Long Island Animal Rights & VegFest! July 13, 2013
Thank you to everyone involved for helping us make this event the huge success that it was! See you next year!
A BIG thank you to our sponsors:
A Well-Fed World (Top Sponsor)
A Well-Fed World is a hunger relief and animal protection organization chipping away at two of the world's most immense, unnecessary and unconscionable forms of suffering... the suffering of people from lack of food and the suffering of animals used as food.
We have a positive, practical and action-led approach that produces immediate assistance for those in need and structural change for lasting results.
We raise funds, partner with, and promote innovative, highly-effective projects that strengthen:
We provide quarterly grants to approximately a dozen projects in the U.S. and internationally... more than 150 grants to date. For more information about our organization and work, please visit our website.
We have a positive, practical and action-led approach that produces immediate assistance for those in need and structural change for lasting results.
We raise funds, partner with, and promote innovative, highly-effective projects that strengthen:
- vegan feeding programs
- farm animal care & rescue
- pro-veg advocacy & community-building
We provide quarterly grants to approximately a dozen projects in the U.S. and internationally... more than 150 grants to date. For more information about our organization and work, please visit our website.
The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College
Our mission is to serve as a core resource on environmental excellence, and to promote positive solutions that advance the three dimensions of sustainability - economy, environment and social equity, for both the students & faculty of Molloy College and for the larger Long Island community of which Molloy is a part.
Our vision is to catalyze Long Island to become a national leader in developing, promoting, and implementing sustainable solutions to environmental and quality of life challenges. Visit our website for more information.
Our vision is to catalyze Long Island to become a national leader in developing, promoting, and implementing sustainable solutions to environmental and quality of life challenges. Visit our website for more information.
Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM)
Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization working to end the use of animals for food through public education and grassroots activism. We believe in the inherent self-worth of animals, as well as environmental protection and enhanced public health. We operate just outside of Washington, DC and work through our Compassionate Activist Network (CAN) with volunteers in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries.
Please explore our web site, then Get Active with FARM!
Since our beginning in 1976 and official formation in 1981, FARM has launched a variety of grassroots campaigns in pursuit of our mission: World Farm Animals Day, Great American Meatout, Gentle Thanksgiving, Pay-Per-View, Letters from FARM, Sabina Fund, Vegan Earth Day, Meatout Mondays, and Live Vegan.
Additionally, FARM conducts movement-wide programs, like the Animal Rights National Conference. Every summer between 1981 and 1987, then in 1997, and every year since 2000, FARM has been organizing national conferences that turn concerned individuals into effective animal advocates. Currently, the conferences alternate between the East Coast (Washington, DC) on the even years and the West Coast (California) on the odd years.
Please explore our web site, then Get Active with FARM!
Since our beginning in 1976 and official formation in 1981, FARM has launched a variety of grassroots campaigns in pursuit of our mission: World Farm Animals Day, Great American Meatout, Gentle Thanksgiving, Pay-Per-View, Letters from FARM, Sabina Fund, Vegan Earth Day, Meatout Mondays, and Live Vegan.
Additionally, FARM conducts movement-wide programs, like the Animal Rights National Conference. Every summer between 1981 and 1987, then in 1997, and every year since 2000, FARM has been organizing national conferences that turn concerned individuals into effective animal advocates. Currently, the conferences alternate between the East Coast (Washington, DC) on the even years and the West Coast (California) on the odd years.
Creations Magazine
Creations Magazine has been "Inspiring the Soul" for over twenty five years. With a circulation of 38,000, Creations is distributed bi-monthly to 1,300 locations throughout New York City and Long Island. An additional 42,000 readers visit www.creationsmagazine.com, bringing our total readership to nearly 150,000.
We serve the Holistic-Minded, Health-Conscious, Spiritually-Centered and Creative Communities. Creations Magazine is found at health food stores, wellness, spiritual and cultural art centers, libraries, universities, supermarkets, coffee shops, music and book stores, yoga studios, gyms and wellness/green expos.
Each issue features seasonal topics including Personal/Spiritual Growth, Holistic Health, Nutrition, Relationships, Yoga/Meditation, Lessons, Transitions and the Earth/Environment.
Please visit our website for more articles, our most up-to-date listings, and to view back issues and newsletter.
We serve the Holistic-Minded, Health-Conscious, Spiritually-Centered and Creative Communities. Creations Magazine is found at health food stores, wellness, spiritual and cultural art centers, libraries, universities, supermarkets, coffee shops, music and book stores, yoga studios, gyms and wellness/green expos.
Each issue features seasonal topics including Personal/Spiritual Growth, Holistic Health, Nutrition, Relationships, Yoga/Meditation, Lessons, Transitions and the Earth/Environment.
Please visit our website for more articles, our most up-to-date listings, and to view back issues and newsletter.
This Dish is Veg
This Dish Is Veg offers vegan, vegetarian, animal rights, and eco-friendly news and opinion pieces. Visit www.thisdishisveg.com to learn more.
Our Vegan Chef:
Jay Astafa is a passionate and dedicated vegan chef. At only 20 years old, Jay has already accomplished quite a bit in his culinary career. He started his culinary journey when he became vegan in 2007. Going vegan inspired him to become a vegan chef. In 2009, he created a full vegan Italian inspired menu for his dad’s restaurant, 3 Brothers Pizza Cafe on Long Island. His menu quickly drew a cult following. It became a hit on Long Island and beyond.
In 2011, Jay graduated from the Natural Gourmet Institute. Most recently, he debuted his fine dining concept, jay kitchen on April 25th and 26th as a 2 day restaurant popup in New York City. He has been featured in The New York Times, Zagat, The Braiser, Our Hen House, Red Radio and Laika Magazine to name a few.
With the success of his early endeavors and more passionate than ever, Jay is ready to show the New York City dining scene that animal ingredients are passé and that there is a whole world of innovative plant -based cuisine available. He is currently working on opening a vegan fine dining restaurant called jay kitchen in NYC.
In 2011, Jay graduated from the Natural Gourmet Institute. Most recently, he debuted his fine dining concept, jay kitchen on April 25th and 26th as a 2 day restaurant popup in New York City. He has been featured in The New York Times, Zagat, The Braiser, Our Hen House, Red Radio and Laika Magazine to name a few.
With the success of his early endeavors and more passionate than ever, Jay is ready to show the New York City dining scene that animal ingredients are passé and that there is a whole world of innovative plant -based cuisine available. He is currently working on opening a vegan fine dining restaurant called jay kitchen in NYC.
The Educators/Presenters/Exhibitors:
Jenny Brown
Jenny Brown is a longtime animal advocate and Co-Founder & Director of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in Woodstock, NY--one the nation's leading sanctuaries for farmed animals. She previously worked in film and television until when she went undercover in Texas to film farmed animal abuse. That experience led her to dedicate her life to helping farm animals and raising awareness of their plight. Jenny’s story and the work of her sanctuary has been featured in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, New York Magazine, HLN’s Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show and more. Her new book The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight For Farm Animals was awarded Book of the Year in the 2012 VegNews Awards. You can read more about her and the sanctuary at www.WoodstockSanctuary.org
Victoria Moran
Victoria Moran (www.mainstreetvegan.net) is the author of eleven books, a certified holistic health counselor (HHC, AADP) in private practice, and director of Main Street Vegan Academy, training vegan lifestyle coaches. Her latest book is Main Street Vegan, which VegNews magazine calls “The Vegan Bible, New Testament.” A two-time Oprah! guest, winner of “Vegan of the Year” for 2012, and co-host of the Main Street Vegan Show on Unity.FM radio, Victoria lives in a green condo in New York City.
Jennifer Greene
Jennifer Greene works for CAAN (Carnism Awareness and Action Network), a charitable organization dedicated to raising awareness of and transforming carnism. Carnism is the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals. As CAAN's Task Force Coordinator, Jennifer aims to help people raise carnism awareness within their own field or professional circles. Some task forces that are now forming: Mental Health, Dietetics and Nutrition, Law, Education, Media, Medicine, Veterinary Practice, Fitness, Yoga, Unitarian Universalists, and Social Scientists. She is also the founder and organizer of Vegan Long Island Meetup, (which now has over 800 members!), author of the forthcoming adult education curriculum, Demonstrating Our Values Through Eating, and a certified instructor for the Food for Life program of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Demosthenes Maratos
Demosthenes Maratos serves as the Communications Director at the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, where he has been employed since 2009. Demosthenes has worked in the field of environmental and public policy since 1989. He began his career with the Long Island Neighborhood Network, the New York region’s largest and most active environmental advocacy organization. There, in addition to many successful efforts, he campaigned for the two most significant pieces of pesticide legislation in New York State history - the Neighbor Notification of Pesticide Spraying law and the Safe School Grounds law. Now with the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, Demosthenes is part of a team that provides community education and fosters informed debate on key issues related to sustainability. His work also includes integrating concepts of sustainability into the curriculum, operations and culture at Molloy College and the larger Long Island community.
Demosthenes holds degrees in both Sociology and Business Management from St. John’s University. He has been an ethical vegan since 1989.
Demosthenes holds degrees in both Sociology and Business Management from St. John’s University. He has been an ethical vegan since 1989.
Okima Hitt
HITT Health, Integration, Touch and Technique is dedicated to serving the community by educating individuals about the health benefits of the raw and living cuisine lifestyle. It was founded by raw food chef, author and educator, Okima, in 2008 originally as Live Island Cafe.
Chef Okima first became aware of raw foods while working as an educator at Chicago Children’s Museum. A colleague was leaving her position, and as tradition dictated, got to pick where she would have her farewell lunch. The colleague picked “Karyn’s Raw” owned by the phenomenal living food educator, Karyn Calabrese.
Chef Okima had cooked all of her life but had never imagined raw foods could be so flavorful and vibrant. She then began to learn everything she could about raw foods and their health benefits. She lead a museum based hands-on cooking program called “Petite Chefs” that taught children and their families how to prepare healthful snacks. Raw food un-cooking lent itself perfectly to her audience. Collaborating with professional chefs from around the city and from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, a Cordon Blue school, children began turning out pesto sauces, fruit kabobs, and rich chocolate truffles. It was fast, healthy and a hit with audiences.
Family circumstances returned her to her native Long Island where she embarked on a new career as a professional raw foods chef. She began her training at the “Living Foods Institute” in Atlanta Georgia with world renowned wellness expert, Dr. Brenda Cobb, and earned her raw food chef certification under top international raw food Chef, Mehmet Ak, at his famous “Cousin’s Living Vitality” restaurant in Chicago, where she also interned.
For more information, and to find about Chef Okima's HITT Raw Chef Certification and classes, call 631- 327-2709.
Chef Okima first became aware of raw foods while working as an educator at Chicago Children’s Museum. A colleague was leaving her position, and as tradition dictated, got to pick where she would have her farewell lunch. The colleague picked “Karyn’s Raw” owned by the phenomenal living food educator, Karyn Calabrese.
