Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

Dynamic vegan activist and speaker Joanne Kong, PhD, joins Jasmin on the podcast this week for an inspiring discussion about her personal journey into veganism and why she has dedicated herself to promoting veganism globally. Dr. Kong also provides insight into the brand new book that she curated and edited, Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers, which brings together the stories…

Our Hen House is pleased to welcome you to the first episode of the four-part audio series of the groundbreaking book, Antiracism in Animal Advocacy: Igniting Cultural Transformation. Our very own Jasmin Singer is the editor of this new anthology published by Lantern Books and Media, in collaboration with Encompass, Sentient Media, and, of course, Our Hen House. The book is…

Our Hen House is thrilled to welcome Kate Wall, Senior Legislative Manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), to the podcast this week. Kate give us an overview of her work lobbying at the federal level and provides a detailed breakdown of the worsening biodiversity crisis and what can be done to limit it. The bottom line is that…

▶ PLAY THIS EPISODE Cara Achterberg joins the podcast this week for an important conversation about the many dogs currently in animal rescues and shelters waiting for a home that may never come. Author of 2020’s One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One Woman, A Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues, Cara shares how she gradually…

Laura Reese, co-founder of Agriculture Fairness Alliance (AFA), joins the podcast this week for a riveting conversation about food and farm policy and how each of us potentially has the power to influence it. A former Silicon Valley engineer, Laura explains how she shifted from product planning to federal policy in hopes of helping farmers and policymakers craft policy to allow…

Our Hen House couldn’t be more excited to welcome youth activist Genesis Butler back to the podcast, this time joined by her powerhouse mom, Genelle Butler! In this awe-inspiring conversation, Genesis and Genelle share how the cruel reality behind chicken nuggets encouraged the 14-year old activist to stop eating meat at only three years of age. Genelle also shares how her…

Our Hen House welcomes author Henry Mance to the podcast this week for an insightful conversation about his debut book, How to Love Animals In a Human-Shaped World. Henry tells us how his young daughters inspired him and his hopes for the impact his book will have on readers: to help them understand what it truly means to love animals and…

Political economist Jan Dutkiewicz, PhD, joins the podcast for a fascinating conversation about the ethical, political, legal, social, and environmental intersections of meat consumption. A policy fellow at Harvard Law and a postdoctoral fellow at the Swiss National Science Foundation, Jan shares his thoughts on something we have all wondered about — why does mainstream media fail to cover animal agriculture’s…

John Adenitire, PhD, joins the podcast this week for a truly fascinating episode about the philosophical underpinnings of animal law. A lawyer and a lecturer in the School of Law at Queen Mary University of London, John explains the differences between legal and moral philosophy, outlines the substantive theory of animal rights, and underscores why the rule of law is relevant,…

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome animal activist and Direct Action Everywhere organizer Almira Tanner onto the podcast this week to discuss the groundbreaking legislation recently passed in Berkeley, CA drastically limiting the amount of animal-based products the city purchases, with a long-term goal of phasing out all animal products. Almira shares a behind-the-scenes look into Direct Action Everywhere’s first-of-its-kind…

Actress and animal-rights advocate Amy Jackson joins the podcast this week for an engaging conversation you definitely don’t want to miss! Known internationally for her work in award-winning Indian films, Amy discusses the very moment she realized animals are sentient and why she decided to devote her life to advocating for them. She shares the movie set experience that compelled her…

Our Hen House is thrilled to welcome author and longtime animal activist Mark Hawthorne back on the podcast for an engaging conversation all about rabbits. Mark is here to talk about his latest book, The Way of the Rabbit, which explores the world of rabbits and hares and their unexpectedly large influence on human culture. Obviously this book was a work…

Thomas Goodman joins the podcast this week for an engaging conversation about advancing the accessibility of plant-based foods and how we can all get involved in this crucial work. Founder of the non-profit Plant Dining Partnerships (PDP), Thomas discusses how PDP provides resources to help increase vegan options in restaurants, schools, hospitals, and more. He outlines their two-pronged approach: raising awareness…

Our Hen House is excited to welcome back Aysha Akhtar, MD, MPH, to the podcast this week for a critical conversation about animal testing and experimentation. President and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences, Aysha outlines how the Center is working with academic institutions, governmental agencies, investors, and researchers to catalyze a shift away from the outdated use of animals…

