9 minute read
Vegan Women Summit
Words By Bec Doyle | August 16 2022
It’s 7am on a beautiful Spring morning in Los Angeles and the mercury has already hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s going to be a scorcher.. Global warming anyone? Felicitous, considering I’m making my way Downtown for the 2nd annual Vegan Women Summit, taking place at the City Market Social House. The Summit, having taken place predominantly online last year, will host over 800 in-person attendees, and include panels of some of THE most inspiring women at the forefront of the plant based movement; Athletes, CEOs and Celebrities alike. Inspiring women like actress and activist Alicia Silverstone, Daniella Monet founder of Kinder Beauty Box, youth climate activist Genesis Butler, Maggie Baird founder of Support + Feed and of course the VWS founder and author Jenny Stojkovic (to name a few). The line-up of speakers is extensive and diverse, but one thing these women all have in common is their inspiring dedication and contribution to the vegan space.
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Jenny Stokovic Welcoming attendees to the 2nd Annual Vegan Women Summit
As you enter the Summit through a market of incredible vegan companies like Sylven New York and Miyoko’s Creamery, it’s a sensory overload and I can’t help but feel I’ve entered a Vegan wonderland. The Summit is a microcosm of the vegan movement, full of positivity and a connectedness that I have honestly never experienced before. There’s an energy and excitement in the air as attendees get to know each other, exchanging ideas while they connect in the designated lounge spaces. Plant-based food vendors are set up along either side of the main stage playing host to some of the most exciting (and delicious) new products on or about to hit the market, and attendees are eager to sample the goods. Vegan food trucks are also lined up to serve complimentary lunch throughout the day.. if you can peel yourself away from the action on the mainstage long enough!
I had the pleasure of speaking personally with a few of the incredible female panelists and the overall consensus of the summit (and in the words of VWS founder Jenny Stojkovic), not only is the future of food female, it’s plant-based. Women are truly at the forefront of this movement, leading with compassion and a collective sense of urgency to save the animals and our planet.
Miyoko’s Creamery founder and longtime vegan Miyoko Schinner is no novice when it comes to the plantbased food space, having launched multiple successful companies such as Now and Zen and UnTurkey. Already a huge fan of Miyoko’s Creamery Cultured Vegan Butter, I was excited to learn a little more about this über successful chef and entrepreneur including her passion for animals and her very own farm sanctuary! “I’m not just a company selling products, I am an advocate”, she explains. After a call about 2 goats that needed rescuing, “Rufus and Reggie”, sanctuary Rancho Compassion was formed, and is now home to roughly 100 animals. But her advocacy work does not end there, with a growing demand for plant-based milk alternatives and the proven science linking animal agriculture and climate change, Schinner is also committed to guiding traditional farms through this period of change, “We have a farm transition program at Miyokos where we’re trying to help dairy farmers convert to growing crops,” Schinner explains. But progress is never without resistance, “Most dairy farmers are doing what they've been doing for decades. They're doing what they’ve always been taught, but unfortunately the world is changing, so let's help them participate in the new future, there’s room for everybody,” Schinner says.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Jenny Stokovic, Miyoko Schinner, Margaret Coons, Deborah Torres, Danita Claytor, Tamearra Dyson.
I’m in awe of every panelist and the knowledge, wisdom and insight they possess. Even the youngest of today’s speakers is wise beyond her years and a true role model for people of all ages. Genesis Butler, now 15, became vegan at age 6. “I never thought about where my food was coming from. My mom always said it was important to question adults as long as you’re doing it respectfully.” For Genesis this line of questioning and curiosity led to her discovery of the myriad of benefits associated with a vegan lifestyle. During the pandemic Genesis started Youth Climate Save, “I wanted to get youth involved and for them to have a support system.” With 80 chapters operating around the world, Genesis is acutely aware of the sense of urgency when it comes to the climate crisis. “I feel it is really important to do whatever I can and speak out, it’s not exactly what I want to do cause I’m really introverted, but I feel like it’s something I HAVE to do because I don’t have a choice, if I want a planet, I have to do this.” Her advice to fellow youth activists is to not be discouraged “it’s important to continue the work,” she says.