Chef Okima had cooked all of her life but had never imagined raw foods could be so flavorful and vibrant. She then began to learn everything she could about raw foods and their health benefits. She lead a museum based hands-on cooking program called “Petite Chefs” that taught children and their families how to prepare healthful snacks. Raw food un-cooking lent itself perfectly to her audience. Collaborating with professional chefs from around the city and from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, a Cordon Blue school, children began turning out pesto sauces, fruit kabobs, and rich chocolate truffles. It was fast, healthy and a hit with audiences.
Family circumstances returned her to her native Long Island where she embarked on a new career as a professional raw foods chef. She began her training at the “Living Foods Institute” in Atlanta Georgia with world renowned wellness expert, Dr. Brenda Cobb, and earned her raw food chef certification under top international raw food Chef, Mehmet Ak, at his famous “Cousin’s Living Vitality” restaurant in Chicago, where she also interned.
For more information, and to find about Chef Okima's HITT Raw Chef Certification and classes, call 631- 327-2709.
Michelle Leon Vegan
A year ago Michelle and Motti Leon transitioned from vegetarians to passionate vegans, becoming fervent animal advocators and human rights supporters in the process. As jewelers and fashion accessory designers and developers (for private clients and brand company names) they decided to speak out by creating a fashion accessory company that celebrates the beauty and life of animals, and promotes the happiness of all living beings.
Motti and Michelle integrate ethics and aesthetics in every aspect of the production of their astonishingly beautiful lines of jewelry, belts, and handbags. The material they use is better than leather. It is top of the line, eco-friendly, manmade suede that can be washed and worn for years. Additionally, they don't plate their metals, since plating causes harmful effects to the workers. They make their products in NYC where the workers are paid well and treated respectfully.
Michelle and Motti invite you to join them in celebrating the beauty and life of animals by making vegan your style. See their website for more information about their vegan accessory line, Michelle Leon Vegan.
Motti and Michelle integrate ethics and aesthetics in every aspect of the production of their astonishingly beautiful lines of jewelry, belts, and handbags. The material they use is better than leather. It is top of the line, eco-friendly, manmade suede that can be washed and worn for years. Additionally, they don't plate their metals, since plating causes harmful effects to the workers. They make their products in NYC where the workers are paid well and treated respectfully.
Michelle and Motti invite you to join them in celebrating the beauty and life of animals by making vegan your style. See their website for more information about their vegan accessory line, Michelle Leon Vegan.
Danielle Marie Kraljic
Danielle Marie Kraljic received her Bachelors in Psychology (minor in Criminal Justice) from Marist College and her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Adelphi University. Post Masters, she continued her studies and went to receive a certificate in Holistic Health Counseling at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), a partner of the State University of New York at Purchase College. Upon completion of her studies at IIN, Danielle took a “from scratch”, Do It Yourself approach to devising her own brand. With relentless determination and endless dedication, she built her health coaching and lifestyle motivation business from the ground up. In 2010, she launched her website, Delicious Existence, which focuses on helping people transition to a plant-based diet and also includes a blog, chock full of what’s cookin’, on and off her plate.
Untiring, shameless self-promotion fostered the growth of Delicious Existence into a part time business, with full time potential. Not ready to quit her day job just yet, Danielle is also working full time for a large human service agency, located in Queens, NY. She has over eleven years experience in the field of Mental Health, eight of which have been at a supervisory level, and throughout her career has had an opportunity of working directly with adolescents, young adults and adults, all of who have had a wide range of special needs. Experience in both fields has affirmed her belief that everything is connected, thus her next endeavor is to obtain her LCSW, so that she can combine her two jobs into one private practice.
In addition to her work with people, Danielle does volunteer work in cat rescue and rehab. Learn more about Danielle and her work here.
Untiring, shameless self-promotion fostered the growth of Delicious Existence into a part time business, with full time potential. Not ready to quit her day job just yet, Danielle is also working full time for a large human service agency, located in Queens, NY. She has over eleven years experience in the field of Mental Health, eight of which have been at a supervisory level, and throughout her career has had an opportunity of working directly with adolescents, young adults and adults, all of who have had a wide range of special needs. Experience in both fields has affirmed her belief that everything is connected, thus her next endeavor is to obtain her LCSW, so that she can combine her two jobs into one private practice.
In addition to her work with people, Danielle does volunteer work in cat rescue and rehab. Learn more about Danielle and her work here.
Dani McGrath
Dani McGrath is a 23 year old, vegan baking enthusiast, studying Restaurant Management at Nassau Community College with the hope of pursuing pastry arts in the future. As of now, she currently holds a job at 3 Brother's Pizza Cafe in Farmingdale, a restaurant that caters to vegans. 3 Brother's has opened many doors for Dani. Over the summer of 2012, she baked for a fundraising event for Bobbi and the Strays Animal Shelter and donated a portion of the profits to the shelter. Later inFebruary of 2013, she was one of the twenty bakers chosen to bake in The Vegan Bake-Off, hosted by The Skint at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Roughly 240 novelty cupcakes were made for the event, which Dani baked and created on her own. It was a truly amazing experience to watch the guests enjoy an assortment of desserts, without having to worry if they were cruelty free or be concerned about dairy/gluten allergies.
Dani's passion for her work is evident in her saying, "I just think it's so unfortunate that there aren't more options available for vegans on Long Island. I hope that one day I can provide baked goods and desserts to people that are both delicious AND vegan. The misconception that vegan food/baked goods are inferior to foods made with animal products is so maddening, because when they are prepared correctly, beautiful things happen. It just a matter of being creative and thinking outside of the box. I love that I get to play with food and dream up desserts. Baking vegan doesn't mean sacrificing the integrity of food, it challenges me in the kitchen to make it better than the 'traditional' way."
Dani's passion for her work is evident in her saying, "I just think it's so unfortunate that there aren't more options available for vegans on Long Island. I hope that one day I can provide baked goods and desserts to people that are both delicious AND vegan. The misconception that vegan food/baked goods are inferior to foods made with animal products is so maddening, because when they are prepared correctly, beautiful things happen. It just a matter of being creative and thinking outside of the box. I love that I get to play with food and dream up desserts. Baking vegan doesn't mean sacrificing the integrity of food, it challenges me in the kitchen to make it better than the 'traditional' way."
Raw Vegan Fitness
Ramona Cadogan is a science teacher, tutor of many subjects, personal trainer, pilates teacher, hula hooper and a raw vegan chef. She stopped eating meat in 2000 and has been a raw vegan since 2006. She became vegan to protect the animals.
Ramona is a raw vegan athlete who gets results from a holistic lifestyle of raw foods, plenty of water, plant/fruit base hygienic products, fitness training, yoga, meditation, sleep, and keeping a positive outlook on life. She participated in the Spartan Race and the Warrior Dash, and has been featured in Black Fitness Today and Black Fitness Women.
Through her consulting and training services, Ramona will show you how raw foods and specific exercises can help anyone look and feel youthful at any age.
More information about Ramona can be found: www.facebook.com/academictutorfitnessrawlivingprofessional, http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=bio_ramona, http://www.veganbodybuilding.org/ramona.htm.
Ramona is a raw vegan athlete who gets results from a holistic lifestyle of raw foods, plenty of water, plant/fruit base hygienic products, fitness training, yoga, meditation, sleep, and keeping a positive outlook on life. She participated in the Spartan Race and the Warrior Dash, and has been featured in Black Fitness Today and Black Fitness Women.
Through her consulting and training services, Ramona will show you how raw foods and specific exercises can help anyone look and feel youthful at any age.
More information about Ramona can be found: www.facebook.com/academictutorfitnessrawlivingprofessional, http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=bio_ramona, http://www.veganbodybuilding.org/ramona.htm.
Kristin Lajeunesse
From nine-to-fiver to lifestyle-designer, Kristin Lajeunesse has taken her background in marketing and applied it directly to the things she loves most: food, travel, and helping others discover ways in which they too can do what they love for a living. On February 14, 2011 Kristin launched the first and only vegan wedding resource website, Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings. While she was finding her entrepreneurial legs she honed her communication skills working for the World Society For The Protection of Animals, and her social media consulting skills with Vegan Mainstream. Before long Kristin’s entrepreneurial and traveling spirit grew stronger, she left traditional comforts behind in September 2011 and hit the road on an epic, life-changing road trip across the country. Will Travel For Vegan Food was born and has since blossomed into a growing business venture. Kristin is currently working on a book about her road trip, and continues to stretch her entrepreneurial stride as she helps others grow their businesses through social media and online marketing guidance.
Adrienne DeSalvo
Adrienne DeSalvo is a Spiritual and Grief Counselor, Psychic Medium, Spirit Communicator and Past Life Reader. In 2008 she rescued and adopted her first animal companion, Benjamin, a delightful 5 pound Chihuahua. Shortly thereafter, Adrienne underwent major neurosurgery, which resulted in an arduous recovery process. She believes, if not for Benjamin, her convalescence would have been quite different. It was he who nurtured and kept her company each day, encouraging her to get up and out, playing a paramount role in her healing process. The bond, love and friendship they developed have been heartwarming and extraordinary beyond her imagination. As he continually looked deeply into her eyes, comprehending everything she expressed and showering her with unconditional love, Adrienne realized they were indeed soulmates.
An avid practitioner of Animal Medicine for many years, Adrienne has been keenly aware of all we can learn from every living creature, through their appearances in dreams, meditation, nature and a plethora of other ways during our every day lives. During the course of her powerful work as a Spirit Communicator, she learned that when the souls of animals leave their bodies they go to the same spiritual dimension as humans. She has received a myriad of messages from a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, pigs, horses, snakes, mice and rabbits. Discovering their amazing intelligence, sentience and ability to share their thoughts and feelings telepathically was truly eye-opening and transformative. She could see no difference in the consciousness of all creatures in the animal kingdom, despite their species.
Today, Adrienne communicates directly with the spirits of animals, those still here in the physical realm and those who have crossed over to the spiritual dimension, learning every day from these incredibly loving, forgiving and insightful beings.
And so Adrienne readily became vegetarian, deciding she could no longer consume the flesh of any being with a heart and soul. Soon after, she became educated about the egregious mistreatment of animals by the farming, cosmetic and fashion industries and Adrienne graduated to a vegan lifestyle.
For more information about Adrienne’s work, kindly visit her website at www.adriennedesalvo.weebly.com or call her directly at 631-459-3386 or 845-688-3121.
An avid practitioner of Animal Medicine for many years, Adrienne has been keenly aware of all we can learn from every living creature, through their appearances in dreams, meditation, nature and a plethora of other ways during our every day lives. During the course of her powerful work as a Spirit Communicator, she learned that when the souls of animals leave their bodies they go to the same spiritual dimension as humans. She has received a myriad of messages from a wide variety of animals, including cats, dogs, pigs, horses, snakes, mice and rabbits. Discovering their amazing intelligence, sentience and ability to share their thoughts and feelings telepathically was truly eye-opening and transformative. She could see no difference in the consciousness of all creatures in the animal kingdom, despite their species.
Today, Adrienne communicates directly with the spirits of animals, those still here in the physical realm and those who have crossed over to the spiritual dimension, learning every day from these incredibly loving, forgiving and insightful beings.
And so Adrienne readily became vegetarian, deciding she could no longer consume the flesh of any being with a heart and soul. Soon after, she became educated about the egregious mistreatment of animals by the farming, cosmetic and fashion industries and Adrienne graduated to a vegan lifestyle.
