Bluffton Native Among Finalists in peta2's 'Cutest Vegetarian' Contest

The Vote Is On as Ball State University Student Beats Out More Than 3,000 Contenders 

For Immediate Release:
May 27, 2010

Contact:
Marta Holmberg 757-622-7382

Bluffton, Ind. -- What does 19-year-old Bluffton native Joe Jackson have in common with Heroes cutie Milo Ventimiglia? Ventimiglia was a winner of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Alive contest, and Jackson is one of the male finalists in the spin-off Cutest Vegetarian Alive contest sponsored by peta2, PETA's youth division. Jackson beat out more than 3,000 contestants from across the U.S. Supporters can vote for their hometown favorites by visiting peta2.com or by clicking here.  Two winners (one male and one female) will be announced on June 8, and each will win a professional photo shoot and star in a peta2 ad.

"More and more Americans are going vegetarian every day, and young people are leading the charge," says peta2 director Dan Shannon. "It's no wonder: Vegetarians are slimmer, trimmer, and healthier, on average, than meat-eaters, so they're bound to be a lot cuter too!"

A freshman at Ball State University, Jackson went vegetarian three years ago while doing a research project about the meat industry for his high school English class. He lost his taste for meat after watching the hard-hitting video "Meet Your Meat" on peta2.com, and he went vegan on his 18th birthday after researching the milk industry. Jackson regularly tweets about the importance of adopting animals from shelters rather than buying them from pet stores or breeders. He hopes that by making kind choices, he will inspire others to make them too. After graduation, Jackson would like to join the Peace Corps and help with business development in South America. He enjoys traveling, learning Spanish, and cooking vegan meals.

To view photos and bios of all the finalists and to vote in the contest, please click here.