Actress and activist Emily Deschanel is kind, funny and engaging. A prominent advocate for farm animals Deschanel has been working closely with Farm Sanctuary since becoming a member in 2006 and joined the board of directors in 2014. Having been vegan for 29 years Deschanel expresses how inspiring it is to see so many women, and some men too, so energized in this space, though admits being vegan can be lonely. “I still feel alone, a little bit. I’m shocked the world isn’t more vegan, but it HAS changed so much.” The Bones actress explains she isn’t always afforded the luxury of choice when it comes to being a part of projects that are ethically aligned, she recalls an instance filming a scene on Bones where they had Chili and real meat was used, “it’s not even feeding anyone, not that I believe in killing animals to feed people, but it completely went to waste. Luckily I worked with compassionate producers who understood my perspective and after that, they didn’t do that again.” Deschanel admits she has more control as a producer when it comes to ethically aligned projects, referencing her work on “How I Became an Elephant.”
Actress & Activist Emily Deschanel on stage at the Vegan Women Summit
Young women like Lana Weidgenant, the campaigns and policy manager at ProVeg International, are on the front line, focused on “fighting for the food systems change and policies that we need.. Banning factory farms, incorporating sustainability into the dietary guidelines and aligning the procurement - government purchasing of food.. All these different things that we can do that are actionable,” she says. You can thank Weidgenant when it comes to the plant-based options like the ImpossibleTM Sausage recently becoming available at big corporate chains like Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks too, “It’s in their interest to do so,” she adds. “When Dunkin did it we pointed out to Starbucks that Dunkin had done it.” With Wendy’s next on the agenda, Weidgenant explains companies are jumping on board to stay competitive. When asked if she’s experienced any pushback, sadly she says yes, from Vegans! Expressing frustration from the all or nothing mentality she’s encountered within the vegan community. “ When a Person, corporation or policy maker does something positive, but it’s not perfect and you tell them it’s not enough and it’s horrible, they’re not going to be incentivised to do more than that and continue in that direction…We need a little bit of a mind set change in that area,” adding it’s not the perfect solution but it’s exciting progress.
Weidgenant recalls the catalyst to her activism stemming from growing up under the Obama administration. Trump’s election triggered a wave of activism among young people, she says, like getting involved in March for Our Lives and the Women’s March. “And then once the IPCC report came out in 2019, that was terrifying and it was a clear call to action to bring that activism that we had already been taking on for our classmates and democracy into the climate sphere.”
LEFT TO RIGHT: Lana Weidgenant, Genesis Butler, Maggie Baird
The animal rights activist and Clueless star Alicia Silverstone surprisingly declares “I care about fashion but not enough to learn anything about it,” She laughs. She’s more interested in nourishing our bodies and healing from the inside out. With her engaging and surprisingly down to earth disposition she discusses the importance of macrobiotics in a plant-based diet “Macrobiotics is what I talk about in “The Kind Diet” and “The Kind Mama”, being vegan makes a huge change, but once you start adding brown rice, and quinoa, and seaweed, beans and vegetables, that is your food and your foundation - If the goal is to feel your best, to lose weight, clean up your skin or cure your illness.” So it makes sense that Silverstone started MyKind Organics 7 years ago. When you hear Silverstone discuss the level of detail and research that went into each and every ingredient, in each and every vitamin, you know it’s a brand you can rely on, especially as a vegan. Boasting key factors like their use of whole foods, traceability and carbon neutrality the line is a Vegan’s treasure trove and really takes the stress out of finding the right vitamins that align with your morals and dietary needs, in addition to being of the highest quality.
VWS founder Jenny Stojkovic on stage with actress and activist Alicia Silverstone
After speaking with these incredible women and listening to all the panelists, I left feeling enlightened, empowered and further emboldened in my commitment to the vegan movement and my place in it. I learned a tremendous amount of valuable information and made lots of connections with women and companies leading the way in the vegan space. If you want to experience and be a part of this incredible event, rubbing shoulders with the female innovators you admire and respect, VWS will be returning next year! The 3rd Annual Summit will take place in New York City May 18-20, and is sure to be an outstanding (and potentially life changing) day that you won’t want to miss! If you can’t be there in person, you don’t have to miss out, the Summit will once again also be open to online participants. Check out vws2023.com to claim your spot... I’l see you at the bar for a Kombucha!
Photos Coutesy of the Vegan Women Summit
