FEATURE: The Chocolate Vegan

Before I became vegan, I weighed 350 pounds and I didn't really exercise or take my health all that seriously. I played video games and slept a lot. I'm not trying to say that all people who are 350 pounds have my experience or are 'lazy' (especially because of the body positive movement that's happening today), I am only speaking from my own standpoint. I felt like I was being a bad role model to my children because I was teaching them that exercise and eating a nutritious diet weren't important things. 

My sister introduced me to the concept of veganism and I was like "Okay, I'll give it a shot." Little did I know my life was going to be completely flipped around. So, I decided to study it a little further and I researched things on YouTube and Wiki just so that I could understand the concepts a little better. As time went by, I was changing my eating habits, and before I knew it, in 10 months, I lost 160 pounds. 

I'm still shocked to this day about the weight loss. Now, my overall body feels amazing. Also, my children are following my footsteps in terms of health. I'm always outside doing something and my mind feels clearer than I was before. Life is great and I feel unstoppable. Veganism saved my life and paved a better future for my two kids. I want to add that it's not only saving my life, but countless animals lives because veganism is a more compassionate way of living. My kids now follow this compassionate lifestyle as well, and they show love towards animals like I do. 

FEATURE: Rachael Peart

Hi! My name's Rachael (rah-shell). My vegan journey started at the beginning of 2015 when I really wanted to do something about my health. As a 20-something, you may ask "what could possibly be wrong with your health at such a young age?" I was diagnosed with lupus at age 16 and on medications to treat it since then. There is no cure for lupus but with the right medications, you can treat it into remission (more on that in a bit). I began watching documentaries on YouTube over the next couple of months.

Then I stumbled onto Earthlings. You probably know how it goes from there. I went vegetarian - for the second time - overnight. I continued to eat eggs and cheese over the next week before I quit it all cold turkey...is that a vegan expression? ;)

I was a poor student in Boston at that time so my only real choice was walking a mile every week to Trader Joe's. My first job was a little closer to home, so I moved back for 10 months before moving again to where I am now - Iowa, or as I like to call it "meat and milk country". Not only is Iowa known for its corn, but also as one of the biggest pork producers in the country.

Due to the nature of my job here, I am somewhat in the public eye. I want to use my platform to show that if I - someone who once cried when Burger King brought back chicken fries - can be a vegan, anyone can. It's healthy, good for the planet and can be good for your wallet, hence the hashtag #brokeblackvegan that I use from time to time.

I'm not one of those girls on YouTube that shed an entire person going vegan. Quite the opposite. I've gained weight trying to figure it out. I'm Caribbean so I love starches and salt (though that may not be the ideal combination for my body), however, its all about finding out what works for you. But something has been working for me as I've received word from my doctor that lupus hasn't been active in my body!

If I can help just one other person heal themselves or feel better about themselves through this way of life, then I feel I have succeeded. Be well. Be vegan.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachaelPeartWX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachaelJPeart
Website: http://www.rachaelpeart.com/
Blog: https://rachaelpeart.wordpress.com/

FEATURE: Breck Oxford

Hey, my name is Breck Oxford and I'm a vegan chef who hails from New Jersey and I've called Brooklyn, NY my home for several  years. At 11 years old, I made the decision to become vegetarian when my mother light-heartedly dared me to remove meat from my diet. Being the strong-willed, dare devil that I was, I took the challenge and won and haven't looked back since. 

During the late 80's and early 90's, finding vegetarian-friendly options proved to be difficult. With a non-existent market for vegetarians, I found myself living off of foods such as salads, pizzas and breads (a carbivore if you will) . When I moved to Brooklyn,  I was introduced to countless creative vegetarian options.

It was then that I discovered my passion (well that and a boy) for culinary arts and yearned for a career change (former professional dancer). Shortly after I  began managing some of New York City’s top vegan restaurants, I decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle. My passion for cooking only grew and soon I found myself creating  plant-based dishes.

My  ‘Crabless Cakes’ seemed to be the highlight of all social gatherings, making it a frequent request by family and friends. After observing a number of non-vegetarian/vegan friends and family members indulge in my plant-based dishes, I knew it was time to start my own business. Insatiable Vegan was born! We offer cooking classes (group and private), catering and personal chef experiences. 

As I've gotten older (and wiser), my focus has geared towards health and ensuring that we all live longer lives, especially in my community. 
I truly believe my purpose in this life is to spread love and gratitude by way of food.

