“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has!”
—Margaret Mead
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Activism is the lifeblood of social change. One person who accepts your leaflet about veganism and decides, “No more meat!” spares the lives of hundreds of animals. That person may then inspire friends and family to go vegetarian, they in turn inspire others and on it goes. If one leaflet can ignite a chain reaction that saves countless animals, imagine the possibilities when you hand out hundreds!
The recipe for successful activism includes patience and perseverance. Here are some people who have made it their business to make a difference for animals. We hope you’ll join them.
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Defend
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Shelia Rybak is a diehard fur foe. For the past three years, she has organized protests every Saturday afternoon, from Fur-Free Friday until the end of March, outside fur stores in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
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Fundraise!
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Scott VanValkenburg organized a huge yard sale to benefit PETA’s SNIP-mobile, which provides free spay/neuter services to residents of Hampton Roads, Virginia. He e-mailed dozens of friends and family members, urging them to donate their unwanted furniture and cast-aside clothing, and raised $2,000 to support SNIP’s services.
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Legislate!
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Tammy Fielberkorn worked with residents to get wildlife exhibits, including circuses, banned in Estes Park, Colorado. She also teamed up with a Boulder City Council member to pass legislation banning ownership and exhibition of exotic animals. Tammy says, “This effort took about one year from start to end, but it was well worth it!”
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Protest!
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Bob Chorush launched a 7-foot-tall papier-mâché “duck” mounted on a boat into the water. His clarinet-playing and random shotgun blasts ensured that duck hunters went home empty-handed.
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Parade!
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Jackie Domac, a teacher who oversees her high school’s Peace Club, organized and worked with students to build a colorful float that told parade-watchers that bullfights are “no fiesta for the bull.”
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Table!
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Whenever there is a street fair or festival in Seattle, David Bemel can be found handing out animal rights information. His recent West Coast tabling tour, which took him from Phoenix to Boise, brought in more than a thousand requests for vegetarian starter kits.
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Educate
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Knowing that travelers are always hungry for reading material, Rachel Summerose passes out free copies of PETA’s vegetarian starter kit to commuters as they board trains at New York City’s Union Square Station. With a warm smile, Rachel offers the life-saving information, which is quickly snapped up by passengers.
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Inspire
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Alka Chandna offers free vegan cooking classes at her local health food store. She teaches aspiring vegans how to make scrumptious dishes like seitan loaf, stuffed butternut squash and chocolate tofu cheesecake. “Anyone can do this,” Alka says, noting that her only qualifications are that she’s vegan and that she likes to eat. “By working through our local health food stores, we can seize the opportunity of this very ripe moment to help record numbers of people take the vegan plunge,” she adds.
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Revise
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Anonymous chicken champions revamped a Chick-Fil-A billboard on a busy highway that featured two cartoon cows suggesting that motorists “Eat Mor Chikin” to read, “Eat Mor Tofu.”
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Prosecute
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 Nathan Runkle, armed with photographs and videotape of dead and dying hens taken inside egg factory farms, pressed prosecutors to file cruelty charges against Buckeye and Daylay egg farms.
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Get Started Today
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 • Order PETA’s Guide to Becoming an Activist—packed with ideas and advice for tabling, making displays, fundraising, lobbying and organizing public meetings. Visit PETAMall.com or contact PETA to order.
• Tell us what you’ve been up to, and include any available photographs or news clippings. We might feature you in a future issue of Animal Times!
• Visit PETA.org often. In addition to the online guide to activism, you’ll find action alerts on urgent issues that need your help.
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