Episode 565, air date August 13th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Larry Carbone, DVM, author of The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals: A Vet’s Vision for a More Humane Future

Can meaningful progress happen when people who care deeply about animals disagree on the path forward?

In this thought-provoking episode, Victoria Moran welcomes veterinarian Dr. Larry Carbone, author of The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals: A Vet’s Vision for a More Humane Future. For most of his career, Dr. Carbone has cared for animals used in medical research, placing him at the center of one of the most ethically complex issues in animal advocacy.

Victoria approaches this conversation from her long-held abolitionist perspective, shared by many Main Street Vegan listeners. Nevertheless, she believes that meaningful dialogue requires listening to thoughtful people whose views differ from our own. Rather than debating from opposite corners, she and Dr. Carbone explore the difficult questions surrounding animal research, scientific progress, and our shared desire to reduce suffering.

Together, they discuss emerging alternatives such as organ-on-a-chip technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the legal protections currently in place for laboratory animals. They also consider what consumers can do to encourage more humane practices while supporting continued investment in alternatives that may one day eliminate the need for animal experimentation altogether.

Whether you agree with every perspective presented or not, this episode invites thoughtful reflection on a challenging subject. Above all, it reminds us that compassion can coexist with honest conversation.

In This Episode

• Why Victoria chose to have this important conversation
• Dr. Carbone’s journey as a veterinarian in medical research
• The promise of AI and organ-on-a-chip technology
• Current laws protecting laboratory animals and where they fall short
• Practical ways consumers can support alternatives to animal testing
• The role of ethics committees in laboratory research
• Finding common ground between animal welfare and animal rights advocates

About Our Guest

Dr. Larry Carbone is a veterinarian who has devoted his career to caring for animals in medical research laboratories. He is the author of The Hidden Lives of Lab Animals: A Vet’s Vision for a More Humane Future, which examines the ethical challenges surrounding animal research while advocating for improved welfare and continued progress toward replacing animals in science. Throughout his career, Dr. Carbone has maintained strong relationships with both scientific and animal protection communities, seeking dialogue where others often find division.

Connect with Dr. Carbone

Website: https://larrycarbone.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larry.carbone.7

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.

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 August 11, 2026

I was vegan for many years, trying to find my place in a movement that felt urgent, overwhelming, and deeply personal. I wrote children’s books, explored different ways to contribute, and kept asking myself the same question: Am I doing enough?

Searching for a Meaningful Contribution

I was not a doctor, a dietitian, or a scientist. I did not have technical expertise to lean on, only a growing awareness of the pain animals endure and a sense that I needed to do something meaningful with that knowledge. But what? And how?

For a long time, I could not quite find the right angle.

What I did have was a willingness to listen, learn, and create. So, in 2024, I launched the Better Life for Animals podcast, something that began as an experiment and grew into a platform I am deeply proud of. It became a space to elevate voices that often go unheard, especially those doing the quiet, relentless work of animal sanctuaries.

Through these conversations at BetterLifeForAnimals.com, I found what I had been searching for: not a title or a credential, but a role. The podcast became a way to support sanctuary leaders, share their stories, and help more people understand what sanctuaries truly represent. It nurtures me. It gives me a sense of purpose. And I like to believe it contributes, in some small way, to a better world for animals.

Sanctuaries as Places of Transformation

What I have learned through this work is that sanctuaries are far more than safe havens. They are places of transformation for animals and for people.

They are, in many ways, schools of empathy.

When people visit a sanctuary, something shifts. The walls between us and them begin to soften. A child meeting a rescued chicken for the first time does not see a nugget; they see someone. A family hearing the story of a pig who escaped slaughter begins to understand resilience, fear, and the desire to live in a way that no statistic can convey.

Sanctuaries bring to light what industrial systems keep hidden. They do not overwhelm. They invite. They create space for people to witness, feel, and reflect. And when we allow ourselves to truly see animals as individuals, it can gently challenge long-held assumptions about how we live.

