Episode 572, air date October 1st, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Farm Sanctuary, Compassion & Changing Hearts with Gene Baur

What happens when we begin to see farmed animals not as products, but as fellow beings sharing this journey with us?

In this profound conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary and one of the pioneering voices in the movement for farm animal protection.

Gene has spent four decades working to change the way we think about animals, food, farming, and compassion. Since co-founding Farm Sanctuary in 1986, he has helped bring the realities of factory farming into public view while creating a place where rescued animals can live out their lives in safety.

Gene’s new book, Farm Sanctuary: The Story of a Movement, celebrates 40 years of rescue, education, and advocacy.

The book traces Farm Sanctuary’s journey from a small grassroots effort to a movement that has helped change conversations around farmed animals and our food system. It also shares photographs and stories from those four decades of work.

Victoria and Gene talk about what inspired him to begin this work and what he has learned along the way.

The conversation also moves beyond factory farming and into the way we relate to food itself.

Gene shares his thoughts on returning to a more agrarian way of seeing things. That might mean growing some of our own food, getting to know the farmers who grow it, and becoming more connected with the land and the food on our plates.

It’s an invitation to think differently about where our food comes from and what a more connected food system could look like.

One of the most thoughtful parts of the conversation is Gene’s perspective on talking with people who don’t yet understand veganism.

How do we stand firmly in our own values without simply judging people who see things differently?

Gene speaks about his own deep commitment to being vegan and to seeing animals as fellow beings on this journey, while also recognising the importance of communication, openness, and meeting people where they are.

For Gene, compassion isn’t only about the choices we make. It’s also about how we communicate those choices to the wider world.

In This Episode

• Gene’s four decades of work with Farm Sanctuary
• The story behind the founding of Farm Sanctuary
• Gene’s new book, Farm Sanctuary: The Story of a Movement
• What four decades of rescue, education, and advocacy have taught him
• Why we might benefit from returning to a more agrarian way of living
• Growing some of our own food and reconnecting with the land
• The importance of knowing the farmers who grow our food
• How to communicate with people who don’t yet understand veganism
• Standing firmly in our vegan values without judging others
• Seeing animals as fellow beings rather than commodities

About Our Guest

Gene Baur is an activist, author, and president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, which he helped establish in 1986.

A pioneer in undercover investigations and farm animal rescue, Gene has visited hundreds of farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses. His work has helped expose the realities of factory farming and inspired a wider farm sanctuary movement.

Gene has also advocated for stronger protections for farmed animals and has worked with legislators, policymakers, farmers, and the public to promote a more compassionate and sustainable food system.

Follow Gene
Instagram – @genebaur @farmsanctuary
Facebook – www.facebook.com/GeneBaur1

Gene’s New Book

Farm Sanctuary: The Story of a Movement is available now.

The book celebrates Farm Sanctuary’s 40-year journey, from the rescue of its first animal to the growth of an international movement dedicated to changing the way farmed animals are seen and treated.

Farm Sanctuary

Learn more about Gene’s work, Farm Sanctuary, the animals who call it home, and the organisation’s ongoing rescue, education, and advocacy work: Farm Sanctuary

Gene’s website also includes information about his upcoming book tour stops. If you’d like to see Gene in person, visit Farm Sanctuary’s events page for current dates and locations.

Main Street Vegan Academy

The 39th cohort of Main Street Vegan Academy begins in October 2026 via Zoom.

If you’ve ever wanted to deepen your knowledge of veganism, compassion, nutrition, advocacy, and the vegan movement, this could be your opportunity.

Podcast listeners can receive $250 off with the code VEGCOACH250.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check out their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted September 29, 2026

It started off as a regular Tuesday. I headed out to take my friend, Mary, to the grocery store. Mary is in her 70s—very sweet, caring, and a good listener. Over time, we’ve come to love and inspire each other. I love her quiet nature and her love of books, and she enjoys hearing about my activism for the animals and social justice in general. I’m excited to see her changing, switching from cow’s milk to plant milk to soy yogurt, and growing in her awareness about her daily choices.

On the drive there, I told her all about my latest adventures volunteering with opossums and other small wild creatures. We went shopping as usual, thankfully picking out many fruits and vegetables, seeing our regular cashier, and enjoying the walk in the store. But as we were leaving the grocery store, a woman suddenly walked right in front of me and startled me, saying, “Would you like a free sandwich from Chick-fil-A?”

Immediately, I felt a wave of repulsion. I said, “No thank you, I’m vegan.”

The woman said, “OK,” and right away I heard someone else chime in, “I’ll take it, we love Chick-fil-A!” I looked over at the lady who said that—hopefully not with a mean look, though my internal thoughts were things I won’t put down here. I walked away miffed and frustrated.

As I got in the car to take Mary home, my mind was racing with unfiltered thoughts about what I could have said instead:

“No thank you, I don’t eat animals.”