Join us for our very special 600th episode (!!!) as we celebrate with Andy Tabar and Paul Stellar, hosts of The Bearded Vegans, who are also observing a milestone of six years on-air! In this episode, Jasmin, Mariann, Andy, and Paul provide a unique behind-the-scenes look into the world of podcasting. The podcasters break down their approaches to discussing veganism’s ethical…

Our Hen House is honored to welcome animal rights activist Seb Alex onto the podcast this week. Seb, a Lebanon-based activist, explains how he shifted his activism from focusing on speaking engagements, in Europe and beyond, to online activism in the wake of COVID-19. He also outlines how the newly established Lebanese Vegans Social Hub serves as an animal rights center,…

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Black VegFest founder Omowale Adewale back to the podcast this week! A passionate social justice activist fighting for the liberation of all beings, Omowale discusses food accessibility and why he believes we are at a critical moment in helping Black communities gain access to healthy produce at a low cost. He explains how he…

Our Hen House is excited to welcome activist and animal studies scholar nico stubler onto the podcast this week for a riveting conversation on animal rights activism. This conversation will make you think critically about different approaches to vegan activism, whether you agree with them or not. The scholar and activist shares their commitment to the Liberation Pledge—in which vegans make…

Our Hen House is thrilled to welcome Katie Cantrell, Director of Corporate Outreach at the Better Food Foundation, to the podcast this week. Katie gives us the low-down on the Better Food Foundation, how they’re focusing on food justice, and their efforts to transition society to a more just and sustainable food system, specifically by encouraging more plant-forward food policies. She…

Dr. Tyson-Lord Gray joins the podcast today for a riveting conversation about the intersections of animal rights, food justice, and the environmental movement. An attorney, professor, minister, and activist, Dr. Gray discusses how these social movements are often isolated from each other and how his varied roles in ministry, law, and academia help him see these connections more clearly. He explains…

We’re excited to switch things up this week to bring you a discussion of vegan representation in the arts and an unforgettable performance! John Yunker and Midge Raymond, co-founders of vegan publishing house Ashland Creek Press, join Mariann and Jasmin to perform the radio play Veganish: A John Yunker Play. There, we meet Jessica as she comes across her vegan idol…

Carolina Galvani, founder and CEO of the global animal-advocacy organization Sinergia Animal, joins Mariann on the podcast today for an insightful conversation about animal protection and veganism in the Global South. Carolina shares why she felt the need to launch Sinegeria Animal, how the organization is working to eradicate cruel treatment of animals while promoting plant-based diets, and how she’s helping…

Author, animal activist, and founder of Australia’s NSW Hen Rescue Catherine Kelaher joins us today to provide insight into her rescue work, share her most harrowing rescue experience (and the subsequent court case!), and detail how she goes about the rehoming process for rescued hens. She also tells us about her latest book, Saving Animals, a how-to guide for aspiring activists,…

We’re thrilled to welcome Haruko Kawano and Mian Osumi of VegeProject Japan to the podcast this week for an informative and fascinating conversation about Japan’s growing vegan movement. Founder of VegeProject Japan, Haruko discusses how she successfully helped implement vegan-friendly options at Kyoto University during her time there as a student and how, after graduation, inspired by her dog, she founded…

We’re excited to welcome activist Christopher “Soul” Eubanks to the podcast today for an empowering conversation about the importance of intersectional, vegan activism. A longtime creative—often using hip-hop, drawing, and film to express himself—Christopher tells Jasmin about his decision to leave his job in corporate America and use his talents to address political and social issues as an entrepreneur. Christopher discusses…

Laura Jean McKay joins us on the podcast this week for a riveting, literary conversation. Author of the award-winning novel The Animals in that Country, Laura discusses the challenge of writing dialogue for animals, why she rewrote her novel more than once, and shares her thoughts on anthropomorphism in literature. Laura reads a captivating passage and reflects on a chance encounter…

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Myq Kaplan back to the podcast this week for an episode guaranteed to make you laugh! A renowned comedian and vegan activist, Myq tells Jasmin how he uses humor as a means to speak his truth regarding animals and veganism—without alienating his audience. Myq shares how he works to weave social justice advocacy into…

