It all started on a partly cloudy day in Seattle, WA as I sat in my “I love bacon” shirt devouring a chicken leg. By ‘it’ I mean the start of the countless veggie burgers, PETA emails, and questions about if I would eat meat if I were stranded on desert island. No one would have predicted, including myself, that in that moment that chubby 6th grade girl would stare into perfectly cooked meat and decide to become a vegetarian. Unknowing of the true reasons behind my decision I placed the chicken down and looked my father in his eyes and stated my rash, but final decision. He chuckled and told me to finish my dinner, but my mind was made up. I had always been a stubborn and opinionated girl, however, usually admiring and following by my father’s…show more content… In Colorado, I found a passion spreading my beliefs to my peers and community; however, I was caught between wanting to create an impact and being too forceful with facts. I walked into 8th grade with a PETA shirt and pamphlets ready to change the minds of the many closeminded middle schoolers—only getting an abundance of joking responses. Those snarky remarks taught me the difficult lesson that not everyone will agree or even respect your views, even if the pamphlets have cute stickers stating things like “meats no treat for those you eat”. I began to turn inwards and instead of solely talking, I made sure I walked the talk. The tubes of Colgate toothpaste and Pantene shampoo were soon replaced with non-animal tested products. Dog walking at my local no kill animal shelter became a fun activity. Finally, ending with the hardest and most substantial decision—to become vegan. I gained confidence in my morals and instead of constantly having to prove others why what I was doing was the best for their health, animals, and the environment, I showed them. I still am asked daily about what I would do if stranded on an island or how I get enough protein; however, I now leave the PETA flyers at home because I am no longer looking for validation, I’m making changes with my