“No thank you, I don’t eat my friends.”

“No thank you, here’s a Plant Based Treaty card, please take a look at it.”

“No thank you, do you know what happens to male chicks in the poultry industry?”

And on and on and on it went. I sat there, ruminating over what I could have done differently, and started to get angry at myself for not responding “correctly.” Even now, as I’m sitting out in the sunshine away from the situation, I feel frustrated.

Still, I don’t even know what the right answer would have been. But it’s the same sort of ruminating that has taken away my peace in the past, the kind that cost me years of my life in an attempt to figure out what was wrong with me. What have I done wrong today? What did I do wrong yesterday? What if I wasn’t such a failure?

Thankfully, after years of working on myself, I was able to catch it. Sometimes that process is faster than others, and that’s OK, as long as I have that self-awareness to stop. To stop with the “what ifs.” To stop with the self-judgment. And to bring in compassion for the human aniaml who was leaving the store with her friend and was caught off guard by a question that jolted her. . .compassion for the human animal who had spend Friday and Saturday volunteering her time for wildlife.

That bit of self-compassion made it possible for me to say, “What if it’s okay? What if everything I did was okay?” And what peace that would bring me, if I did indeed say the right thing in that moment after all?

I share this story with you to let go of the what ifs and to embrace all is well. We will always have opportunities to make different choices. Be kind to yourself when you feel you’ve fallen short of perfect. Moments happen quickly and we do the best we can in that speck of time. I did the best I could in the Chick-fil-A moment. Thankfully, I did not respond with hostility. Thankfully, I did not give a lecture to anybody. Thankfully, I maintained composure, and I responded with the one word that said it all, “vegan.” Because I’m vegan, I don’t eat chickens or other animals. Because I’m vegan, I am aware of the suffering of others, and it matters to me. Because I’m vegan, I refuse this coupon but my wish for you is peace and hope and growth on your journey, just as I want for mine. I did indeed do the best I could, and I’m grateful for a heart big enough to allow me to move forward with love and compassion for myself and everyone reading this.

Mariquita Solis is a Human Dynamics and Leadership Strategist and Co-Founder of the Tilson Solis Group, where she helps individuals, leaders, and organizations navigate the subtle patterns shaping culture, decisions, and meaningful change. As an Uncaged Heart Coach, she works with men to break through restrictive societal conditioning and step into their full emotional range, self-leadership, and relational integrity. She is also a Main Street Vegan graduate.

A dedicated community advocate, Mariquita serves as the Atlanta Campaigner for the Plant Based Treaty, a Climate Healer, and a Lay Leader at Unity North Atlanta. She also actively volunteers with the Chattahoochee Nature Center and Lucky’s Place Wildlife Rehab.

Combining behavioral insight, practical frameworks, and candid dialogue, Mariquita empowers clients to bridge divides, strengthen communication, and move from insight into intentional, sustainable action across both personal and professional spheres. Find her on Facebook.

Posted September 22, 2026

Why would vegans want to alienate anyone who loves animals? We shouldn’t, but sometimes we do.

At a recent Main Street Vegan Academy(opens in new tab) (MSVA) reunion, 35 people attended the weekend’s events. At the luncheon, the lovely lady across from me said she was vegetarian. She was apologetic for being “only” a vegetarian, but I made sure she felt welcome and included and that she didn’t have to explain to us why she wasn’t vegan.

I will admit that for a split second, I was surprised to see a non-vegan at our event. In order to take the certification course, you have to be vegan, but I remembered that Victoria Moran (the organizer of our reunion and founder of the MSVA) invited my omnivore husband to join us for dinner on Friday night, since it was our wedding anniversary.

I also recalled that the founders of the Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve(opens in new tab) in Montague, New Jersey, where we visit as often as we can, do not shun non-vegans. As Gabrielle Stubbert (co-founder) reminded me, “We, too, ate meat for years. Who are we to judge anybody else?” I agree.

Gabrielle told me, “We’re a vegan sanctuary, and while we don’t expect everyone to become vegan overnight, we do ask people to eat less meat, just like all of those things we do to reduce our footprint, like recycling and conserving energy. Animal agriculture is one of the top drivers of environmental harm. Eating less meat is the best thing you can do for the planet, your health, and, most of all, the animals. If you’re trying to get the world to go vegan, judging people and making them feel defensive about their choices is surely not going to help our cause. Meet people where they are and show them compassion. None of us were born vegan. We were meat eaters ourselves. If you want people to eat less meat, or become vegan, stick really good vegan food in their mouths.”

I asked fellow MSVA grads and vegans how they feel about animal lovers who still eat meat.