Social Media

Instagram: @insatiablevegan
Twitter: @insatiablevegan
Website: www.insatiablevegannyc.com
Email: insatiablevegan@gmail.com
YouTube Chanel: insatiable TV

FEATURE: Milton R. Mills, M.D.

Milton R. Mills, M.D., serves as associate director of preventive medicine for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a North American group of doctors and laypersons dedicated to promoting improved health care, better and more appropriate nutrition, and higher standards in medical research.

Dr. Mills practices outpatient clinic-based medicine in Northern Virginia and works as a critical care physician with Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia and United Medical Center in Washington DC. His varied experiences specializing in internal medicine and HIV disease, and in the relationship between nutrition and chronic diseases has made him extensively knowledgeable about the unique healthcare needs of minorities, the challenges of practicing medicine in inner cities, and the special medical and nutritional requirements of HIV+ and AIDS patients.

As an African-American physician focusing on preventive medicine, Dr. Mills has delved into some of the environmental and societal influences affecting the health of African Americans and other racial/ethnic minorities. Dr. Mills has lectured and given research seminars across the United States and in Mexico and Canada on such topics as the negative impacts of meat and dairy consumption on human health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS, nutrition and cancer, and the dietary needs of various ethnic groups. 

Dr. Mills, who graduated in 1991 from Stanford University School of Medicine, began working with AIDS patients while still in school. He also served as student body president of the medical school, founded the Minority Students' Alliance, and worked as editor-in-chief and managing editor of the Stanford Medical School newspaper. He did his internship at the University of California-San Francisco, and completed his residency training at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mills' papers on race and diet have appeared in the Journal of the National Medical Association. 

FEATURE: Deja Vaughn

December 23, 2015. My family and I had just left Olive Garden. I had this massive pasta with the juiciest sausage and mouth-watering, melting cheese. I thought it was literally the best thing to ever happen that day. I devoured it as if my life depended on it. When we stood up to leave the restaurant, this excruciating pain erupted from my stomach like it was being wrapped in a blanket of nails. The pain continued for a couple of hours and shortly after making it home I got on my computer -doing what millennials do best- and started watching YouTube Videos.

 Searching down my timeline I came across a video titled, “101 Reasons To Go Vegan”, with one (watch it completely) changing my life forever. 
I knew it was a sign. 

Prior to this I was getting notifications and talks from peers around me about becoming vegan and how most of the the food on our plate is not safe for our bodies to process. I continued to watch video after video and read article after article. It became unreal. 

Once you become educated on the food industry and see how your food ACTUAL makes it to your plate, you can never un-see it.  I grew up in a household where TV dinners, meat, and dairy were constantly consumed and no one thought anything of it. So you can imagine how my family looked at me once I tried to educate them on what they were really eating. 

After immediately becoming enlightened with this knowledge I took baby steps into my process. I remember heading to my pantry and throwing out everything that had animal products in it. Honey, cheese, turkey, ham, bags of chips, gummies, and even juices all had to GO. I cold-turkey gave up meat and went pescatarian for about a week. After that my diet was raw and my body become very sick for two weeks, purging out all the processed and chemically treated food as it wasn’t used to a natural diet. 
There are positives in the negative because after the hard part, my body started to thrive and I never looked back. I knew this was no phase, this was a major life change. There were so many benefits from this change like glowing skin and much more energy. There were a lot of positive changes happening in my life. 

Going vegan wasn’t scary or too difficult to do. Its back to the basics. Its simple. Its delicious. Its real. Its not processed. Since then, I’ve watched numerous documentaries, read books, articles, and immersed myself in learning everything about plant based nutrition. 

I made a commitment to become plant-based vegan and to try to educate others on how this lifestyle is not only ethical for the animals, but it is also ethical for your body and the planet. It was one of the best life-changing and defining moments of my life.

Social Media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dejaav/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DejaaV
Blog: http://dejavaughn.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJLg8snMwSVdQfeM4S3bsxw?disable_polymer=true 

FEATURE: Cornelius Brown

Since I was a child, I never wanted to finish eating the flesh of a chicken's leg or other parts of an animal's bones. Something in the back of my mind believed there was something wrong! Due to my IGNORance of it, as I started to get older, I grew up fishing, gutting, and witnessed plenty of animals being killed, opened up, and then eaten on the spot! That enabled me to taste and know the difference between NATURAL carnivore and a CONDITIONED carnivore. The moment I started being attracted to the truth, awareness was raised in my own household. Together we began to search and research HOW the body works, which then made us aware of how all complex diseases occur in the body, and WHY we as humans are NOT internally compatible to consume DEAD bodies aka flesh meat!