How Sanctuary Work Changes People

Through my podcast conversations, I have heard countless sanctuary founders and caregivers describe this same experience, not just for visitors, but for themselves. Being in close relationship with animals changes you. It deepens your awareness, expands your empathy, and often raises questions about alignment.

One of those questions is about veganism, not as a demand or a measure of worth, but as a natural extension of what sanctuary work reveals.

Three Ways Sanctuary Work and Veganism Often Connect

1. Alignment Between Values and Daily Life

Sanctuary work creates alignment between what we feel and how we live. It is rooted in protecting animals from harm and honoring their individuality. Choosing veganism can feel like carrying that same ethic beyond the sanctuary and into everyday decisions.

2. Expanding Empathy Beyond Individual Animals

It expands empathy, rather than containing it. While it’s easy, and human, to form deep bonds with the animals we know personally, sanctuaries often show us that the traits we cherish in those animals are not unique to them. A vegan lifestyle can be a way of honoring that realization, reducing the emotional divide between these animals and those animals.

3. Strengthening Integrity and Consistency

It strengthens the integrity of the message we share. Sanctuary workers are often seen as guides, people who help others understand animals in a new way. When actions and values are aligned, it can create a clearer, more cohesive invitation for others to reflect on their own choices.

A Journey Without Judgment

None of this is about judgment. If anything, my own journey has taught me how complex and personal these shifts can be. Sanctuaries themselves model patience. They allow animals to heal at their own pace, without force or expectation. Perhaps we can offer that same grace to each other.

What matters is that we stay open. That we continue to learn. That we allow what we witness to shape us.

Bringing What Is Hidden into the Light

Factory farming and the slaughter industry depend on distance, on keeping suffering out of sight and out of mind. Sanctuaries do the opposite. They bring us closer. They help us see.

Once we see, it becomes harder to look away.

For me, the Better Life for Animals podcast became a way to stay close to these stories, these individuals, and this growing understanding of what compassion can look like in practice. It is not perfect. But it is real.

And sometimes, doing something real, something that connects, informs, and invites reflection, is enough to begin changing the world.

Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. She is also the founder of the Funding Blueprint for Sanctuaries summit designed to empower those involved with sanctuaries to create sustainable funding streams.

A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and supporting underrepresented sanctuaries.

Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A Main Street Vegan Academy graduate, she recently added Vystopia Transformation to her resume. The Vystopia work, created by psychologist Clare Mann, focuses on the emotional impact many people experience after becoming aware of animal suffering and exploitation. It offers tools for resilience, communication, and emotional well-being while continuing to advocate for positive change.

Cheryl is also the author of three illustrated children’s books, Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, all focused on kindness and compassion toward animals. Find her on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Episode 564, air date August 6th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

A Lifetime of Vegan Living: Anne Dinshah and the Legacy of the American Vegan Society

What can the American Vegan Society teach us about living compassionately for a lifetime?

In this heartwarming conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes Anne Dinshah, CEO of the American Vegan Society, for a discussion about vegan living, community, and carrying forward a remarkable legacy. As the daughter of vegan pioneer Jay Dinshah, Anne has spent a lifetime showing that veganism is not about perfection. Instead, it’s about living with kindness, curiosity, and joy.

This episode is especially personal for Victoria. She shares how Jay Dinshah and the American Vegan Society helped launch her own vegan journey decades ago. Together, Victoria and Anne reflect on the early days of the movement. They also discuss the friendships that have sustained it and why building a welcoming vegan community remains just as important today.

Anne also offers practical wisdom for anyone considering a plant-based lifestyle. She explains why many people overestimate the difficulty of going vegan. In addition, she shares simple ways to begin living more compassionately. Along the way, the conversation explores voluntary simplicity, healthy aging, and the value of lifelong curiosity.

Above all, this episode celebrates the American Vegan Society and its mission to make vegan living welcoming, accessible, and joyful for everyone.

