Helping Save Animals

When I was 3 years old, I loved chicken nuggets. One day I asked my mom where they came from. I was devastated to learn they came from actual chickens! Even though I didn’t have a pet of my own, I loved my neighbor’s dog. And I loved watching animals on TV. It seemed obvious to me that animals have personalities, just like people. From that moment on, I vowed to never eat animals again.

As I got older, I wanted to do more for animals than just not eat them. I started going to protests and lobbying for laws that help ensure everyone has access to foods that are made without any animal products. I also formed my own nonprofit organization called Genesis for Animals. I was even featured in a Marvel comic called “Genesis the Amazing Animal Ally”! Want to know more about my journey from chicken nugget lover to vegan climate activist? Read on.

When I was around 7, I started going to animal sanctuaries with my family near our home in Long Beach, California. My favorite one has many animals that have been rescued from laboratories that test products on animals. At the sanctuaries, you can see how gentle cows and pigs are. The goats are like big dogs. And the chickens are really funny—if I pet other animals, they get mad and start rubbing their heads on me. It’s like they’re jealous!

As I learned more about animals, I discovered their connection to the climate crisis. A massive number of animals are bred just to feed people. Raising animals for food requires a lot of natural resources, which isn’t healthy for the planet. (See “Animal Planet.”) Once I understood the connection between climate change and raising animals for food, I realized that being a vegan or a vegetarian can actually help the planet. 

When I told my parents I wanted to stop eating all animal products, including milk, cheese, and even honey, my mom was worried about what to cook. My family is Mexican and Black, and at first, we weren’t sure if we could keep eating our cultural foods. But we saw that we could make vegan versions of almost all of our typical dishes, like tamales or tortillas and beans. There are vegan substitutes for just about everything. There’s even a honey made from apples! 

My parents went vegan when I did. Eventually my four younger siblings made the change as well. Now the whole family is vegan, and we love cooking together. 

Beyond my family, I try to educate the public about the benefits of veganism. My activism takes up most of my time. Fortunately, my schedule is flexible because I’m homeschooled. I spend a lot of time answering emails and giving interviews. And I’m always trying to spread my message, like by sharing vegan recipes on my Insta or cooking for my friends. At my birthday party, I served vegan pasta shells with cheese made from cashews, and everyone loved it. I’m always thinking about how my daily decisions can advance the causes I care about. 

I founded a group called Youth Climate Save, and now we have 80 chapters throughout the world. We educate people on how the treatment of animals is connected to climate change. We also host activities like beach cleanups and tree plantings. 

I also lobby for political changes. A while ago, my sister broke her arm and had to be hospitalized. The hospital had no vegan meal options. This inspired me to speak in front of the California Senate Committee Hearing at the State Capitol. I asked the lawmakers to vote “yes” on a law that would require hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons to offer vegan food. The law went into effect in 2019!

When I feel nervous about speaking up, I think about my great-uncle, César Chávez. He was a famous activist who fought for farmworkers’ rights. When I first began going to protests, people tried to scare me by telling me that they would call the police, even though I wasn’t doing anything illegal. My mom told me that my great-uncle heard the same kinds of threats, but he still did his work. Learning how he used his voice and got his community involved to make change has inspired me to do the same. 

In the future, I want to get into politics, so I can continue to push for laws that will protect animals. I’d also love to have my own animal sanctuary.

My message to teens who want to work toward change in the world is that even though you are young, your voice does matter. In fact, young people’s voices are extra important, because when young people tell adults about the causes that matter to them, adults feel inspired to make changes too. They think: “Well, if kids can do it, then so can I.”