Year #1

The origin story and a gift from me :)

8 years ago, I had an epiphany: I couldn’t continue living as a privileged teen parasite - I needed to do better for others, and for the world. But in this initial pursuit of greatness, I failed to do good.

I still ate animals.

After 4 years of documentaries and gradual changes, I finally became Vegan. Except, it wasn’t enough for me. I was still angry at myself. Still angry at the world. It was the type of anger that makes your vision go black. An anger that eventually numbs you. A numbness that makes you want to end it all.

1 and a half years ago, I just couldn’t take it anymore. If I couldn’t save myself, I’ll try to save others who have it worse. Who better to save than the beings who suffer from the largest unnecessary injustices on this planet? So with clearer vision and a renewed sense of purpose, I began my journey as an Animal Rights Activist.

Since my partner wasn’t Vegan yet, and I didn’t want to force her to be, I’d try to “force” others. I took to the streets alone and picketed around the capital of Florida. I paced outside major supermarkets with $1 poster boards saying, “your food is their genocide,” as I explained in gruesome detail through a megaphone how innocent chickens are killed.

It wasn’t working.

My fellow citizens turned up their radios. They hid behind cameras. They showed me their middle fingers. They ate chicken flesh in front of me. They heckled me all the way to burnout and hopelessness. With no one to share these feelings with, I never felt more alone in my entire life.

Rummaging through the ashes of my burnout, I desperately searched for motivation, hope, and connection. In it, I found this speech, where Joey Carbstrong says,

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

These were the exact words I needed to hear - I knew I couldn’t go out there again, at least, not alone.

I needed teammates, I needed a more sustainable way to advocate for non-human animals, and I needed a way to ignite hope in others to do the same.

I needed this newsletter.

And thus, VEGAN WORLD NOW was born.

Today, it turns 1 year old.

150 of you are now here with me on this journey, and I couldn’t be more grateful! Here’s how some of you kept me going:

I’d like to give a specific thank you to two special people:

• My partner in crime, Lia, who has proofread every post I’ve written (including this one), and believed in every action I took, even when she wasn’t Vegan.

• Serena
  , who graciously collaborated with me since the beginning of the Monthly Hopium Injections!

To say thank you to all of my beautiful subscribers, I’m giving away $100! The first 4 subscribers to share any VEGAN WORLD NOW post with 3 non-subscribers will receive a $25 gift card to an online Vegan supermarket of their choosing! Just send me the screenshots that you shared it along with a link to your preferred online Vegan supermarket (I personally like PlantX, but I’m not affiliated). Then, I’ll reply with your gift! We use the honor system here.

You can send me the screenshots via email (writeme@thatdaniperson.com), via phone (if you have my number), or via Substack by hitting the button below.

Over the next year, I look forward to continue writing essays on Veganism, giving presentations on Veganism, podcasting about Veganism, discussing animal rights with strangers, helping people go and stay Vegan, and delivering our beloved Monthly Hopium Injections.

Because we need it, and they need us.

Until every cage is empty,
Dani