For more information about Adrienne’s work, kindly visit her website at www.adriennedesalvo.weebly.com or call her directly at 631-459-3386 or 845-688-3121.
La Pirata Kitchen
La Pirata Kitchen is a wholesale and catering bakery that makes vegan goods from organic and fair-trade ingredients, founded upon the belief that we can be ethical and health-conscious as well as indulgent. It was started when magazine editor, Alicia Kennedy, a longtime lover and baker of cakes, decided to go vegan. But the common ingredients found in vegan recipes were highly processed margarines, oils, and soy that led to mediocre flavor. After a lot of research and testing, she created a way to make moist baked goods and fluffy buttercream using organic coconuts. More information can be found at: facebook.com/lapiratakitchen.
HEART
HEART’s mission is to foster compassion and respect for other people, animals and the environment by educating youth and teachers in humane education. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity and offer their services at no cost to public schools and other non-profit agencies. Please see www.teachhumane.org for more information.
Long Island Orchestrating For Nature (LION)
LION believes in teaching compassion, not oppression. We organize protests, publish petitions and distribute information on a daily basis to raise awareness about issues such as factory farms, vivisection (animals used in experimentation), the fur and leather trade, the entertainment industry, and more. We also actively talk to business-owners about their role in fostering a more humane long island.
LION believes that all beings on this earth reserve the right to live free of exploitation; and no matter how big or small, we will fight for those who cannot speak out for themselves. For more information, and to get involved, visit our Facebook page at : https://www.facebook.com/LIONature.
LION believes that all beings on this earth reserve the right to live free of exploitation; and no matter how big or small, we will fight for those who cannot speak out for themselves. For more information, and to get involved, visit our Facebook page at : https://www.facebook.com/LIONature.
Bobbi and the Strays
Bobbi and the Strays believes that animals deserve our love, compassion, and respect. Our purpose is to undertake rescue operations, and to provide essential care for orphaned, stray, abused and special needs cats and dogs. Through rehabilitation, socialization and adoption, we endeavor to provide a humane service to all animals that come into our care. Additionally we generate awareness about the prevention of animal abuse and neglect as well as spay/neuter programs and their important effect on the dog and cat overpopulation crisis.
We are a 100% non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization, located in New York - with an adoption center in Queens and a shelter on Long Island. We rescue stray dogs and cats from the streets, and from situations of abuse and neglect. Additionally, we rescue many of our dogs and cats from “death row” at kill shelters in New York. All rescued animals are examined by a veterinarian, lab tests are completed, and vaccinations are given. The dogs and cats are then spayed or neutered, treated for any health problems and rehabilitated as necessary. Our main goal is to find permanent, loving homes for all the dogs and cats that we rescue. We have a guaranteed return policy on all adoptions – because our goal is to place animals into good homes for life. More information can be found at: www.BobbiAndTheStrays.org.
We are a 100% non-profit no-kill animal rescue organization, located in New York - with an adoption center in Queens and a shelter on Long Island. We rescue stray dogs and cats from the streets, and from situations of abuse and neglect. Additionally, we rescue many of our dogs and cats from “death row” at kill shelters in New York. All rescued animals are examined by a veterinarian, lab tests are completed, and vaccinations are given. The dogs and cats are then spayed or neutered, treated for any health problems and rehabilitated as necessary. Our main goal is to find permanent, loving homes for all the dogs and cats that we rescue. We have a guaranteed return policy on all adoptions – because our goal is to place animals into good homes for life. More information can be found at: www.BobbiAndTheStrays.org.
Marilyn Chiarello
Marilyn Chiarello is passionate about the environment, compassion for all living beings, and supporting peace and harmony on our planet. As founder of A Taste of Light, she offers classes in raw vegan food preparation, and her involvement with BraveHeart Women Global Community has connected her with an amazing global vision.
BraveHeart Women have been Pioneering Collaboration and celebrating oneness in North America for the past two years, and have begun to take the process of joyously connecting and feeling the potent power of female collaboration in our hearts to conflict regions of the world.
Our next stop is Bethlehem, where up to 333 of us (Western Women) are going to Pioneer Collaboration with 333 Palestinian and 333 Israeli Women in the Spring of 2014. It will be a 3-day experience unlike anything that's ever happened before.
At the end of 2014, a documentary will be released highlighting this process. It will feature the amazing power of female collaboration, how it can allow us to rise above pain and conflict, and together create new trends and industries. All with the intention of bringing harmony to our planet.
More information about Marilyn and BraveHeart Women can be found at: www.aTasteofLight.com, http://www.meetup.com/BraveHeartWomenLI/, or by calling 516-298-9119.
BraveHeart Women have been Pioneering Collaboration and celebrating oneness in North America for the past two years, and have begun to take the process of joyously connecting and feeling the potent power of female collaboration in our hearts to conflict regions of the world.
Our next stop is Bethlehem, where up to 333 of us (Western Women) are going to Pioneer Collaboration with 333 Palestinian and 333 Israeli Women in the Spring of 2014. It will be a 3-day experience unlike anything that's ever happened before.
At the end of 2014, a documentary will be released highlighting this process. It will feature the amazing power of female collaboration, how it can allow us to rise above pain and conflict, and together create new trends and industries. All with the intention of bringing harmony to our planet.
More information about Marilyn and BraveHeart Women can be found at: www.aTasteofLight.com, http://www.meetup.com/BraveHeartWomenLI/, or by calling 516-298-9119.
For Our Friends, Inc.
For Our Friends, Inc. is a small, all-volunteer, non-profit rescue group rescuing dogs from bad situations throughout Long Island and the New York City Area. FOF rescues dogs from death row, municipal shelters, owner surrenders and we take in many strays. All dogs are fully vetted, spayed or neutered and all too often due to neglect, have expensive medical costs. Until they are adopted, all of our dogs go to caring foster homes or they are held in a boarding environment where our volunteers go to walk and socialize them. We also train our dogs and offer free training for a period to those who adopt. Although we are a dog rescue, we also are involved in TNR at a cat colony in Great Neck. Our volunteers are all loving, kind, compassionate animal lovers who give freely of their time, love and money in order to help our friends the animals. 100% of all donations goes to the cost of caring for our animals. Reach out to For Our Friends to adopt, foster, donate or volunteer at www.forourfriends.org and www.facebook.com/fofrescue.
Lauren Kretzer
Lauren Kretzer is a vegan chef, food writer and diet coach based in the New York City area.
Originally from Westfield, New Jersey, Lauren grew up eating and learning to cook the traditional foods of her Sicilian and Argentine heritage. When her family converted to vegetarianism in the late 1980′s, Lauren followed suit and made the decision to permanently follow a plant-based diet.
After completing her undergraduate degree at Boston College, Lauren spent the next decade of her career as a Wall Street corporate recruiter. She eventually made the decision to follow her passion for food and cooking and left her career to enroll in the Chef’s Training Program at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.
Currently, Lauren cooks privately for families and high profile individuals in the New York City area, specializing in healthy, organic, seasonal vegan/vegetarian menus. She is happy to accommodate special needs, including gluten-free diets, as well as specific food allergies and sensitivities. She offers additional services including private cooking classes/parties, in-home catering, vegan/vegetarian diet coaching, and natural/healthy pantry consultations. For more information, visit Lauren's website www.laurenkretzer.com or contact her with questions at lauren@laurenkretzer.com.
Originally from Westfield, New Jersey, Lauren grew up eating and learning to cook the traditional foods of her Sicilian and Argentine heritage. When her family converted to vegetarianism in the late 1980′s, Lauren followed suit and made the decision to permanently follow a plant-based diet.
After completing her undergraduate degree at Boston College, Lauren spent the next decade of her career as a Wall Street corporate recruiter. She eventually made the decision to follow her passion for food and cooking and left her career to enroll in the Chef’s Training Program at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts.
Currently, Lauren cooks privately for families and high profile individuals in the New York City area, specializing in healthy, organic, seasonal vegan/vegetarian menus. She is happy to accommodate special needs, including gluten-free diets, as well as specific food allergies and sensitivities. She offers additional services including private cooking classes/parties, in-home catering, vegan/vegetarian diet coaching, and natural/healthy pantry consultations. For more information, visit Lauren's website www.laurenkretzer.com or contact her with questions at lauren@laurenkretzer.com.
Social Workers for Animals
Sinem Ketenci experienced academic discrimination when she wrote a paper on ethical veganism that examined the intersections of human and nonhuman inequality. Sinem, an immigrant from Turkey, was labeled “very racist and inhuman” because of her research. Her academic career was soon sabotaged, and she took her university to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario on grounds of academic discrimination based on the her beliefs of ethical veganism.
Ketenci founded the organization Social Workers for Animals (SWA). SWA is a Canadian Registered Charity dedicated to creating public awareness about animal issues, preventing the abuse and killing of animals, and forming effective relationships between humans and animals using social work ethics and values. SWA offers a free thirty minute consultation to students and professionals who feel they are discriminated, marginalized, and criminalized because of their beliefs in animal protection and veganism. They also offer six weeks of free vegan coaching to assist people who find it challenging to transition to a vegan lifestyle. Currently, SWA has drafted an online petition to the National Association of Social Workers to include the word “species” into the Social Work Code of Ethics.
For more information about SWA, visit their website.
Ketenci founded the organization Social Workers for Animals (SWA). SWA is a Canadian Registered Charity dedicated to creating public awareness about animal issues, preventing the abuse and killing of animals, and forming effective relationships between humans and animals using social work ethics and values. SWA offers a free thirty minute consultation to students and professionals who feel they are discriminated, marginalized, and criminalized because of their beliefs in animal protection and veganism. They also offer six weeks of free vegan coaching to assist people who find it challenging to transition to a vegan lifestyle. Currently, SWA has drafted an online petition to the National Association of Social Workers to include the word “species” into the Social Work Code of Ethics.
For more information about SWA, visit their website.
Break The Norms
The Break The Norms Movement (BTN) is an initiative of self discovery and personal growth, based in New York and Los Angeles. We use sacred teachings of ancient Eastern traditions of healing, meditation and transformation to spread Light and peace in the world. We have conducted meditation workshops in various countries which include Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Sweden, and Belgium. Our globalized following has encouraged us to lead more workshops in various corners of the world, spreading more Love, more peace, more Light. One of our core teachings is ahimsa, which in Sanskrit for non-violence.
Peace starts on your plate. In order to progress spiritually and truly discover your Oneness with all and to awaken inner peace, it is imperative to keep our animal brothers and sisters off your menu. Many spiritual leaders advocate a vegetarian diet in order to meditate effectively. Being vegetarian purifies the soul. Eating meat causes us to ingest feelings of anger, fear, pain, suffering and aggression. This causes the mind to become unsettled and the spirit to become dull. Food is supposed to nourish our bodies and sustain our energy. If you are not eating anything living, then you're dying!
The purpose of meditation is to tap into your own source of Divine power and move into a more balanced, healthy and compassionate nature. Meat eating inhibits this and causes nothing but suffering to all involved. A meditation practice cultivates good health, peace, and balance.
Clean your body, clean your mind, clean your soul.
