the change you wish to see in the world. When I was ten years old and made the decision to become vegetarian, I vowed that I would someday work to free all the chickens and give them good lives. And now, 18 years later, it’s incredible to find myself in a job that aims to do just that. Follow your passion!

~

Find out more about the work Heather and others are doing at:

The Humane League
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

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