Nivi Jaswal-Wirtjes, MBA, NBC-HWC, MVLCE, and Founder & President of The Virsa Foundation & JIVINITI Research Program(opens in new tab), “If I’m being completely truthful, my immediate emotional response is often annoyance—sometimes even anger. I struggle with the contradiction when someone describes themselves as a huge animal lover while continuing to eat animals. Almost immediately, I feel the weight of needing to be a good role model. I remind myself that if I want people to move toward greater compassion, I need to lead by example rather than judgement.”

Another MSVA grad told me, “I could not be friends with someone who actively hunts, brags about the carnivore diet, or puts down the vegan lifestyle.” I agree and cannot discuss hunting with anybody.  I agree that someone who is bragging about eating meat or disrespecting my vegan choices is not a friend. Even so, we do not live in a vegan world, and I don’t live in a vegan household. I am used to seeing meat in front of me, but I don’t like the look or the smell of it at all. I do not say anything, but I think it.

A vegan told me she does not eat out with omnivores. I respect her choice; however, if I waited for a vegan companion to dine with, I’d never eat out. I do eat at vegan establishments alone most of the time, but some friends, family, and my husband are willing to support me by joining me occasionally, and I am grateful. By the same token, I must eat at regular restaurants with them, too. I don’t eat out with anyone who doesn’t make sure there are vegan options, so I agree with my fellow MSVA grad.

I used to view eating alone as a stigma or worried I looked lonely. At 60, I no longer care. I listen to an audiobook and always chat with the staff—several of whom, even at vegan Manhattan restaurants, are not vegan themselves.

I did stop actively following a few people on social media who hunt. One dead carcass with a bloody pic was enough.

One of my nieces, Amy, lives with her pig, Ollie, who has his own room in her house. She still eats meat. There is no need to discuss it because we have mutual respect for one another. It is none of my business. My niece belongs to a pig rescue team and once left Thanksgiving dinner to save a pig. Actions speak volumes. Before meeting me 13 years ago, she viewed vegans as “obnoxious and judgy” especially in her rescue groups.

Nobody wants to listen to a know-it-all on any subject.

What I found shocking, speaking to Amy, was that many people have asked her if she will eat Ollie after he dies. What?! Amy told me she would do whatever it takes to protect Ollie. Who am I—or any of us—to question her love and loyalty?

I have been asked how I can be with my omnivore husband. The one who sobs when we lose a cat (we have had ten rescued cats in our 13 years together), but not when a human relative he loved dies. The man who loves our cats as much as I do and will spare no expense to save one of them at the vet. He rescued a baby squirrel out of a drainpipe, took him home, bottle-fed him, and when Rocky, the squirrel, was old enough, brought him to a sanctuary to live safely outside.

We vegans always hope that someone will connect that pigs, goats, chickens and cows are just like cats, dogs, or a rescued baby squirrel. They’re affectionate, smart, and have feelings, too. It is not our place to force this issue.

At my mother-in-law’s recent 90th birthday celebration, both of my sisters-in-law ordered a vegan meal for me in advance. For my 60th birthday(opens in new tab), my family and friends ate at a vegan restaurant and enjoyed it. This is a loving example of mutual respect.

Vegans often do what they do for three reasons: for the animals, the environment, and for their health. I do it for all three, but my strongest motivator is the animals. As a child (when I had no voice for what I had to eat), I did not like the idea of an animal being slaughtered to be on my plate. I was told that it’s normal and expected. It wasn’t for me.

As soon as I moved out, I became a vegetarian—35 years ago. Twenty years ago, after learning the truth about factory farming, I became a vegan. I have no regrets and sleep well at night knowing I’m living my values. But I also believe in respecting others. I don’t force my views on anyone. I trust my life to carry the message.

Cherie Hans, shown  here with Felipe, a resident of Tamerlaine Sanctuary, holds certifications from Dr. McDougall’s Starch Solution and Dr. Campbell’s Plant-Based Nutrition programs, and is a Main Street Vegan Academy(opens in new tab) Master Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. She holds a Master of Science in Bilingual Education from St. John’s University, New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from the City University of NY: Queens College in English and Spanish, and currently teaches adults in English as a Second Language. A. She is from Queens, New York, but now resides in New Jersey with her husband and many rescued cats.

Episode 571, air date September 17th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Building a Vegan Community in Puerto Rico with Anthony Martinez of Casa Vegana

What happens when vegan activism, cultural identity, community resilience, and a deep connection to home come together?

In this episode of the Main Street Vegan Podcast, Victoria Moran speaks with Anthony Martinez, Executive Director and Programs Director of Casa Vegana, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit working to strengthen the Island’s vegan movement through education, community-building, and plant-based outreach.

Casa Vegana grew out of community relief work following Hurricane María in 2017 and eventually became an autonomous nonprofit. Anthony, who had been involved in vegan education in New York, relocated to Puerto Rico in 2019 to reconnect with his roots and stepped into leadership as the organization evolved.

Today, Casa Vegana is helping create a more connected and sustainable vegan community in Puerto Rico — while navigating the very real challenges of infrastructure, economics, and island life.

