Join Jerry from "Jef and Jer" for APRL's Afternoon for
Animals
Join APRL for an unforgettable afternoon with Jerry Cesak, co-host of the Jeff and Jer Showgram on San Diego's STAR
94.1. Jerry will lead an inspiring discussion about recent victories in
animal protection, and share stories of his involvement with California's Prop 2. Enjoy vegan hors d’oeuvres,
cocktails, silent auction items and good company! All proceeds benefit APRL.
When: Saturday, August 6 from
2:00-4:00pm
Location: the home of Dustine Gallagher (address provided upon RSVP)
Dress: semi-formal (think "summer wedding")
Ticket
Price: $50
RSVP: RSVP online and follow the instructions for Afternoon For Animals tickets.
Animal Rights Conference in
LA
Don't miss the annual Animal Rights 2011 Conference, the world's largest and oldest animal
rights gathering. AR2011 will take place July 21-25 in Los Angeles at the Westin LAX Hotel. There will be more than 100 speakers, including APRL's Bryan Pease
and Kath
Rogers, sessions on animal protection, organizing, tactics, issues, talks by other social justice leaders, awards to celebrities and activists, etc. Click here for more
information and to register. If you would be interested in taking a bus from SD to LA, please reply to let us know. Be sure to stop by our booth at the
conference!
Elected Officials Support the San Diego
Seals
Four current and former San Diego City
Councilmembers (Donna Frye, Ben Hueso, Todd Gloria and Marti Emerald), have signed declarations supporting APRL's lawsuit to enforce the City Council
resolution passed last year for a year-round guideline rope to
protect the La Jolla seals. Congresswoman Susan Davis also submitted an amicus letter in support. The city's own Planning Commission, which is a lower body
than the Council and not elected, overruled the Council's vote earlier this year.
The final hearing in the case will be July 15 at 2:30pm in Dept. 60 of the San Diego Superior Court, 330 W.
Broadway St., San Diego, CA 92101. The public is welcome to come watch.
Updates
- APRL teamed up with Animal Defenders
International and PETA to publicize abuse of elephants by Have Trunk Will Travel, a Riverside based company that brings elephants
to the San Diego Zoo.
- APRL volunteers passed out over 1,500 pro-veg leaflets at the Ocean Beach Street Fair last
weekend. A woman came up to our table and said she had gone vegetarian after seeing one of our flyers at another festival
last month!
- Five more restaurants dropped foie gras after being contacted by APRL in June.
- APRL's Thrift Store is doing so well that we are considering opening a second location. If you have any ideas for a second location,
email us!
How I Went Vegan: An Interview With APRL Intern Alex
Metz
Alex Metz went vegan close to a year ago when she started getting involved in animal protection work as an
intern (she
is now interning for APRL). We chatted with Alex in the office today about her decision to go vegan, and how it has impacted her life.
You went vegan when you started volunteering for animals - how
is veganism tied to your desire to help animals?
When I became actively involved in animal welfare I began to witness first
hand how destructive and awful the dairy industry is. I was already vegetarian, but I felt I was still contributing to animal suffering by consuming
these products and supporting the industry, and going vegan seemed like the natural progression.
How has the decision to go vegan impacted your life?
I find myself attentive to my nutrition in a way I never was
before. On the surface, I have lost weight and I am energized and in tune with my body. Most importantly, I feel more confident in my
activism and my ability to advertise the lifestyle to those around me.
You mentioned that you once thought being vegan was
unattainable - how has your perspective changed?
I felt a lot of anxiety about going vegan and the fear of having to restrict
myself, but I’ve since found it’s all about creativity and delicious new ingredients.
You consider yourself a foodie. How has your view of food
changed and what are some of your favorite things to eat as a vegan?
My father is a chef raised in his family’s butcher shop and he
raised me accordingly, so I had to completely rework my attitude toward food. I feel inspired when I cook and it is constantly rewarding to find a new way to
fulfill an old craving. My absolute favorite recipe so far is vegan alfredo sauce made with acorn squash and nutritional yeast. It’s better
and healthier than the original, and even my dad enjoys
it.
Do you have any words of advice for new or aspiring vegans?
Don’t be scared, and don’t beat yourself up if you
falter at times. Be proud of yourself for the fact that you’re attempting something so new and different. Over time it will become
second nature!