Chandresh, founder of Break The Norms, is seventh generation spiritual guide and one of the youngest inspirational New Thought teachers of our time. Pursuing initiatives as a life coach, spiritual healer and friend, his work emphasizes techniques in Eastern Science Healing and Transformation. Chandresh has designed result-oriented Sadhna programs for people to ignite the divinity within rather than blindly believing it. As a published writer, Chandresh provokes the spiritual dialogue in themes such as meditation, repressed emotions, power-thoughts and Tantra. To know more about him, visit him at www.facebook.com/bhardwajchandresh OR www.MeetChandresh.com
Learn more of Break The Norms and its mission here: http://www.breakthenorms.com/
Read some of our work: http://www.breakthenorms.com/blog/peace-starts-on-your-plate/, http://www.breakthenorms.com/blog/animals-also-feel-love-give-love-and-receive-
Peace starts on your plate. In order to progress spiritually and truly discover your Oneness with all and to awaken inner peace, it is imperative to keep our animal brothers and sisters off your menu. Many spiritual leaders advocate a vegetarian diet in order to meditate effectively. Being vegetarian purifies the soul. Eating meat causes us to ingest feelings of anger, fear, pain, suffering and aggression. This causes the mind to become unsettled and the spirit to become dull. Food is supposed to nourish our bodies and sustain our energy. If you are not eating anything living, then you're dying!
The purpose of meditation is to tap into your own source of Divine power and move into a more balanced, healthy and compassionate nature. Meat eating inhibits this and causes nothing but suffering to all involved. A meditation practice cultivates good health, peace, and balance.
Clean your body, clean your mind, clean your soul.
Chandresh, founder of Break The Norms, is seventh generation spiritual guide and one of the youngest inspirational New Thought teachers of our time. Pursuing initiatives as a life coach, spiritual healer and friend, his work emphasizes techniques in Eastern Science Healing and Transformation. Chandresh has designed result-oriented Sadhna programs for people to ignite the divinity within rather than blindly believing it. As a published writer, Chandresh provokes the spiritual dialogue in themes such as meditation, repressed emotions, power-thoughts and Tantra. To know more about him, visit him at www.facebook.com/bhardwajchandresh OR www.MeetChandresh.com
Learn more of Break The Norms and its mission here: http://www.breakthenorms.com/
Read some of our work: http://www.breakthenorms.com/blog/peace-starts-on-your-plate/, http://www.breakthenorms.com/blog/animals-also-feel-love-give-love-and-receive-
Sweet To Lick
Sweet To Lick is a Vegan bakery based on Long Island making all Vegan, mostly Organic cookies and pastries. Fun twists on your favorite classic desserts like our World Famous Ginger Ale Crumb Cake, Molasses Oatmeal Whoopee Cookies, Bourbon Pecan cookies and the simplest Vegan Chocolate Cake mix
you've ever had the pleasure of baking. Check us out at SweetToLick.com!
you've ever had the pleasure of baking. Check us out at SweetToLick.com!
Healthy Planet
HealthyPlanet is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote food choices and lifestyles that respect our bodies and our shared environment. They educate people about the deep connection among all life on Earth, and the powerful effect our everyday choices can have on creating a clean, healthy and compassionate world. Their popular Dinner/Lecture Series, EcoCafé and Restaurant Outings have been the area’s premier showcase for speakers from around the country on topics relating to health, the environment, compassion for all life, and other important social issues. HP team members have been running these popular events since 1990.
Bob DiBenedetto, HealthyPlanet’s Co-Founder, President and Executive Director and a vegan for over 30 years, is a long-time researcher, writer and speaker on the powerful effects that our food and lifestyle choices have on our health, the environment, world hunger and all life on Earth. He was a pioneer in the healthy school food movement, and created their Healthy School Lunch Program, where he has worked in schools to promote more healthful, plant based offerings, since 1994.
Bob hosts The Healthy Planet drive-time radio program on LI’s largest non-commercial radio station, 90.1 WUSB, FM, on Fridays at 6PM. He has lectured extensively throughout the NY area to: thousands of students at dozens of schools (from kindergarten through graduate nutrition students at Columbia Teacher's College); parents; administrators; food service directors; public officials and to a wide variety of health; environmental, corporate and community groups. He has appeared on many local and national TV and radio shows and provided the facts and expert commentary for a UPN Nine TV special report entitled "The True Cost Of Beef". He has been quoted repeatedly in publications from Newsday to The New York Times.
Bob sits on the Suffolk County Cancer Awareness Task Force where he Co-Chairs the Prevention and Education Committee, and is a member and active participant in several clean energy alliances. He was on the Executive Committee of WindWorks4LI; a Core Leader of the Long Island Climate Action Network (LI-CAN); and was one of the Founders of the LI Alliance for Safe Alternatives to Pesticides (ASAP).
HealthyPlanet is committed to helping create a better world based on their vision of what is truly possible. Their leaders have decades of success in creating meaningful societal change, and they encourage your participation! www.healthy-planet.org / info@healthy-planet.org
Bob DiBenedetto, HealthyPlanet’s Co-Founder, President and Executive Director and a vegan for over 30 years, is a long-time researcher, writer and speaker on the powerful effects that our food and lifestyle choices have on our health, the environment, world hunger and all life on Earth. He was a pioneer in the healthy school food movement, and created their Healthy School Lunch Program, where he has worked in schools to promote more healthful, plant based offerings, since 1994.
Bob hosts The Healthy Planet drive-time radio program on LI’s largest non-commercial radio station, 90.1 WUSB, FM, on Fridays at 6PM. He has lectured extensively throughout the NY area to: thousands of students at dozens of schools (from kindergarten through graduate nutrition students at Columbia Teacher's College); parents; administrators; food service directors; public officials and to a wide variety of health; environmental, corporate and community groups. He has appeared on many local and national TV and radio shows and provided the facts and expert commentary for a UPN Nine TV special report entitled "The True Cost Of Beef". He has been quoted repeatedly in publications from Newsday to The New York Times.
Bob sits on the Suffolk County Cancer Awareness Task Force where he Co-Chairs the Prevention and Education Committee, and is a member and active participant in several clean energy alliances. He was on the Executive Committee of WindWorks4LI; a Core Leader of the Long Island Climate Action Network (LI-CAN); and was one of the Founders of the LI Alliance for Safe Alternatives to Pesticides (ASAP).
HealthyPlanet is committed to helping create a better world based on their vision of what is truly possible. Their leaders have decades of success in creating meaningful societal change, and they encourage your participation! www.healthy-planet.org / info@healthy-planet.org
Christina Doner - Arbonne
At Arbonne, we are all about being green — always have been and always will be. From botanically based ingredients to forward-looking green improvements, being earth friendly has everything to do with who we are and how we choose to grow. All of our products are vegan certified--botanically based, gluten free, chemical free, and never tested on animals.
More than just grounded in green values, we are putting them into action. We're taking "pure, safe and beneficial" to the next level through our efforts to match the purity of our ingredients with the earth friendliness of our packaging. So what's good on the inside is also good on the outside.
We are constantly looking for ways to not only minimize our impact on the earth, but to leave it better than we found it. Our green initiatives span sourcing, manufacturing and operations, lightening our carbon footprint with each step forward. Taking the lead in our industry, virtually all of our product shipments are certified carbon neutral. Working together, we grow greener every day.
For more information, visit Christina's website.
More than just grounded in green values, we are putting them into action. We're taking "pure, safe and beneficial" to the next level through our efforts to match the purity of our ingredients with the earth friendliness of our packaging. So what's good on the inside is also good on the outside.
We are constantly looking for ways to not only minimize our impact on the earth, but to leave it better than we found it. Our green initiatives span sourcing, manufacturing and operations, lightening our carbon footprint with each step forward. Taking the lead in our industry, virtually all of our product shipments are certified carbon neutral. Working together, we grow greener every day.
For more information, visit Christina's website.
Compassion Over Killing
Compassion Over Killing is a national nonprofit animal advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC with an additional office in Los Angeles, CA. Working to end animal abuse since 1995, Compassion Over Killing focuses on cruelty to animals in agriculture and promotes vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for all of us, both human and nonhuman.
Since 1995, Compassion Over Killing has served as an unwavering force bringing about positive changes for animals and thanks to our many generous supporters, we’ve come a long way in our short history: starting as an all-volunteer high school club and evolving into a national voice for animals. More information about our work can be found at: COK.net
Since 1995, Compassion Over Killing has served as an unwavering force bringing about positive changes for animals and thanks to our many generous supporters, we’ve come a long way in our short history: starting as an all-volunteer high school club and evolving into a national voice for animals. More information about our work can be found at: COK.net
Cazmira
Personalized Prayer Flags & Original Screen Print Clothing for Adults, Kids and Organic Baby! xo
We believe in the power of imagery, symbols and prayer, and the affect they can have on manifesting our lives. We design and create original hand pulled screen print images using environmentally responsible materials & heaps of love. Kale Yeah! www.etsy.com/shop/Cazmira
We believe in the power of imagery, symbols and prayer, and the affect they can have on manifesting our lives. We design and create original hand pulled screen print images using environmentally responsible materials & heaps of love. Kale Yeah! www.etsy.com/shop/Cazmira
Sea Shepherd
Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.
Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.
Learn more about: Laws and charters that guide our activities, Mandate - as provided by the U.N. World Charter for Nature, Our Equality Statement outlines the truth about what does and doesn't motivate our work. Visit seashepherd.org for more.
Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately-balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.
Learn more about: Laws and charters that guide our activities, Mandate - as provided by the U.N. World Charter for Nature, Our Equality Statement outlines the truth about what does and doesn't motivate our work. Visit seashepherd.org for more.
LUSH
At LUSH we believe in buying vegan ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals. Fighting animal testing should be more than a slogan; it needs to be a genuine practice. Unfortunately, it’s become commonplace in the North American cosmetics industry to test products and their ingredients on animals in labs. Laboratory testing is done to substances that make up these cosmetic products, to see whether they are likely to harm people, or damage the environment when they are disposed of.
We’ve been against animal testing for over 30 years and will continue to inform, encourage and participate in the fight for animal rights. We’re proud to say that the founders of LUSH have been passionately fighting against animal testing during all of this time, long before LUSH was even an idea. Since the movement to stop animal testing started, policies have been created to work with cosmetics companies and raw materials suppliers to end animal cruelty.
Our policy is the result of a personal effort to reduce animal testing, for companies who supply raw materials to change the way they test for safety and to stop money from going to companies who we believe are morally unsound.
We operate our own unique Supplier Specific Boycott, which states we will not buy any ingredient from any manufacturer or supplier that tests anything they produce on any animals for any reason. We ensure the safety of their products by only using ingredients with a long history of safe use, and by testing the finished products on a panel of human volunteers. We support the development and validation of non-animal tests, and campaign against legislation that requires animals to be experimented on. Not only is LUSH passionate about the animal testing policy, our passion also extends to the commitment we have to sourcing ingredients from suppliers that are congruent with our ethics and standards.
Our extremely strict policy against animal testing is unique, and we want our peers in the cosmetics industry to adopt the same stance. We encourage you to boycott cosmetics companies that engage in animal testing. For more information about our products and all our policies, please visit our website.