In This Episode

• Anthony’s journey from vegan activism in New York to building Casa Vegana in Puerto Rico
• The evolution of Casa Vegana from post-Hurricane María community relief work into an autonomous nonprofit
• What Puerto Rico’s vegan community looks like today — and how it is growing
• Why cultural identity and Puerto Rican roots matter when building a lasting vegan movement
• The unique challenges of making plant-based living accessible and practical on the Island
• Taller Vegano, Casa Vegana’s hands-on community education program
• What Anthony has learned from Puerto Ricans who are exploring plant-based living
• The importance of bringing vegan people, organizations, and businesses together
• Building a broader and more sustainable funding base for grassroots vegan work
• How the Puerto Rican diaspora and global vegan community can support Casa Vegana
• Anthony’s vision for the future of veganism in Puerto Rico
• Vegan Paradise Fest, planned for March 7, 2027, and what it represents for the Island’s growing vegan community

About Anthony Martinez

Anthony Martinez is the Executive Director and Programs Director of Casa Vegana, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit dedicated to growing the Island’s vegan movement through education, community engagement, and advocacy.

After working in vegan education with the Chilis on Wheels New York chapter, Anthony relocated to Puerto Rico in 2019 to reconnect with his roots. When Casa Vegana’s founder, Michelle Carrera, stepped back, Anthony took on leadership and helped transform the project into an autonomous nonprofit.

During the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic, he secured Casa Vegana’s nonprofit status, helped build a board representing both the Puerto Rican diaspora and local vegan community, and kept the organization moving through consistent online programming focused on plant-based nutrition and animal rights.

Today, Anthony continues working to deepen Casa Vegana’s connections throughout Puerto Rico and build a stronger, more unified vegan community on the Island.

Connect with Casa Vegana

Website: www.casaveganapr.org
Facebook: Casa Vegana 
Instagram: @casavegana.pr

About the Main Street Vegan Podcast

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook: Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check out their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted September 15, 2026

Even as a young child, I knew exactly how cows’ milk made its way to grocery store shelves. Machines pumped it from mother cows into a refrigerated holding tank, then transferred it to a large tanker truck, which carried the milk twice a day from our farm to a processing company. My family sold our milk wholesale, and it was homogenized and pasteurized into milk or cheese before being distributed to stores for resale.

Since discovering plant-based eating and veganism, I have loved reading and listening to vegan testimonials. Many people didn’t realize before going vegan that cows don’t make milk spontaneously. They were appalled to learn that cows had to give birth to a calf that was removed from her almost immediately after birth, and that the cycle repeated every year for each cow.

It stung to hear these vegan origin stories as I knew how it worked—I grew up on a dairy farm. I knew that the cows cried out for days over the loss of their calves. I even knew what happened to the cows after they stopped producing a profitable amount of milk. But I didn’t go vegan until around age 40, after giving birth to my third child.

Farm Roots

My family lived on our dairy farm in upstate New York. It was the largest farm in our region, and smaller farms were closing all around us. The dairy business was difficult to sustain financially. Our farm operated 24/7, and my parents worked harder than anyone. When I was in college, my parents sold that farm and, after a few years working in other industries, started a much smaller dairy farm that sold niche dairy products directly to customers on the property where my dad grew up.

Dairy farming was my dad’s passion until his untimely death at age 72 in 2025. His family had farmed dairy cows for generations. I never felt at ease with the farm lifestyle, and I have never milked a cow myself. Even as a young child, I thought it was strange to drink a secretion from another animal. But I did drink cow’s milk and eat dairy products for most of my life, despite a quiet inner knowing that it wasn’t quite right.

Seeds of change were planted along the way. I remember once, during a summer break from college, before social media was prevalent, an acquaintance shared a sheep slaughter video, presumably to promote veganism, though I don’t recall whether they stated the reason explicitly. After seeing the video, I went vegan for maybe a week, but I didn’t have the knowledge, support, or courage to sustain it. The video deeply affected me even though I had witnessed many jarring farm practices firsthand. It was the first time I had directly witnessed an animal being killed for food.

Later, I discovered a series of memoirs by endurance athletes who broke records and won extreme races while eating plant-based diets. I was enthralled and read everything I could get my hands on in this genre. I had completed medical school and was in residency training at the time. I bought a Vitamix and started making green smoothies. Starting a consistent yoga practice deepened my mind-body connection.

A Vegan Shift

The ethical component of veganism was still distant. I didn’t know any vegans. My loving family members were dairy farmers. When I read The China Study and learned that Dr. T. Colin Campbell grew up on a dairy farm, I felt an immediate kinship. Learning about Dr. Campbell’s personal background gave me permission to change.

After adopting a plant-based diet, I told everyone I knew about the benefits of this newfound way of eating. A physician friend heard my enthusiasm and introduced me to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. We both earned our ACLM certifications the same year. I was all in on plant-based eating for health. There were no barriers left between veganism and me, except the emotional walls I had built for half a lifetime.