We also had to learn how to recognize why we had even thought eating meat was normal in the first place! ILLUSIONS! Now that we have come this far, I am now able to think clearly, recognize our society's illusions, and eat ONLY compatible foods that fuel life inside of our bodies! I am now assisting in spreading awareness and I am currently studying to become a holistic health and wellness consultant. Also, my brother and I are CEO and Co-CEO of the Official DARK DIAMOND LLC brand/organization, which is the official sponsor of L.O.T.I.H. Natural Alternatives Workshops, and pro-boxing athlete: Ken "Scrappy" Taylor!

Social Media

Facebook: RonTrel Brown (Conscious Kingn)

Email: DarkDiamonds86@gmail.com

Instagram: darkdiamondlifestyle

Official Website: www.darkdiamondentertainment.com

FEATURE: Ady Namaran Coulibaly

My name is Ady Namaran Coulibaly. I am a vegan, environmental and health activist, a journalist, editor of Health Africa Vegan Magazine, an interpreter and graphic designer. I have a B.A in Communication (Journalism), and studying for a Masters in Conference Interpreting.

I was introduced to veganism while on my spiritual journey. First, I got to know of the benefit of veganism as a Pranic healer. Then I also read the book of Supreme Master Chin Hai (a philanthropist, spiritual leader and vegan activist) entitled ‘From Crisis to Peace: The Organic Vegan Way is the Answer’. Gradually, I developed interest in learning more about veganism in order to convince myself that I was on the right path. 

The more I read books and searched for information online, the more I became convinced that I had made the right choice to be vegan, and that I was fortunate to have come across this unique lifestyle. I have come to understand the pain, suffering and level of cruelty animals go through due to the selfish and irrational food choices of humans. From that point on, I made a commitment to play an active role in creating awareness about veganism. I have had the privilege of being featured on 365 vegans.

I am leading the Meatless Monday Campaign in Ghana, West Africa.  The goal of this global campaign is to encourage the adoption of plant-based diets at least once in a week for non-vegans, thus making them appreciate the need for veganism and gradually leading them to being vegan. I visit schools to enlighten the cooking staff on the benefit of a vegan diet and to encourage them to adopt this diet at least once a week, on Mondays.

I had a vegan pregnancy, and I am on an exciting journey of raising my daughter as a proud vegan. Being vegan has completely changed my outlook about life. I feel more at peace with nature and animals; I am full of life and energy, healthy and at peace with myself.  

Social Media

Personal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/namaran
Facebook for Meatless Monday: https://www.facebook.com/meatlessmondaygh/?fref=ts

FEATURE: Nzinga Young

My mom raised me vegetarian. It was all about health and I didn’t even consider the ethical implications until I was an adult and started meditating.

Vipassana is a Buddhist practice that takes 10 days in silence to learn. You commit to five precepts during your stay and one is not to kill or support killing. Every Vipassana center is traditionally vegetarian because cows’ milk and unfertilized eggs probably didn’t involve killing during Buddha’s lifetime, but I had a vague understanding of the modern-day egg and dairy industries and knew I had to go vegan to stay in line with my practice.

I had a bumpy start with lots of mishaps. I slipped up and ate non-vegan food when I was drunk, so I gave up alcohol after my first Vipassana retreat and finally went vegan after my second. Midway through 2015, I was fully committed to a vegan lifestyle.

I started freelance writing for vegan businesses and contributing articles to HuffPost so I’d have the flexibility to attend vegan conferences all over the world. My goal has always been to increase the prevalence of plant-based eating in African American communities--I just didn’t know how. Since animal activists want people eating plants as much as I do, I figured learning their best practices and translating them to my community would be helpful.

But I was usually one of the only black women in these spaces. Issues of diversity were overlooked, and the animal rights movement was missing an opportunity to connect with African Americans--who have the largest per-person meat consumption rate in the US.

I complained a lot until I realized I could take an idea and do something with it. I founded Wanyama Box in October of 2016 as a tool to help vegans get their loved ones to stop eating animals while raising money for vegan initiatives in communities of color.

Wanyama (which means “animals” in Swahili) is my way of bridging the causes I care about most: animals and the black community. I know I have a lot bring to each issue, so I’m excited to see how my ideas and involvement grow over time.

Social Media

Instagram: @veganzinga