We’re incredibly excited to welcome Erin Wing to the podcast today for a deep dive into the role of animal cruelty investigators. Erin is the Deputy Director of Investigations at Animal Outlook, a national animal-advocacy nonprofit formerly known as Compassion Over Killing. In her conversation with Mariann, she provides a rare, inside look into the day-to-day lives of investigators who go…

Jennifer Stojkovic joins us on the podcast this week for a powerful and information-packed conversation about the role of women and women-owned businesses in the post-animal economy. Jennifer is the founder of Vegan Women Summit (VWS), a global events and media organization dedicated to empowering women as they work to incorporate vegan ethics and values into their careers. In her conversation…

We are so pleased to welcome Kimberly Renee Barnes, Founder of Might Be Vegan, to the podcast this week for a truly one-of-a-kind episode! But first, Jasmin and Mariann speak with Chilean activist (and Our Hen House Flock member!) Soledad Robledo to tell us about an urgent extradition campaign in which Chile is seeking to bring an animal abuser from New…

Ana Bradley joins the podcast today, and this is an episode that no one is going to want to miss! Ana is the Executive Director at Sentient Media, a non-profit journalism organization seeking to create transparency around the role of animals in our daily lives. In her conversation with Jasmin, she shares the most significant challenges she and her colleagues face…

Troy Vettese joins us on the podcast this week for an insightful, and sometimes provocative, conversation about the intersections of animal rights and Marxism. Troy shares why he believes all vegans need a Marxist worldview, and you may be surprised by exactly what he means by this assertion. He also discusses how various political and economic systems can help, or deter,…

Hakeem Jimo joins us this week for an insightful and inspiring conversation about Nigeria’s growing vegan movement and the meat alternative making a splash there: Vchunks. Hakeem tells us all about developing Vchunks specifically for the Nigerian palate. Not an imitation of meat substitutes commonly found in European and US markets, Vchunks—Hakeem shares—are designed to serve the needs of vegans in…

Jamie Woodhouse joins us this week for an intriguing, dare-we-say captivating, conversation about “sentientism,” a philosophical worldview that encompasses vegan values. First developed and named in the 1970s, sentientism, quite simply, grants moral consideration to all sentient beings. Jamie tells us what he believes are the two central pillars of sentientism and what sentientists think about compassion, consciousness and morality. He…

This week, plant-based pediatricians Dr. Reshma Shah and Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster join Jasmin to share their thoughts on how both adults and children can best transition from a standard diet to a plant-based diet, and discuss how they each made that change themselves during their medical careers. Dr. Yami shares how she got lost in a plant-based rabbit hole on her…

Angela Grimes, the CEO of Born Free USA, joins us for this week’s episode on a very timely and crucially important subject — the highly problematic and cruel conditions within wildlife wet markets. She and Mariann discuss the connections between these hideous markets, which are found all over the world, and human disease outbreaks, including, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. Angela…

This week, we have such a powerhouse interview! Newly elected New York State Senator Jabari Brisport joins us to explain how he successfully showcased his strong support for animal rights and veganism (yup!) while running for election. In fact, he points out, it actually created a platform for discussing all of the social justice issues he is passionate about. He shares…

Kim Stallwood is truly one of the founders of the modern animal rights movement, and we are thrilled to have him join us this week on the podcast. He and Mariann discuss the long term history of the movement, the recent extraordinary acquisition of Kim’s collection of books and artifacts by the British Library, and what the Library selected to preserve…

Michelle Graham joins the podcast today and we love this conversation! Michelle is the Executive Director of Wild Animal Initiative (WAI), where she focuses encouraging and facilitating research on wild animal welfare. We talk to Michelle about why we must focus on wild animal welfare, even when so many domesticated animals continue to suffer at the hands of humans. She also…

The incredible Chef Cola joins the podcast from Zimbabwe this week and we couldn’t be more excited. Nicola “Chef Cola” Kagoro founded African Vegan On A Budget in 2016 to raise awareness about plant-based eating and to inspire people to incorporate vegan meals into their diet everyday. She teamed up with the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) to establish a vegan camp…

Caryn Ginsberg of Priority Visions joins us today to discuss her transition from the business sector into the animal protection arena and how she helps advocacy groups become more effective with their strategic planning to ensure they use their resources in the most effective way possible. She explains her new Corona to Collaboration, Innovation to Inclusion: Issues and Opportunities in Farmed Animal…