Behavior change took time, effort, and repetition. Even as a practicing physician specializing in psychiatry, I found this difficult to accept. I was impatient and wanted the magical overnight change that I had heard others describe. Going vegan taught me to be kind to myself by letting go of perfectionism.

I was untying emotional knots that felt like they were linked to my physical and emotional survival. Throughout my childhood, our way of life was the dairy industry. My parents and brother were still out there living the difficult farm life with the sincerest intentions of feeding their community. I loved them and remained proud of where I came from, yet I chose to live differently. Would my family reject me for living my values? To my relief, they would accept me fully, plant-based food and all.

Relationships Evolve

At a recent holiday dinner, as we sat down to eat our meals, my aunt asked, “Why not just stop eating meat? Why dairy and eggs?” She grew up immersed in farm life with my dad. I responded that, aside from the health benefits, I chose to cut animals out of the equation because it isn’t necessary to eat them. She nodded in response and later asked for the recipe for my lentil shepherd’s pie. She didn’t stop eating animals, but she accepted my choice as a viable option.

Going vegan didn’t mean giving up my family. I could be vegan and bring plant-based food to holiday parties. Either/or is simpler to grasp than both/and, but real life is more often both/and. I am overjoyed to live on the vegan side of the curtain, and I have compassion for those I love who are not vegan, including my pre-vegan self.

Despite my deep-seated fear of rejection, the reality is, for better or worse, most people aren’t interested in how I live. I once overheard my dad say to my brothers, “That was BV (Before Vegan).” They laughed. I didn’t hear the whole conversation or know the context, but I didn’t dwell on it. My dad was funny and sarcastic, but he never said a negative or mocking word to me about my new way of life. Maybe deep down he understood better than anyone why I chose to be vegan.

Growing Into Ease

My extended family has become more curious about my unique lifestyle choices. Sometimes they even join in and embrace the plant-based enthusiasm. My mom has made significant changes to her diet, cutting way back on animal-based and highly processed foods. Other relatives have fully embraced plant-based eating, and friends are excited about trying vegan food. I have learned through experience that not everyone wants to talk about plant-based eating or veganism, but nothing brings me greater joy than sharing my passion with anyone who is interested.

My kids will probably love visiting their grandparents’ dairy farm as long as it exists, and they know that I am vegan. We talk openly in our household about the food system, animal welfare, the environmental impact of farm practices, and many other topics we didn’t discuss the same way in my childhood. My parents raised me with a strong value system that included compassion for and kindness toward others. I have expanded what they instilled to include farmed animals. It sounds simple, but the change process was incremental and required patience. I am grateful to myself for sticking with it.

Jennifer Yager, DO, VLCE is a board-certified psychiatrist and lifestyle medicine physician. She earned her VLCE certification from the Main Street Vegan Academy in 2025. Jennifer practices psychiatry in both the hospital and outpatient settings. Her husband is a cardiologist who embraces plant-based eating and vegan values. Together, they are raising their three daughters in Upstate New York. Jennifer is writing a book about her life experience, from growing up on a dairy farm to discovering and embracing veganism. Find her at DrJenniferYager.com and Instagram @DrJenniferYager

Episode 570, air date September 9th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Raw Food for Health + The Future of Vegan Investing | Karen Ranzi & Claire Smith

What does it take to create a healthier life, not just for ourselves, but for the animals, the planet, and future generations?

In this episode of the Main Street Vegan Podcast, Victoria explores 2 very different, yet deeply connected, ways of putting our values into action.

First, Victoria talks with Karen Ranzi, M.A., a vegan and raw food health coach who has been sharing the benefits of raw vegan nutrition since 1998. Karen is an award-winning author of six books, an internationally acclaimed speaker, founder of an online health coach certification focused on the raw vegan niche, and a speech pathologist with 43 years of experience.

Then, Victoria turns to an increasingly important question for anyone who wants their money to reflect their ethics: Can our investments be vegan, too?

Victoria speaks with Claire Smith, CEO of Beyond Investing, about the launch of the International Vegan Climate ETF (VEGX). Beginning September 10, 2026, VEGX offers investors exposure to international companies screened according to vegan and climate-conscious principles.

