Animal & Vegan Advocacy Summit

Lauren Breuer
De '2022

I recently went to the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit in Washington, and it was so incredible to say the least. This is a conference where people from all over the world connect to help animals and the world. I had a vision of what it might have turned out to be, but nothing like it was. I was so pleasantly shocked with the bougieness of everything, the adaptability of the hotel to be all vegan for us, and all of the organizations working to change the world for animals. It was so amazing.  

ETHICALLY EXPOSED

It was so easy to live at the hotel, I didn’t have to look at ingredients, I got to learn something new every hour, I socialized with so many people, made connections, and friends with the same values. I just can’t stop saying how amazing it was.

The professionalism was on point, as in, it wasn’t over the top where people were rehearsed when speaking to one another, but people took pride in what they said, how they said it, and how it would impact the world.

The main meaning of the conference was justice, freedom, and rights for animals. No one looked at me like I was crazy, people spiraled off of what I said, there was no miscommunication of missions, and it was just purely special. I honestly haven’t been actively/physically a part of the movement, until recent weeks. I have always worked with rescues, and legislation to change things, but since being involved in vigils, at this conference, I have discovered a community of like-minded people who love animals more than people. 

I am so grateful for this experience and I truly cannot wait for the next conference. I didn’t want to leave, yet I am so excited to share what I learned with the world and really make a significant impact even more now. People from all around the world came to this 

conference, there were 47 countries there, well-known people from social media I didn’t think I’d really meet, and worldly professionals in science, medicine, nutrition, philosophy, etc.. I met Dr. Alka Chandna an investigator and researcher for 40 years, now working with PETA. I met Dr. Faraz Harsini, who is a pharmaceutical researcher who studies animal testing alternatives and has a non-profit, ASAP to help others spread the message that animal testing is outdated, unreliable and so expensive.

I met Dr. Greger, the author of How Not to Die, an amazing book, supported by scientific research that plants can and will heal you, and how a plant-based diet is essential for life longevity. 

I am beyond amazed at what people do in this movement and how they gain support from others. Before getting involved in this conference, I honestly didn’t think the animal rights community was that large, but now I know that there really are people who care. It’s not the whole world, but it is a lot. I wish people who eat meat were able and willing to listen to the talks that went on, because I truly believe they would have a different mindset when it comes to eating food. But, time will make its way to those who don’t want to know, and eventually make the news unavoidable. 

Animals are just like us as in they feel and experience everything that we feel. Science is on our side, but money is not. If people would only question governmental officials, people in charge, we would be living in a much less, problematic and cruel world. You know, people complain so much about the problems in this world, yet they remain ignorant by not learning and educating themselves. Information and reputable sources are free, so there is genuinely no excuse to not know something thoroughly, especially if you voice your opinion on it. 

I met people from so many organizations who are so open and willingly helpful to me, and have provided me with resources that will be so beneficial. For anyone who reads my writing, I met Sakov from Sentient Media, and I was so excited! I didn’t know Setient Media was a thing, and it made me so happy. It’s a media site, where all of the news is based around animal rights topics, and all of the latest information regarding the movement. 

Thank you to all who made this event possible and so immensely special. I appreciate you all so much, and I look forward to connecting with everyone again soon!