- MASTERCLASS
How to be a vegan activist
with Vegan Activist & author, John Awen
For many of us, starting a vegan business is a way of furthering the vegan cause by aligning our passion with how we make a living. We want to do more than just be vegan, it’s our small bit of activism to make it easier for more people to follow a vegan lifestyle.
But what if you want to go further than that? Is it possible to be a full time vegan activist when you still have bills to pay? Having raised animals for slaughter himself, John Awen underwent a life-changing journey into veganism that has lead to him now being one of the country’s most prolific vegan campaigners.
We put all these questions to John, and not only is the interview a great insight into the realities of being a vegan activist, it’s also an inspirational story of how anyone can completely change their lives for the better and then help others to do the same.
In this session:
- John’s life-changing journey into veganism and how he first got involved in vegan activism with a postcard in his local supermarket.
- How feasible is it, financially, to be a full-time activist.
- What experience you need to be a vegan coach or mentor.
- When there’s been such a rise in high-profile vegan activists, how do you build your own brand and create your own voice?
- How you can use the low points in your past to empower your future.
- How to build a following, and how much work you need to put into being an activist or speaker.
- How has the Covid-19 lockdown changed activism, and what you can still do when you can’t gather a room full of people to talk to.
- Is there any competition amongst activists, and are less-experienced activists disadvantaged?
- How to deal with negative comments directed at you as an activist by doing your homework and practising your reactions beforehand.
- Ways to look after yourself mentally when you are surrounding yourself with distressing images, videos and experiences.
- Easy everyday vegan activism you can do yourself – without having to be a full-time activist.
- Groups and organisations that you can connect with, from The Vegan Society through to Anonymous for the Voiceless.
- An offer to get in touch with John if you want support and help on your vegan journey or to get more involved in activism.