In This Episode

With Karen Ranzi:
Why Karen believes predominantly fresh, unprocessed foods can support long-term health
The personal and family experiences that shaped her approach to healing
The potential benefits of a raw plant-based lifestyle for people of all ages
Why obesity and chronic health problems have become so widespread
Protein and calcium on a vegan and raw food diet
Helping children develop healthy relationships with plant-based food
The connection between food choices, animals, the environment, and our own health
How spending time in Nature can deepen our sense of connection with other living beings
Other lifestyle factors that can support vibrant health
Why sharing the raw vegan message has become Karen’s life’s mission

With Claire Smith:
What makes an investment genuinely vegan and climate-conscious
The new International Vegan Climate ETF (VEGX)
Why ethical investors may unknowingly support industries that conflict with their values
How Beyond Investing screens companies for animal cruelty, fossil fuels, weapons, and human rights abuses
The importance of aligning our financial lives with our personal values
How vegan investing can support businesses creating a more compassionate and sustainable future
Beyond Investing’s engagement with companies and shareholder voting
The growing global movement toward vegan and climate-conscious investment

About Our Guests

Karen Ranzi is an award-winning author of six books on raw vegan nutrition, an internationally acclaimed speaker, founder of an online Health Coach Certification focused on the raw vegan niche, and a speech pathologist with 43 years of experience.

Karen has presented at events including London Vegfest and the Woodstock Fruit Festival, as well as hundreds of events across Australia, Borneo, Russia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Canada, the UK, and the United States. Through her education, personal experiences, and passion for helping others, she has guided thousands of people toward better health through simple plant-based living.

Learn more about Karen: https://feelfabulouswithfood.com/

Instagram: @superhealthyraw
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/feelfabulouswithfood

A Spotlight on Vegan Investing with Claire Smith

Claire Smith is CEO and co-founder of Beyond Investing, a US-based registered investment adviser created to develop investment products for people who want their portfolios to reflect vegan and environmental values.

Claire spent 34 years in the finance industry, including roles at UBS and as a partner at Albourne in hedge fund research. She is also co-founder of Beyond Animal and Beyond Impact, and chairs the Beyond Cruelty Foundation.

The new International Vegan Climate ETF (VEGX) complements Beyond Investing’s US Vegan Climate ETF (VEGN), giving investors another way to consider vegan and climate-conscious principles when making long-term financial decisions.

Learn more about Beyond Investing: https://beyondinvesting.com/
FB – https://www.facebook.com/beyondinvesting/

Main Street Vegan Academy

The 39th cohort of Main Street Vegan Academy begins in October 2026 via Zoom. If you’ve ever wanted to deepen your knowledge of veganism, compassion, nutrition, advocacy, and the vegan movement, this could be your opportunity.

Podcast listeners can receive $250 off with the code VEGCOACH250.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check out their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted September 8, 2026

Have you noticed how convenience stores have changed their idea of a healthy snack?

Today, in the middle of the high-protein craze, when you walk into a convenience store looking for something healthier, you are likely to find chicken bites, packages of cheese and pepperoni, beef jerky, and hard-boiled eggs. Many of these are products we probably would not have seen so prominently displayed at a 7-Eleven, Stripes, or Circle K just five years ago. Clearly, something is changing in the way travelers eat.

But the demand for truly healthy options hasn’t quite been met yet. Many of these products may be marketed as healthier choices because of their high protein content, but they can also be high in saturated fat, sodium, and highly processed ingredients. High-protein doesn’t automatically mean healthy. What travelers are still missing are fresh, balanced, nutritious options that are both convenient and genuinely good for us.

Road Trip!

A week ago, I was driving from Austin to Houston, Texas. It was around 4:30 p.m. and I had skipped lunch before hitting the road. I wasn’t too concerned because I thought, “Well, stopping somewhere for lunch is part of the road-trip experience.”

My innocent thought was simple: I’ll make today’s lunch part of the journey. I was wrong. Sadly, I couldn’t find anything I actually wanted to eat.

And yes, I know what many of us assume: you are probably not going to find an amazing, healthy restaurant in the middle of nowhere. But that experience made me wonder why, in 2026, we still accept that assumption.

Restaurant and food-service operators already know that consumers are increasingly concerned about their health, what they eat, and the impact their choices have on the planet. So why is it still so difficult to find fresh, appealing, genuinely healthy options while traveling?

I continued my trip and stopped at three different stores. At the first store, the “healthy” section consisted primarily of nuts and granola bars. I left. The second revealed the now-familiar packages of cheese and pepperoni. I left again. A third store was larger and offered more sophisticated options: fancy charcuterie-style packages and beef jerky in almost every flavor imaginable.

Still, there was nothing for me. Eventually, I gave up on the idea of having a delicious meal on the road. I decided I would just wait and have dinner with my cousin once I arrived in Houston.

But when I returned to Austin, one question kept running through my head, “Do travelers really want to eat this way?”

The Traveler Is Changing

My question led me to start researching how travelers are changing their eating habits, and what I discovered was fascinating. Travelers are dramatically changing what they consume while traveling, and the food and beverage industry is beginning to recognize that shift.

Research and industry initiatives are increasingly examining how travel environments—from airports to road trips—can offer healthier and more plant-forward food choices. One initiative that caught my attention is the 2035 Airport Food & Beverage Manifesto(opens in new tab), which proposes a roadmap for transforming food and beverage offerings across the travel industry. Although the initiative begins with airports, its broader vision extends beyond airport terminals. The goal is to influence airlines, catering partners, cruise lines, rail travel, road travel, and eventually destination food environments.