We’ve been against animal testing for over 30 years and will continue to inform, encourage and participate in the fight for animal rights. We’re proud to say that the founders of LUSH have been passionately fighting against animal testing during all of this time, long before LUSH was even an idea. Since the movement to stop animal testing started, policies have been created to work with cosmetics companies and raw materials suppliers to end animal cruelty.
Our policy is the result of a personal effort to reduce animal testing, for companies who supply raw materials to change the way they test for safety and to stop money from going to companies who we believe are morally unsound.
We operate our own unique Supplier Specific Boycott, which states we will not buy any ingredient from any manufacturer or supplier that tests anything they produce on any animals for any reason. We ensure the safety of their products by only using ingredients with a long history of safe use, and by testing the finished products on a panel of human volunteers. We support the development and validation of non-animal tests, and campaign against legislation that requires animals to be experimented on. Not only is LUSH passionate about the animal testing policy, our passion also extends to the commitment we have to sourcing ingredients from suppliers that are congruent with our ethics and standards.
Our extremely strict policy against animal testing is unique, and we want our peers in the cosmetics industry to adopt the same stance. We encourage you to boycott cosmetics companies that engage in animal testing. For more information about our products and all our policies, please visit our website.
Twin Oaks Horse Sanctuary
Did you ever ride a lesson horse or rent a horse for a trail ride or go for a carriage ride and have that one ride turn into a love of horses? Well, we at Twin Oaks Horse Sanctuary, turned that love into a passion as we saw what happens to that lesson horse or trail horse when they age and and they are no longer “useful”.
We see the beauty in an old horse and know that every horse has a story and most aren’t kind. Most people think that a horse’s usefulness is done at three, six , or ten years old due to various disciplines, but we feel that the “best” horses are over twenty even though, we love them all.
Older horses are far from “useless” and because we feel that way, we have decided to give them a forever home to let them live out their days, happy and healthy with their horsey friends. If we can educate the public about the benefits and joys of loving an older horse, so that they can be saved one at a time, then we feel we are doing our part to help the unwanted horse population.
Our farm is located in Manorville, NY where we have been operating our sanctuary for the past 23 years. The difference between a sanctuary and a rescue is that we do not try to find homes for our older and retired horses, we let them live out their lives naturally.
For more information about what we do please check out our website. We can be contacted at (631) 585-8521 or by e-mail at twinoakshs@optonline.net.
We see the beauty in an old horse and know that every horse has a story and most aren’t kind. Most people think that a horse’s usefulness is done at three, six , or ten years old due to various disciplines, but we feel that the “best” horses are over twenty even though, we love them all.
Older horses are far from “useless” and because we feel that way, we have decided to give them a forever home to let them live out their days, happy and healthy with their horsey friends. If we can educate the public about the benefits and joys of loving an older horse, so that they can be saved one at a time, then we feel we are doing our part to help the unwanted horse population.
Our farm is located in Manorville, NY where we have been operating our sanctuary for the past 23 years. The difference between a sanctuary and a rescue is that we do not try to find homes for our older and retired horses, we let them live out their lives naturally.
For more information about what we do please check out our website. We can be contacted at (631) 585-8521 or by e-mail at twinoakshs@optonline.net.
For the Animals Sanctuary
For the Animals Sanctuary is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong care of victims of the food farming trade. At our 8-acre sanctuary located in Blairstown, NJ, animals that would have lived a life of deprivation, pain, and constant fear are able to enjoy life, nature and companionship, and receive lifelong veterinary care. And of course, they are showered with abundant love, attention, and compassion. We currently have goats, cows, steers, pigs and hens. In addition to caring for the animals at our sanctuary, we also provide a loving home to abandoned and homeless domestic animals, and actively engage in vegan outreach.
But, unfortunately, the animals living at the Sanctuary are but a countless few out of the many billions of sentient, life-loving animals needlessly slaughtered the world over every year for human consumption, fashion, and entertainment. We invite people to enjoy the benefits of living a compassionate vegan lifestyle for themselves, the animals, and the earth.
At For the Animals sanctuary, every dollar you donate goes directly to food, bedding, and medical care for our animals. As a non-profit organization, we rely entirely on volunteer work and donations from caring members of the public in order to continue our life-saving work. Your support really does help us save lives!
Visit our website and Facebook page for more information.
But, unfortunately, the animals living at the Sanctuary are but a countless few out of the many billions of sentient, life-loving animals needlessly slaughtered the world over every year for human consumption, fashion, and entertainment. We invite people to enjoy the benefits of living a compassionate vegan lifestyle for themselves, the animals, and the earth.
At For the Animals sanctuary, every dollar you donate goes directly to food, bedding, and medical care for our animals. As a non-profit organization, we rely entirely on volunteer work and donations from caring members of the public in order to continue our life-saving work. Your support really does help us save lives!
Visit our website and Facebook page for more information.
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini Yoga is the Yoga of Self Mastery. It is a Yoga that makes you drop your self-limiting beliefs so you can fulfill your destiny, your purpose, and understand what you are here to do.
Karisa Baldwin specializes in Kundalini yoga. She studied in Greece at the Semprevia Yoga College with Gloria Latham. She has also studied with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Alan Finger and Sri Dharma Mittra. She incorporates the healing vibration into her classes, helping us to awaken our Kundalini energy in an expanded space.
More information can be found at: Unumheartyoga.com.
Karisa Baldwin specializes in Kundalini yoga. She studied in Greece at the Semprevia Yoga College with Gloria Latham. She has also studied with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Alan Finger and Sri Dharma Mittra. She incorporates the healing vibration into her classes, helping us to awaken our Kundalini energy in an expanded space.
More information can be found at: Unumheartyoga.com.
Sweetbriar Nature Center
ECSS: Sweetbriar Nature Center is a private not-for-profit corporation which exists to provide natural science education services for Long Island residents of all ages and to engage in native wildlife rehabilitation services. Through education and examples, ECSS encourages responsible decision making, appreciation, and respect for the unique wildlife and ecosystems found on Long Island.
Sweetbriar Nature Center is situated on 54 acres of varied garden, woodland, field and wetland habitats on the Nissequogue River in Smithtown, NY. Hundreds of species of plants and animals make homes here. Sweetbriar Nature Center offers educational opportunities for all ages, either at our nature preserve or at your facility. Our programs are designed to involve participants through the use of live animals, hands-on activities and interactive experiences. It is our hope that all visitors will gain a better understanding and respect for the natural world. Programs are designed by educators to enhance and supplement the life sciences guidelines of the New York State science curriculum. Supplemental materials are provided both before and after each program.
For more information, please visit our website, or call 631.979.6344.
Sweetbriar Nature Center is situated on 54 acres of varied garden, woodland, field and wetland habitats on the Nissequogue River in Smithtown, NY. Hundreds of species of plants and animals make homes here. Sweetbriar Nature Center offers educational opportunities for all ages, either at our nature preserve or at your facility. Our programs are designed to involve participants through the use of live animals, hands-on activities and interactive experiences. It is our hope that all visitors will gain a better understanding and respect for the natural world. Programs are designed by educators to enhance and supplement the life sciences guidelines of the New York State science curriculum. Supplemental materials are provided both before and after each program.
For more information, please visit our website, or call 631.979.6344.
Mercy For Animals
Mercy For Animals is a national non-profit animal protection organization, dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies. More information can be found at: MercyForAnimals.org.
Organic Code
At Organic Code our mission is simple: Healthy Living. We know optimal health is achievable with living foods and whole food supplementation. As a Certified Health Coach, my mission is to extend the knowledge I learned at the Hippocrates Health Institute. The Institute has been “Helping People Help Themselves” for over 60 years educating hundreds of thousands of people how to live a life free from premature aging, disease and needless pain. We work with individuals with various health challanges. In conjuction, we promote 100% plant based products that are the top picks of the holistic community. We take pride in educating the world on living foods and the positive impact they have on the body and the environment.
For more information, please visit our website: www.organic-code.net.
For more information, please visit our website: www.organic-code.net.
Cinema Arts Centre
The mission of the Cinema Arts Centre is to bring the best in cinematic artistry to Long Island, and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. In 1973, Vic Skolnick and Charlotte Sky began the New Community Cinema-which would become the Cinema Arts Centre (CAC). Responding to a profound lack of artistic, independent, and international cinema on Long Island, Skolnick and Sky had a vision of engaging people in cinema culture, creating a new community of film-goers on Long Island who sought access to a broader choice of films in their community and to use the power of film toward a greater social good. In-depth discussion, often with directors, film artists or guest speakers relevant to films’ topics, evolved to become a central component of CAC programming. Such discussions often served to explore and illuminate issues such as the environment, food politics, social and economic justice, diversity and equality.
Love Grace
Love Grace is an organic, local (made in NYC) juice cleanse company serving up cutting edge nutrition through 100% organic cold-pressed juices, smoothies and elixirs in the New York area and shipping nationwide to all people looking for energy, weight-loss, and ultimate health! From people dealing with serious health issues to professional athletes, Love Grace runs the gamut because health does not discriminate and neither does great juice!
Love Grace Foods was created by a young New York couple, Carissa-Ann Santos and Jacob Mabanta. Santos, a fashion model and health counselor was always excited to find the next-level of health for herself and clients while Mabanta began as a chef heading up healthy restaurants throughout NYC. Love Grace was created with the mission to provide a higher level of vitality and fulfillment for all through cutting edge nutrition. With gourmet juices, smoothies, and elixirs they support customers in reaching their health goals with ease and excitement.
For more information visit their website: lovegracefoods.com.
Love Grace Foods was created by a young New York couple, Carissa-Ann Santos and Jacob Mabanta. Santos, a fashion model and health counselor was always excited to find the next-level of health for herself and clients while Mabanta began as a chef heading up healthy restaurants throughout NYC. Love Grace was created with the mission to provide a higher level of vitality and fulfillment for all through cutting edge nutrition. With gourmet juices, smoothies, and elixirs they support customers in reaching their health goals with ease and excitement.
For more information visit their website: lovegracefoods.com.
Brooklyn Dark
Brooklyn Dark was founded by Lev Kelman in 2011. After receiving his Grand Diplome from the Italian Culinary Academy in New York City and from Alma in Parma, Italy, Lev Kelman embarked on many delicious and adventurous chocolate experiments, mostly in his kitchen with close friends and foodies alike. His passion for the creating a sublime chocolate treat – using the finest organic ingredients and eliminating negative additives such as dairy – led to 4 unique flavor varieties: Classic Hemp, Open Sesame, Orange Silk and Moroccan Spice. Brooklyn Dark contains another chocolate first – hemp seed – a whole plant super-food. Hemp is one of the most nutritious plants on Earth. It is an excellent source of easily digestible protein and doesn’t need pesticides in order to grow, preserving the environment and not polluting ecosystems. Our certified organic hemp seeds contain no THC. Hemp won’t get you high, but eating Brooklyn Dark will put a smile on your face. You are one chocolate away from a happier day!
