Being Vegan, Vegan Being: Lauren White – I Stand for Being Kind to Animals, My body, and Mother Earth!

Hi! I’m Lauren White. I live in San Diego, CA. I graduated from SDSU with my Master’s in Communication in 2020, and have decided to permanently stay. I am currently a college associate professor at different community colleges in San Diego. I teach Public Speaking, Oral Communication, and Interpersonal Communication. I also dabble in real estate and am creating a lifestyle brand out of @VeganLifebyLauren. The brand will consist of confidence boosting workshops, public speaking workshops, and vegan events, and vegan fitness training. It’s in the very beginning phases, but I’m most excited about Vegan Life by Lauren at the moment. Also working on a vegan restaurant concept in San Diego. I’ll keep ya posted!

What was the moment you realize that you wanted to go vegan?

I realized that I wanted to go vegan after 8 years of being on and off vegan. I still ate fish and animal products in baked goods. It just finally clicked for me one day that eating any animal products is contributing to animal cruelty, the degradation of our environment, and our overall decline in health.

How long have you been Vegan?

I have been vegan for 2.5 years. Pescatarian for 8 years prior.

Why is being Vegan important to you?

Veganism represents every fiber of my being. Being kind to animals, my body, and Mother Earth is what I stand for. Veganism is who I am. I truly can’t see any other way of life that incorporates all three. Body, mind, spirit! Spreading the word, and helping other people find the beauty in veganism is my mission!

Any recommended Vegan books?

The China Study for those that are considering a plant based diet. I personally read Skinny Bitch when I was 14 (thanks to mom), and that triggered me. Still not quite sure about their title choice. 

Any recommended social sites, Facebook Groups or other?

I LOVE @plantbasednews @plantbasedlogic @meghanaro @fullyrawkristina @thrivemags @eatdrinkvegan @vegnews @planet_protein @ethically_Elizabeth @veganinsandiego @vegancommunity. There are so many! Go to my IG, and see who I follow. All the accounts are great <3 Do you have a favorite movie or videos or your own media that you want to share?

Favorite movie = Bridesmaids (I know, I know). Favorite Vegan Films are Cowspiracy, Forks Over Knives, Earthlings, Live and Let Live, Food Matters, and Vegeucated

Do you actively promote veganism? How? Please share any stories you would like.

Yes! I do! Follow me on Instagram @veganlifebylauren. I also tell all my students that I’m vegan on the first day of the semester, and basically don’t stop talking about it. Typically, about 10% of my students go vegan by the end of the semester! I also volunteer as often as possible with The Humane League. I participate in as many vegan outreach/festival/vegan fashion events as possible.

What is the vegan stereotype you hear the most and how do you respond to it?

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN? I usually just pull up one of my favorite memes with all the different vegan protein options.

What’s your favorite Vegan restaurant?

Veganic or Plumeria In San Diego for vegan Thai. Yoga-Urt in LA for vegan dessert.

Some encouraging words for new Vegans?

Nothing tastes as good as vegan feels! I would suggest doing research. Watch documentaries, listen to vegan podcasts, follow vegan accounts. Of course, this is about the animals, but veganism is also about being an informed, and aware consumer. The meat and dairy industry wants you to think that meat and dairy are good for you. Their production depends on it. Ask yourself what you want your footprint to be. No matter what… if you are consuming animal products, you are contributing to animal cruelty regardless of what clever marketing tells you. You can be informed! You can vegan!

What does living cruelty-free mean to you?

It means doing my part to read labels, eat vegan, buy products that ARE NOT tested on animals, and to try my best to purchase apparel that is made slave labor, leather, wool, and fur free. It’s living consciously, and in harmony with Mother Earth, not in opposition to her. I also believe that living cruelty-free is being free of cruelty toward yourself. This one is the hardest for me, unfortunately, and for so many people I know.

What are you favorite Vegan non-food products or companies?

I LOVE Bead and Reel. I also think Kat Von Dee’s line is bad-ass. Wholesome Culture, Vegan Rex, and Bubblegunp!nk are a few of my absolute favorite apparel lines.

What is the toughest Vegan item to find that you need?

Honestly, nothing. I feel like anything I need, I can find vegan. I should write a song. haha

Talk about a time when you struggled with your Veganism?

I struggle with Veganism when I am traveling sometimes, and there is a dish that I am unsure of its full ingredients list. Especially if it’s a country where the language is completely foreign to me, I have just gone with my gut, and hoped for the best in certain situations. I ate a few questionable curries in Thailand and Indonesia. In the future, I will prepare better, so I don’t run into that situation again. I also sometimes struggle with fish, but I remind myself of the adorable, and friendly fish I meet under the sea when I am scuba diving, and how I could NEVER kill them, let alone chew them 

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