Why Start with Airports?

Airports have an extraordinary ability to shape consumer expectations. What travelers encounter inside a terminal can influence what they begin to expect from the travel experience elsewhere. As the Manifesto explains, travel hubs offer a particularly high degree of structural influence over food environments.

For years, airports and other travel locations have often been treated differently from everyday food environments because travelers are considered temporary consumers simply passing through. But that perspective is beginning to change.

The Data Helps Explain Why

According to research cited in the initiative, nearly “25% of Americans are actively limiting their meat intake, while 44% of consumers say they would likely choose a plant-forward dish when it features familiar flavors.” Those numbers represent more than a food trend. They point to a change in consumer expectations.

Influence This Shift

So, we can be encouraged to see that initiatives like this are gradually responding to what consumers have been asking for. The industry has recognized a significant gap between what travelers want and what is currently being offered, and the goal is not only to close that gap, but also to create a more sustainable food system by reducing food waste and controlling costs. Looking toward 2035, we can expect to see more plant-forward options across travel environments than ever before—and, eventually, this shift could influence the broader food industry as well.

Even more exciting is that professionals can be part of this conversation. Whether you are a vegan lifestyle coach and educator, chef, physician, researcher, or food-industry professional, you can contribute your expertise, support, or experience to the initiative. Those interested in participating can “reach out to Sushanta Das at sushanta.das@tretaillabs.com(opens in new tab), Prof. Dr. Thorsten Merkle at thorsten.merkle@tretaillabs.com(opens in new tab), or Abby Fammartino at abby.fammartino@culinary.edu(opens in new tab) to add their voice to the project,”and help travelers have a promising healthier and sustainable food and beverage future.

References

https://www.ciaindustryleadership.com/airport-fb(opens in new tab)
https://moodiedavittreport.com/travel-food-beverage-manifesto-2035-a-menus-of-change-perspective-for-the-next-decade/(opens in new tab)

Laura Leal is a hospitality leader, chef, Main Street Vegan Academy(opens in new tab) graduate, theologian, and Christian content creator based in Austin, Texas. Her career has taken her from leading hotel operations to founding and directing a culinary school, co-founding a bowl-centric restaurant brand, and developing a vegan ice cream business in Mexico. With a passion for food, people, and meaningful experiences, Laura loves exploring how hospitality and food and beverage are evolving alongside the way we live, travel, and connect. Find her on LinkedIn(opens in new tab) and Instagram @bonmotland(opens in new tab).

Episode 569, air date September 3rd, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Catholicism, Compassion, and the Call to Veganism with Fr. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ

What might Catholic spirituality have to say about veganism, compassion, and our relationship with other animals?

In this fascinating conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with Fr. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ, a young Jesuit priest and vegan, about Catholic teachings, contemplative prayer, spirituality, and the possibility of a kinder world.

The conversation begins with a deeper exploration of Catholicism and the Jesuit tradition. Fr. Daniel shares insights into contemplative prayer and the teachings of St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, including his understanding that the world remains inherently good despite the suffering and hardship we encounter.

Victoria and Fr. Daniel also explore the remarkable range of perspectives within the Catholic Church. They discuss how the same spiritual tradition can be home to figures as politically different as Dorothy Day and J.D. Vance, and what that says about the breadth and complexity of Catholicism.

Then the conversation turns to veganism. Fr. Daniel explains why he sees compassion for animals and a vegan way of living as a natural conclusion for a follower of Christ, even though veganism remains uncommon within the Catholic community.

Together, they consider what could happen if religious communities became more engaged with animal compassion and the movement toward a kinder food system.

In This Episode

• Catholic teachings and their relationship to compassion
• What it means to be a Jesuit
• Contemplative prayer in the Catholic tradition
• The spiritual teachings of St. Ignatius
• How Catholicism can encompass very different worldviews
• Why Fr. Daniel became vegan
• The connection between Christianity, compassion, and veganism
• How faith communities could help create a kinder world
• The potential for Catholic institutions to move toward greater compassion for animals

About Our Guest

Fr. Daniel Mascarenhas, SJ is a Jesuit priest whose work explores spirituality, faith, compassion, and the call to live more consciously. A vegan himself, Fr. Daniel brings a thoughtful perspective to the relationship between Christian teachings and compassionate living.

In this conversation, he shares his experience of the Jesuit tradition and explains why he believes veganism can be a natural expression of the teachings of Christ.

A Special Visit from Chef Mark Reinfeld

Chef Mark Reinfeld, founder of Vegan Fusion, makes a special pop-in appearance during the episode to share information about his upcoming culinary course.

If you’re interested in taking your plant-based cooking to the next level, listeners can receive 30% off the course through Victoria’s special link.