Brooklyn Dark chocolate is also environmentally friendly, made with certified Rainforest Alliance organic chocolate, with all cacao farmers are utilizing sustainable agricultural methods. Blended to 63% cacao, Brooklyn Dark appeals to sophisticated chocolate consumers, who prefer dark chocolate containing between 60% to 70% cacao. Brooklyn Dark is artisanal – created by hand with love, in small batches and wrapped by hand. We’ve replaced chemically refined sugar with less refined organic evaporated cane juice – and unlike other bars, it is not the first ingredient, which is chocolate!
There are no preservatives in Brooklyn Dark. Organic Soy Lecithin, an emulsifier, is used to keep the ingredients from separating. There are no additives such as nuts or gluten to which many people have allergic reactions. Only vegan ingredients are present in Brooklyn Dark. Dairy is harmful to humans and to the animals involved in its production. We at Brooklyn Dark seek to maximize good decisions to help make society more humane.
For more information visit, BrooklynDark.com.
Brooklyn Dark chocolate is also environmentally friendly, made with certified Rainforest Alliance organic chocolate, with all cacao farmers are utilizing sustainable agricultural methods. Blended to 63% cacao, Brooklyn Dark appeals to sophisticated chocolate consumers, who prefer dark chocolate containing between 60% to 70% cacao. Brooklyn Dark is artisanal – created by hand with love, in small batches and wrapped by hand. We’ve replaced chemically refined sugar with less refined organic evaporated cane juice – and unlike other bars, it is not the first ingredient, which is chocolate!
There are no preservatives in Brooklyn Dark. Organic Soy Lecithin, an emulsifier, is used to keep the ingredients from separating. There are no additives such as nuts or gluten to which many people have allergic reactions. Only vegan ingredients are present in Brooklyn Dark. Dairy is harmful to humans and to the animals involved in its production. We at Brooklyn Dark seek to maximize good decisions to help make society more humane.
For more information visit, BrooklynDark.com.
Beads By Buddha Bia
Beads by Buddha Bia was born in 2012, as a jewelry line inspired for a very peaceful, loving, funny, beautiful and utmost amazing person! Our hand crafted jewelry is made in the USA using cruelty-free materials. It is comfortable to wear, and perfect for everyday fashion use at very reasonable prices. Our customers are both men and women who are fashion-conscious people, inspired by meditation, color, and beauty. More information can found at our website: BuddhaBia.com.
Compassion Co.
Organic, USA made, sweat shop free vegan apparel. Compassion Co. creates the most comfortable, ethically produced message wear so you can be proud to show off your cruelty free lifestyle.
Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Located in New York's Hudson Valley, Catskill Animal Sanctuary is a 110-acre haven for horses and farm animals rescued from cruelty and neglect. In addition to emergency rescue, CAS educates the public about the devastating impacts of factory farming on people, animals and the planet, and about how to live a more compassionate life through tours, special events, a vegan cooking program and summer kids camp. Since 2001, CAS has rescued over 3,000 animals and worked in tandem with law enforcement to bring animal abusers to justice.
For more information, visit: www.CASanctuary.org.
For more information, visit: www.CASanctuary.org.
The Artists:
Elise Hollandsworth Hartmann
Elise Hollandsworth Hartmann is a mixed media artist and illustrator. Her creations come from that place between sleep and awake...a magical place where the world is kinder. She hopes to tell a story with her art...to inspire people to see life in a more beautiful and compassionate way.
Elise is a vegan artist, and her veganism has a huge impact on the art she creates and the materials she uses. She believes that no creature should suffer for any reason...and this goes for her art as well as every other facet of her and her family's life. She grew up in southwest Virginia but now lives with her husband and two kids in a sleepy little village in central New Jersey. More information about Elise and her artwork can be found at:
www.darkfaeriecreations.com
www.darkfaerie.etsy.com
Elise is a vegan artist, and her veganism has a huge impact on the art she creates and the materials she uses. She believes that no creature should suffer for any reason...and this goes for her art as well as every other facet of her and her family's life. She grew up in southwest Virginia but now lives with her husband and two kids in a sleepy little village in central New Jersey. More information about Elise and her artwork can be found at:
www.darkfaeriecreations.com
www.darkfaerie.etsy.com
Madeleine W. Tuttle
During her early childhood years growing up in the French part of Switzerland, Madeleine Tuttle earnestly began her life-long exploration of the many varieties of creative artistic expression, and when she moved to the Swiss German region at the age of nine she continued her avid interest in the arts, often astonishing adults with her craft skills, especially in needlework and design. Upon completing her schooling and then running a successful retail music business in Basel, she decided to deepen her investigation of art, education, and meditation through studies in England, Switzerland, and the U.S. that led to her becoming a certified Waldorf school teacher.
She loved learning and practicing the most natural methods of watercolor painting, using only primary colors from pure sources, and mixing them herself to create the delicate shades she sought. From this basis, her art developed over the next 30 years, strongly influenced by her interest in meditation and eastern philosophy, and her extensive travels covering six continents. Her formal studies of ink brush painting in Japan have contributed a Zen spirit to her unique watercolor style, and another important factor in her artistic development has been her love for contemplative observation of the ever-unfolding drama of nature.
Her watercolors have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. Today, besides painting her original works, she creates covers for CD’s and books by her husband and partner, Will Tuttle, an author and composer of original piano music. She also creates original art cards, journals, and stationery, and collaborates with Will in creating personalized Music and Art Portraits for individuals and couples.
Madeleine’s art comes from within her, propelled by her love of nature and people, and refined by her sensitivity to forces and feelings beyond the physical dimension. Her creative blending of vibrant and delicate colors reveals some of her vision—that within the inherent tension of opposites and underlying the vast arrays of differences, there is a mysteriously unifying life to be explored and celebrated.
For more information call or visit: Karuna Music & Art, 1.800.697.6614 or www.willtuttle.com.
She loved learning and practicing the most natural methods of watercolor painting, using only primary colors from pure sources, and mixing them herself to create the delicate shades she sought. From this basis, her art developed over the next 30 years, strongly influenced by her interest in meditation and eastern philosophy, and her extensive travels covering six continents. Her formal studies of ink brush painting in Japan have contributed a Zen spirit to her unique watercolor style, and another important factor in her artistic development has been her love for contemplative observation of the ever-unfolding drama of nature.
Her watercolors have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. Today, besides painting her original works, she creates covers for CD’s and books by her husband and partner, Will Tuttle, an author and composer of original piano music. She also creates original art cards, journals, and stationery, and collaborates with Will in creating personalized Music and Art Portraits for individuals and couples.
Madeleine’s art comes from within her, propelled by her love of nature and people, and refined by her sensitivity to forces and feelings beyond the physical dimension. Her creative blending of vibrant and delicate colors reveals some of her vision—that within the inherent tension of opposites and underlying the vast arrays of differences, there is a mysteriously unifying life to be explored and celebrated.
For more information call or visit: Karuna Music & Art, 1.800.697.6614 or www.willtuttle.com.
Dana Feagin
Dana Feagin is an award-winning oil painter focused completely on animals. She is known for her realistic painting style on bold backgrounds and tightly cropped facial portraits, which capture the sweet and amusing expression of each animal. Dana paints from her home studio in Ashland, OR, as well as a shared open studio at the Ashland Art Center. She is the proud mom to four former shelter dogs, and a member of the Canine Art Guild and Ashland Gallery Association. Dana also volunteers for two local animal welfare groups to which she donates 10% of her sales. You can view Dana's work through her website @ www.inspiredpetportraits.com, her Etsy shop @ www.inspiredpetportraits.etsy.com and Facebook @ www.facebook.com/inspiredpetportraits.
Kirsten Elizabeth Freiman
Kirsten Elizabeth Freiman has been a vegan for four years now and has loved every minute of it. She has had a special affection for animals all her life and is always looking for ways to bring awareness and aid to animals everywhere. Now entering her fourth year of college at SUNY Geneseo, Kirsten is looking forward to further cultivating her skills as a Creative Writing major. Aside from writing, Kirsten also enjoys painting and drawing. She has a passion for creative expression and enjoys playing with texture and color in her work.
Derek Goodwin
Derek Goodwin went vegan on New Year’s Day 1996 with his then-partner and now best friend Megan Shackelford and has never looked back since. By 1998 he was enmeshed in the Rochester vegan community and was serving on the board of directors of the Rochester Area Vegetarian Society (RAVS). Moving to Northampton, Massachusetts in 1999 he began to put his talents as a photographer and web designer to work for the movement. He created the web site Veganica.com which launched in 2000 as an online community for vegan artists and musicians (now out-dated and on the back-burner). In 2001 he began photographing events and animals for Farm Sanctuary and also became the photography advisor for VegNews magazine. His photographs of sanctuary farm animals have since been published in dozens of magazines, newspapers and books all over the world. Many of the them will be featured in the new book Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs by No Voice Unheard press.
For more information about Derek and his work, visit: derekgoodwin.com
For more information about Derek and his work, visit: derekgoodwin.com
Ivana Vizcarrondo
Ivana Vizcarrondo is a busy mother of two toddlers, a Child Life Specialist and a Registered Art Therapist. Art is one of her greatest passions and she strives to bring a sense of spirituality and healing into all of her work. Although she is limited in the amount of time she has to devote to art making, she makes a daily effort to include art in her life. For Ivana, art making is healing. And through her art, she in turn hopes to be able to promote healing in others.
Caroline Lupardo
Caroline Lupardo has been a passionate vegan since she first learned about factory farming at age 15. Ever since, she has been committed to educating others and widening the circle of compassion beyond her own species. As an artist, she believes that art can be a means of healing and of empowerment. Through art, Caroline continues to tell her own story, as well as open up the conversation for others to make their own connections, and give their own interpretations. Her veganism inspires much of her work, but she also includes a lot of individual struggles that society fails to properly address, such as mental illness, war, and starvation. Over the years, art has been an incredible outlet for Caroline, and has become an almost meditative practice for her. It is a dream come true when others are moved by her work, and she can’t wait to be a part of this year’s Animal Rights and VegFest.
Anne B. Gunthner
Anne Gunthner graduated from the University of North Texas with a major in Fashion Design and a minor in Art. She then went on to study fashion and general illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Art Students League and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Ms. Gunthner worked for many years in retail advertising as both a layout artist and art director for newspaper and catalogs.
Retired from advertising, Ms. Gunthner continues to pursue her fine arts passion through studies with local artists in various mediums. Always open to new creative experiences, she has found great pleasure in working in pastel and watercolor. More recently, Ms. Gunthner has rediscovered her love of traditional oil methods. She is currently studying with classical artist Kristin Kunc at the Teaching Studios of Oyster Bay.
Ms. Gunthner has always been inspired by both American and European Impressionists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her recent studies in still life oils reflect the masterful techniques of 18th century French painter Jean Baptiste Chardin. Objects are simply painted to convey the visual pleasure experienced in looking at them. Her pastel paintings reflect the vibrancy of color, texture and light captured by favorite Spanish artist, Joaquin Sorolla. The artist aims to capture the soul of her subject, while keeping the composition fresh and alive to the very last stroke.
Anne has taught summer workshops and fall classes to school age children at The Village Artist of Huntington, NY. She is an associate member of the Pastel Society of America as well as a member of the Huntington Arts Council.
Ms. Gunthner lives in Huntington, NY with her husband and two sons. To view more of her work, please visit her website.
