Bellingham Student Crowned peta2’s 2014 ‘Cutest Vegan Alive’

21-Year-Old’s Winning Smile and Optimism Take the Vegan Cake in National Competition

For Immediate Release:
July 8, 2014

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Bellingham native Lauren Boushey is always smiling―and now she has something new to smile about. The Western Washington University senior has been chosen from scores of entrants across the country to become the female winner of the Cutest Vegan Alive contest sponsored by peta2, PETA’s youth division. Boushey has won a professional photo shoot and the opportunity to star in her own peta2 ad.

“Lauren’s enthusiasm for helping animals is contagious,” says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. “Whether she’s volunteering at a pig sanctuary, raising money for her local humane society, or posting college budget–friendly vegan recipes to Instagram, she constantly shows how easy, fun, and fulfilling it is to be cruelty-free.”

Boushey says that she was meant to be an animal advocate. In an area of Washington where hunting and raising animals for food are common, she loans out her vegan cookbooks and regularly goes to farmers’ markets to pass out information on healthy, plant-based diets. And she does it all with friendliness and a positive attitude.

“Veganism has changed my life in ways others search for their whole lives,” she says. “I live my life by the principles of respect and gratitude, and what better way to be thankful for the life I’ve been given than by respecting my body and the lives of other living beings through plant-based living?”

Boushey will hold the Cutest Vegan Alive title for a year, alongside the male winner, Jorge Cowan of Miami.

Winners were selected based on several factors, including vote count. For more information or to view photos of and read more about the finalists, please click here.