Learn more and claim your 30% discount: https://veganfusion.com/(opens in new tab)

More from Fr. Daniel & the Compassion Consortium

Watch Fr. Daniel’s appearance as a Special Spiritual Guest for the Compassion Consortium:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTJEL7XzGm0(opens in new tab)

Victoria also spoke with Swami Chidananda of the Compassion Consortium about his spiritual calling and the journey from a successful secular career toward a life of spiritual service:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYscIyFRH8s(opens in new tab)

And watch Victoria’s 2019 film, A Prayer for Compassion:

https://watch.unchainedtv.com/videos/a-prayer-for-compassion(opens in new tab)

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://mainstreetvegan.com(opens in new tab) and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049(opens in new tab)

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check out their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted September 1, 2026

This is a challenge. An invitation. A call to action that, if you take it, you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Starting September 12, 2026, people who care about animals, about humans, about knowledge and science and health and decency, will gather at the New York state capital in Albany to kick off a historic 2-week march to the notorious animal breeding and testing facility, Marshall BioResources near Rochester. Those who participate for the full march will be putting in 15 miles a day. That means blisters. Shin splints. Knees that feel their age. And you know what? It’s going to be the most incredible 14 days these marchers ever experience. And you can be one of them.

Why People Who Care About Animals Are Walking 207 Miles for Better Science

Those of us who share our lives with dogs know that they are individuals. They have likes and dislikes. Fears. Favorite people. Funny habits. They are family members who learn, communicate, make choices, form relationships, seek safety, and trust us with immense openness.

Learning about dogs that are being bred and sold for laboratory research creates a discomfort that is hard to reconcile with the animals we care for and love in our homes. And the more we think about it, the more we see that other species are also individuals and that they don’t belong in research, either.

This September, we are doing something very physical about it.

From September 12–26, 2026, the March to Abolish Animal Testing (MAAT) will travel 207 miles across New York, from Albany to the gates of Marshall BioResources in North Rose.

For 14 days, people will join for a mile, a day, a weekend, or the entire route. Our destination is intentional. And so is our every step.

We Have Been Taught That This Is Just How Science Works

Most of us have been mis-taught the connection between animals and science in elementary schools. Maybe it was a frog on a dissection tray. Exploiting animals was presented as part of learning science—we were not invited to question it. This has left us with a powerful assumption early on in our education: Animal experimentation may be unpleasant, but it is necessary.

But Science Has Changed

Researchers are developing  New Approach Methodologies/Non Animal Methods, or NAMs(opens in new tab). These include human organoids, organs-on-chips, advanced cell and tissue systems, computational modeling and artificial intelligence.

NAMS are far more accurate, more efficient, more cost-effective, and faster than animal models. And this is no longer happening only at the fringes of research.

In 2026, the FDA issued guidance intended to help drug developers use validated human-relevant methods in place of some animal testing and stated that it is working to move away from animal testing as the default approach in drug development.

The NIH has also invested more than $150 million in developing and scaling human-based research methods and created a new office dedicated to advancing these technologies and reducing reliance on animals. But these agencies are still using animal models, even in the face of this knowledge. That’s why we march.

Why Walk 207 Miles?

Because that’s the distance between Albany, the seat of power in a powerful state, to the gates of one of the largest lab animal

breeders in the country.

Our visibility matters. When we march peacefully to the gates, day after day after day for two weeks, it brings visibility to the issue.

This is not about fitness. It’s about showing up.

You Can Walk Just One Mile.

Walk any number of miles you choose.

Meet us in Albany. Join us at the gates of Marshall BioResources. Or somewhere along the route.

Because more footsteps require more feet. And more feet mean more people willing to show up.

A Hopeful Vision for The Future

It is essential to say what we are against. But it is more important to say what we are walking toward:  Science with compassion. Human-relevant research that’s good for the animals and for us.

Every step of our 207 miles makes that future more visible.

Learn more and join the March to Abolish Animal Testing(opens in new tab)

Gretchen Primack is an animal activist, poet, and author who lives in New York’s Hudson Valley. Ella Magers is a vegan fitness trainer and influencer, a board member of Hogs and Kisses Farm Sanctuary, and resident of Miami. They met when Gretchen was on the Our Hen House Podcast(opens in new tab) and Ella contacted her to join forces and make history. Both women are proud vegans with a long history of work for farmed animals, and they’re currently focusing on the work, picking up so much speed of late, to end the use of living being as laboratory subjects and replace them with effective, modern methods. As part of this effort, they’re seeing “animal lovers” embrace vegan living, putting the pieces together. Gretchen and Ella are guests on the episode of the Main Street Vegan Podcast(opens in new tab) that went up on August 27 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Victoria Moran’s YouTube channel, Victoria Moran Official. Victoria will speak for marchers on the evening of the first day’s trekking when they reach Schenectady.