Retired from advertising, Ms. Gunthner continues to pursue her fine arts passion through studies with local artists in various mediums. Always open to new creative experiences, she has found great pleasure in working in pastel and watercolor. More recently, Ms. Gunthner has rediscovered her love of traditional oil methods. She is currently studying with classical artist Kristin Kunc at the Teaching Studios of Oyster Bay.
Ms. Gunthner has always been inspired by both American and European Impressionists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her recent studies in still life oils reflect the masterful techniques of 18th century French painter Jean Baptiste Chardin. Objects are simply painted to convey the visual pleasure experienced in looking at them. Her pastel paintings reflect the vibrancy of color, texture and light captured by favorite Spanish artist, Joaquin Sorolla. The artist aims to capture the soul of her subject, while keeping the composition fresh and alive to the very last stroke.
Anne has taught summer workshops and fall classes to school age children at The Village Artist of Huntington, NY. She is an associate member of the Pastel Society of America as well as a member of the Huntington Arts Council.
Ms. Gunthner lives in Huntington, NY with her husband and two sons. To view more of her work, please visit her website.
Michael Kevin O'Brien
MKOB, Michael Kevin O'Brien, is a vegan Artist and Web/Graphic Designer. While he isn't running MKOB Design, he is spreading the word on all things compassionate and delicious through his Vegan Food Blog, VegosAmigos. He is in love with animals, food, art and music. He is currently making experimental electronic indie dub music under the name MKOB.
He wants hugs, and to spread love and nutrition. More info. about MKOB and his work can be found at:
www.MichaelKevinOBrien.com
www.VegosAmigos.com
www.soundcloud.com/mkob
He wants hugs, and to spread love and nutrition. More info. about MKOB and his work can be found at:
www.MichaelKevinOBrien.com
www.VegosAmigos.com
www.soundcloud.com/mkob
Julie Kirkpatrick
Julie Kirkpatrick produces postcards, which are reproductions of original collages she has created. The cards are printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink. A portion of all proceeds she earns are donated to individuals and organizations involved in animal rescue, such as Karuna For Animals.
Julie is a 30 year resident of NYC, having come to the city in 1981 after completing a BFA program at the University of Michigan. She has been a student of yoga for 25 years and a teacher of Jivamukti Yoga for 10 years. For more information contact Julie at: juliefrancine11@gmail.com.
Julie is a 30 year resident of NYC, having come to the city in 1981 after completing a BFA program at the University of Michigan. She has been a student of yoga for 25 years and a teacher of Jivamukti Yoga for 10 years. For more information contact Julie at: juliefrancine11@gmail.com.
Jennifer Nicole
Jennifer Nicole is an award-winning artist from the New York area. An accomplished graphic designer and illustrator, Jen loves to make art in the real world too! Working from recycled wood, paint and windows, Jen was inspired to open her own business called "Art In The Garage". Her creations are whimsical and unique and she can create any sign you need for any occasion. As Jen likes to say " These are gifts you can afford to give away, but you will want to keep them for yourself!" Art In The Garage is proving that "Green Art" can be affordable and fun too!
Lilith Jones
Lilith Jones is a mural painter and illustrator whose work centers around animals and the natural world. Her clients include The Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy; The Cold Spring Harbor Library and Environmental Center; Queens College Center for Environmental Education and Research; The Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary and Audubon Center; Homes for the Homeless and Volunteers for Wildlife as well as schools, libraries, businesses and private individuals. She illustrated the educational children's book "Wacky Plant Cycles"; Aileen Fisher's story "You Don't Look Like Your Mother" and "The Basha Kill Wetlands: A Field Guide" and is currently working on the drawings for Karen Roberts' "The Gentle Beagle," a story about dog rescue.
Genevieve Leahy
Genevieve has been painting all her life. She has been a commercial artist and teacher in Pennsylvania, as well as a curriculum advisor and art teacher for the New York City public school system.
Genevieve's education includes the College of Mt. St. Vincent, St. Joseph's College, Pratt Institute, The Brooklyn Museum Art School, Brooklyn College Art School and The Art Students League. Her work has been sold to private collectors throughout the United States and has been exhibited in galleries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Long Island, Manhattan and at the Brooklyn Museum.
Her paintings have been motivated by poetry and music and the prevailing images of her travels. For more information about Genevieve and to view her work by appointment, please contact her Amityville studio at 631-691-6589.
Genevieve's education includes the College of Mt. St. Vincent, St. Joseph's College, Pratt Institute, The Brooklyn Museum Art School, Brooklyn College Art School and The Art Students League. Her work has been sold to private collectors throughout the United States and has been exhibited in galleries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Long Island, Manhattan and at the Brooklyn Museum.
Her paintings have been motivated by poetry and music and the prevailing images of her travels. For more information about Genevieve and to view her work by appointment, please contact her Amityville studio at 631-691-6589.
Carole Soler
On a trip a couple of years ago to Rincon, Puerto Rico to visit relatives, Carole Soler found interesting “sea debris” on her daily beach strolls – everything from discarded tile to sea glass and shells. These she turned into one-of-a-kind pendants and necklaces. She offered them to a boutique owner there as a donation for an animal neutering organization. They sold out.
Back in Queens, Dr. Soler (she holds a doctorate in education from St. John’s University) continued her new hobby. She says: “It’s both relaxing and even spiritual; using a talent for joy and good is a blessing.” Although Soler has no formal art training, she did use art in her many years teaching public elementary school in Corona, Queens. She also incorporated art in her model lessons for novice teachers as a college professor.
In New York, Soler continued to work on her unique designs – all on eco-friendly, recycled materials. These include bottle caps, wood, and Tagua nut. Some are painted and others are delicately drawn with a special rapidograph technical pen. She sells some of her creations at craft fairs in the Queens and Long Island area where many talented artisans sell beaded jewelry and metal designs. However, she notes: “I’ve yet to see ink drawings on wood, or nut.” Her repertoire includes nature designs (of course), animals, and tiny landscapes. “My nut pendants are particularly popular and are a very environmentally friendly product,” she says proudly. People also like to know that they’re wearing or giving something that no one else has. Her “Soler pieces” are truly one of a kind—as different as each unique individual.
Soler’s jewelry can also be found in a few boutiques in SoHo and is also on display at the gift boutique at Queens’ landmark Flushing Town Hall. According to Soler, the act of creating, whether it’s cooking, drawing, writing, or whatever puts you in the moment, is time well spent. For more information, contact Carole: solarpeacedesigns@yahoo.com.
Back in Queens, Dr. Soler (she holds a doctorate in education from St. John’s University) continued her new hobby. She says: “It’s both relaxing and even spiritual; using a talent for joy and good is a blessing.” Although Soler has no formal art training, she did use art in her many years teaching public elementary school in Corona, Queens. She also incorporated art in her model lessons for novice teachers as a college professor.
In New York, Soler continued to work on her unique designs – all on eco-friendly, recycled materials. These include bottle caps, wood, and Tagua nut. Some are painted and others are delicately drawn with a special rapidograph technical pen. She sells some of her creations at craft fairs in the Queens and Long Island area where many talented artisans sell beaded jewelry and metal designs. However, she notes: “I’ve yet to see ink drawings on wood, or nut.” Her repertoire includes nature designs (of course), animals, and tiny landscapes. “My nut pendants are particularly popular and are a very environmentally friendly product,” she says proudly. People also like to know that they’re wearing or giving something that no one else has. Her “Soler pieces” are truly one of a kind—as different as each unique individual.
Soler’s jewelry can also be found in a few boutiques in SoHo and is also on display at the gift boutique at Queens’ landmark Flushing Town Hall. According to Soler, the act of creating, whether it’s cooking, drawing, writing, or whatever puts you in the moment, is time well spent. For more information, contact Carole: solarpeacedesigns@yahoo.com.
Ryan Egan
Ryan Egan, age 36, born Gemini:
There was always an invisible force compelling Ryan to create. His imagination is limitless, unbound in whatever project he is throwing himself into. Ryan looks to engage those who see his work on a positive level as well as an emotional level, drawing out the feelings and emotions he had while creating a piece onto those who are viewing it. His inspirations come from the world that surrounds us all. He not only sculpts but designs and builds landscapes, builds furniture from driftwood, paints, illustrates and is a sharp eyed photographer. Ryan's sculptures are made generally from hardwoods found worldwide, some including paduka, seppille, and black walnut. His landscape designs are very much what one may find in 17th century Japan. His unique imagination is cleverly incorporated in the furniture he builds and his keen eye gives his photographs a unusual perspective not commonly seen. Ryan has had little formal training and has only just begun to lift the veil over his creations.
There was always an invisible force compelling Ryan to create. His imagination is limitless, unbound in whatever project he is throwing himself into. Ryan looks to engage those who see his work on a positive level as well as an emotional level, drawing out the feelings and emotions he had while creating a piece onto those who are viewing it. His inspirations come from the world that surrounds us all. He not only sculpts but designs and builds landscapes, builds furniture from driftwood, paints, illustrates and is a sharp eyed photographer. Ryan's sculptures are made generally from hardwoods found worldwide, some including paduka, seppille, and black walnut. His landscape designs are very much what one may find in 17th century Japan. His unique imagination is cleverly incorporated in the furniture he builds and his keen eye gives his photographs a unusual perspective not commonly seen. Ryan has had little formal training and has only just begun to lift the veil over his creations.
Adrienne Lojeck
Handmade Vegan Mermaid Mask by Adrienne Lojeck
Adrienne has found health, happiness, and creative inspiration in her new vegan lifestyle. After going vegan in Feb. 2011 for ethical reasons, Adrienne was dismayed to find that animal cruelty extends far beyond the dinner plate in our society: feather earrings, leather bags, dried sea creatures used as home decor. That's why she created WingsOfClay, her Etsy shop offering her unique hand-made vegan polymer clay art jewelry. Inspired by animal forms, Adrienne created faux-feather earrings, metallic sea-star necklaces, all without the use of any animal products. Adrienne's handcrafted items are vegan from start to finish: she crafts her own molds, and constructs each item in a small workshop in her vegan home! To learn more, visit WingsOfClay at www.Etsy.com/WingsOfClay
Michele Schoudel
Michele is grateful to volunteer her services to Karuna For Animals for the second year in a row. Not only is she a participating artist, but she also assists with some graphic design work and other various volunteer responsibilities. The combination of art and animal rights has proven to be the perfect mix for her and she hopes to continue on this path.
While in college Michele was exposed to the issue of animal rights, and it changed her life forever. Her passion for animals is expressed in her drawings and photography. She has worked part time as a dog walker/sitter for over 15 years. Additionally, she has also volunteered at an animal shelter dog program and helped to reunite a few lost pups with their families. She claims that reuniting a lost dog with their guardian is like a miracle that brings sunshine into her heart… all parties are rewarded! Currently she works as a freelance graphic artist, but her dream is to open a dog rescue/dog-friendly bed & breakfast and save as many sweet souls as possible.
While in college Michele was exposed to the issue of animal rights, and it changed her life forever. Her passion for animals is expressed in her drawings and photography. She has worked part time as a dog walker/sitter for over 15 years. Additionally, she has also volunteered at an animal shelter dog program and helped to reunite a few lost pups with their families. She claims that reuniting a lost dog with their guardian is like a miracle that brings sunshine into her heart… all parties are rewarded! Currently she works as a freelance graphic artist, but her dream is to open a dog rescue/dog-friendly bed & breakfast and save as many sweet souls as possible.
Ivy Michelle Berg
Ivy Michelle Berg is an art instructor and artist known for her wildlife paintings, nature photography and pet portraiture in acrylic, watercolor, pastel and charcoal. She is an environmental activist, animal welfare advocate, dog rescue facilitator and lover of light and color. She has been painting since the age of 3 and enjoys sharing her craft with others via her work and her teaching. Ivy abandoned eating meat of her own volition at the age of 10 because she did not see the difference between looking into the eyes of beloved pets and those marked as "dinner." Her deep love and compassion for all living beings shines brightly through the faces of her portrait subjects. It is her hope that by offering people a view of this beautiful and diverse world through her eyes, she will raise greater awareness and appreciation for the fragility and beauty of our living planet.
More info can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/IvyMichelleBerg and https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtbyIvy.
More info can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/IvyMichelleBerg and https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtbyIvy.
The Entertainment:
Zach
Zach has been touring nationally more than 200 shows a year for over 13 years. A prolific writer, he has released 13 CDs, with 3 new records slated for release this year. Since adopting the vegan lifestyle 6 years ago, he has dedicated his life to nonviolence and peace, creating the Akron Peace Project, and becoming a World Peace Diet Facilitator, a Kingian Nonviolence Trainer, a Vegan Mentor, a practicing yogi and Transcendental meditator.
“I am here to inspire and uplift people. That’s what my music is about. That’s what my life is about.”
Several of his songs have been played on radio stations around the globe, and one song, Upon Your Dreams, was featured in a recent Tedx talk. Performing everything from house concerts to amphitheaters, yoga classes to trolley cars, all with a huge genuine smile and deep passion.
“I love every minute of it.”
Zach has performed for Chicago Vegan Mania, Chicago Veggie Fest, the World Peace Jubilee, the Cleveland Peace Show, Akron Peace Week, Swell Jam, the International Human Values Awards, numerous interfaith events, Farm Sanctuary, Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary, Wedrose Acres Animal Sanctuary, and many more compassionate events.
For more info, visit www.zachmusic.net.
“I am here to inspire and uplift people. That’s what my music is about. That’s what my life is about.”
Several of his songs have been played on radio stations around the globe, and one song, Upon Your Dreams, was featured in a recent Tedx talk. Performing everything from house concerts to amphitheaters, yoga classes to trolley cars, all with a huge genuine smile and deep passion.
“I love every minute of it.”
Zach has performed for Chicago Vegan Mania, Chicago Veggie Fest, the World Peace Jubilee, the Cleveland Peace Show, Akron Peace Week, Swell Jam, the International Human Values Awards, numerous interfaith events, Farm Sanctuary, Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary, Wedrose Acres Animal Sanctuary, and many more compassionate events.
For more info, visit www.zachmusic.net.
Alexa Dexa
Alexa Dexa is a soulful girl with bells and bubbles. Her fanciful toychestral concoctions blend floating vocals, poignant lyrics, haunting melodies, and dance-worthy beats. (Not to mention a collection of toy instruments that would put many playpens to shame, the most favored of which is her Schoenhut toy piano.) Alexa will be part of our Kids Corner. More information about Alexa can be found:
www.alexadexa.com
http://alexadexa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AlexaDexaMusic
https://twitter.com/Alexa_Dexa
www.alexadexa.com
http://alexadexa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AlexaDexaMusic
https://twitter.com/Alexa_Dexa
Kirsten Elizabeth Freiman
Kirsten Freiman is an animal lover who shares a home with two beautiful cats. She lives a vegan lifestyle for the well-being of herself and the planet. A college student, Kirsten is entering her fourth year at SUNY Geneseo. As a Creative Writing major, she enjoys writing memoirs and shortstories. Kirsten likes to paint and draw, but spends most of her time developing a career as a singer/songwriter. She has played many coffeehouses, and in the past year opened for America’s Got Talent runner-up, Miller. She also shared the stage with indie-folk band, Good Old War. An admirer of country and folk music, Kirsten reflects these and other styles in her original compositions. She goes by the stage name Kirsten Elizabeth, and her music can be found on Youtube and ReverbNation. http://www.youtube.com/user/MsKirstenElizabeth/videos
http://www.reverbnation.com/kirstenelizabeth
http://www.reverbnation.com/kirstenelizabeth
Raffle Contributors:
Judy Carman
Judy Carman is a long-time vegan, animal rights, environmental, and peace and justice activist. She is also the author of Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken’s Soul; and co-author of The Missing Peace: The Hidden Power of our Kinship with Animals. Peace to All Beings was voted one of the best spiritual books of 2003 by Spirituality and Health magazine.
Judy is co-founder of numerous activist groups, including the Lawrence, KS, based animal rights group Animal Outreach of Kansas. She is also co-founder of the Worldwide Prayer Circle for Animals at www.circleofcompassion.org and on Facebook. Her writing includes the “Eating as Though the Earth Matters” column for Sierra Club’s “Planet Kansas,” a weekly article for prayer circle members, and her blog at www.peacetoallbeings.com. She has taken part in emergency animal rescues with United Animal Nations’ Red Rover program. She powers her vehicles on used veggie oil and loves to spend time kayaking and playing with her grandkids.
Judy Carman’s passion is to look everywhere for the love and the beauty that flows through and links all faiths and all beings. She is dedicated to the liberation of all animals from human oppression and sharing the vision of a world at peace inspired by Schweitzer, Gandhi, Einstein, and others. They believed that inner peace and world peace could be achieved, but only if human beings learned to expand their circle of compassion beyond the human sphere to include all beings and nature. She is dedicated also to helping animal advocates find ways to integrate inner spiritual growth, prayer power, and nonviolent resistance into their activist work.
Judy is co-founder of numerous activist groups, including the Lawrence, KS, based animal rights group Animal Outreach of Kansas. She is also co-founder of the Worldwide Prayer Circle for Animals at www.circleofcompassion.org and on Facebook. Her writing includes the “Eating as Though the Earth Matters” column for Sierra Club’s “Planet Kansas,” a weekly article for prayer circle members, and her blog at www.peacetoallbeings.com. She has taken part in emergency animal rescues with United Animal Nations’ Red Rover program. She powers her vehicles on used veggie oil and loves to spend time kayaking and playing with her grandkids.
Judy Carman’s passion is to look everywhere for the love and the beauty that flows through and links all faiths and all beings. She is dedicated to the liberation of all animals from human oppression and sharing the vision of a world at peace inspired by Schweitzer, Gandhi, Einstein, and others. They believed that inner peace and world peace could be achieved, but only if human beings learned to expand their circle of compassion beyond the human sphere to include all beings and nature. She is dedicated also to helping animal advocates find ways to integrate inner spiritual growth, prayer power, and nonviolent resistance into their activist work.
Horace the Hound
Horace the Hound is a reflective boy for his young age who has already seen enough of the difficulties of life to have sobered his view, adding a level of maturity to his poetry not typically seen in such a youthful hound dog. Since his adoption Horace has been composing verse, offering commentary on the world and his experiences after acquiring a home of his own. Michele Krause is his typist since he lacks the fine dexterity needed to type, and she is proud to be his person. Horace has dedicated his work to helping others who have yet to find their homes & ALL of the sales profit will go to the shelter who took him in (Wetzel County Animal Shelter in New Martinsville, WV) and the rescues that helped him gain this good life in a home of his own through transport, fostering, and adoption of his friends. Please consider buying Horace's books. It will make you smile & help other animals to be able to smile too! Horace & Michele thank you. More information about Horace's poetry can be found at: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mkrause88. You can contact Horace's agent, Sparkplug at sparkplugbeagle88@gmail.com.
Ashland Creek Press
Founded in 2011, Ashland Creek Press is a small, independent publisher of books with a world view. From travel narratives to eco-literature, our mission is to publish a range of books that foster an appreciation for worlds outside our own, for nature and the animal kingdom, and for the ways in which we all connect. For more information visit: ashlandcreekpress.com.
Vegan Cuts
Vegan Cuts is an online marketplace that brings together healthy snacks, cruelty-free fashions, and natural body care that anyone would love—even if they're not vegan. They have a monthly snack box subscription, and announce new flash sales each week with discounts up to 60% off retail.
Christy Robinson Designs
Christy Robinson is a native Texan and currently resides in Dallas where she works as a full time studio jewelry artist. She has worked with two local contemporary jewelers and has taken jewelry intensives at The Craft Guild of Dallas in casting and etching techniques. She is a 2003 GIA Gemology Diamonds Graduate.
Her current body of work features jewelry designs that use earth friendly recycled metals such as aluminum, copper, sterling silver often deal with human, animal, and environmental issues. Having always loved creating, she became completely addicted to jewelry making in 1993 and it has become almost her sole form of creative expression.
In 1996, she became an animal rights advocate after watching an undercover video on slaughterhouses. A huge animal lover, having grown up with cows, pigs, chickens, homing pigeons as well as kitties and dogs she instantly went Vegetarian then Vegan and immediately got involved with the local animal advocacy community.
In 2006 she combined her interests (jewelry making, animal rights, environment) and started her online shop via her website and also her Etsy shop.
Christy enjoys having her work seen as something beautiful and seemingly material but on closer inspection having it be thought provoking with a slight edge of humor. She currently gives a portion of her proceeds to various earth, animal, or people friendly charities.
Her current body of work features jewelry designs that use earth friendly recycled metals such as aluminum, copper, sterling silver often deal with human, animal, and environmental issues. Having always loved creating, she became completely addicted to jewelry making in 1993 and it has become almost her sole form of creative expression.
In 1996, she became an animal rights advocate after watching an undercover video on slaughterhouses. A huge animal lover, having grown up with cows, pigs, chickens, homing pigeons as well as kitties and dogs she instantly went Vegetarian then Vegan and immediately got involved with the local animal advocacy community.
In 2006 she combined her interests (jewelry making, animal rights, environment) and started her online shop via her website and also her Etsy shop.
Christy enjoys having her work seen as something beautiful and seemingly material but on closer inspection having it be thought provoking with a slight edge of humor. She currently gives a portion of her proceeds to various earth, animal, or people friendly charities.
Herbivore Clothing Company
The Herbivore Clothing Company is the vegan clothing, cookbook and lifestyle store in Portland's own Vegan Mini-Mall. We've been putting the FU in TOFU since 2003. Go Vegan Already!
Festival Program Design by:
Red Robin Design, Inc.
Red Robin Design, Inc. is a New York City graphic and web design boutique that specializes in creating logos, websites, and marketing materials for small to medium-size businesses and individuals. Our award-winning team offers exceptional design, outstanding service and quick turnaround time without the high costs, impersonal attitude and “one-size-fits-all” approach of a large agency.
Contact Robin at: robin@redrobindesign.com, and for more information visit: redrobindesign.com.
Contact Robin at: robin@redrobindesign.com, and for more information visit: redrobindesign.com.