In This Episode

• How Jay Dinshah influenced Victoria’s own vegan journey
• The history and mission of the American Vegan Society
• Why veganism can be simpler than many people imagine
• Building a compassionate vegan community
• Living your values while maintaining strong relationships
• The benefits of curiosity, movement, and lifelong learning
• The American Vegan Center and upcoming educational retreats

About Our Guest

Anne Dinshah is a lifelong vegan and the CEO of the American Vegan Society. As the daughter of U.S. vegan movement pioneer Jay Dinshah, she continues his legacy by helping people discover vegan living through education, community, and compassionate outreach. Anne is also the coauthor of Powerful Vegan Messages. Through her warm and approachable style, she has inspired countless people to embrace a more compassionate way of living.

About the American Vegan Society

Founded in 1960, the American Vegan Society has spent more than six decades promoting vegan living through education, advocacy, and community. Its long-running “Welcome to Veganism” program has introduced countless people to the vegan lifestyle. Likewise, its “Building National Vegan Community” initiative continues to connect and inspire people across the country.

Another highlight is the American Vegan Center in Philadelphia, where visitors can explore the history of veganism in the United States. This fall, the American Vegan Society will also reopen its headquarters for weekend and weeklong living-learning retreats. These experiences will include cooking workshops, ethical discussions, wellness activities, and opportunities to connect with fellow vegans.

Connect with Anne

Website: https://americanvegan.org

Facebook: American Vegan Society

Instagram: @AmericanVeganS

LinkedIn: American Vegan Society

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.

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 our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Episode 564, air date July 30th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Meat, Innovation, and the Future of Food with Bruce Friedrich

Can we transform the global food system without asking everyone to give up the foods they love?

In this thought-provoking conversation, I welcome Bruce Friedrich, founder and president of the Good Food Institute, to discuss his book Meat and the future of alternative proteins. Bruce explains why plant-based and cultivated meat could play a vital role in feeding a growing population while reducing the environmental and ethical costs of industrial animal agriculture.

Myself and Bruce also share a personal history that goes back nearly four decades. In 1988, Bruce got in touch after reading one of my articles on veganism. Calling from his college dorm, he told me that my writing had inspired him to go vegan. It’s a full-circle moment that makes this conversation especially meaningful.

Together, they explore why humans love meat, what that means for the future of food, and why innovation, not blame, may be the fastest path toward meaningful change.

In This Episode

• Why Bruce founded the Good Food Institute
• The inspiration behind his new book, Meat
• The future of plant-based and cultivated meat
• Why “Big Meat” may become part of the solution
• The environmental, public health, and ethical case for alternative proteins
• What gives Bruce hope for the next agricultural revolution

About Our Guest

Bruce Friedrich is the founder and president of the Good Food Institute, a global network of nonprofit, science-focused think tanks accelerating the development of plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated proteins. The organization has been recognised by Giving Green as one of the world’s most impactful climate charities for four consecutive years.

Bruce is also the author of Meat, a compelling look at how innovation can transform our food system to benefit animals, people, and the planet. A longtime vegan advocate, he has spent decades working at the intersection of food, policy, science, and sustainability.

Connect with Bruce

Website: https://meatbook.org

Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brucegfriedrich

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brucegfriedrich/

X: https://x.com/BruceGFriedrich

About the Good Food Institute

The Good Food Institute works globally to accelerate the development and adoption of alternative proteins through science, policy, and industry partnerships. Its work has earned recognition from organisations including Giving Green, the Bezos Earth Fund, and many leaders in food innovation and climate action.

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.

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 our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted July 28, 2026

There are moments in life when something changes, not only on paper, but in our bodies, in our very being.

After almost 15 years serving the same congregation, I stood in the midst of the United Church of Christ’s Farewell Liturgy, formally marking the end of my pastoral call there.

I expected gratitude.

I expected sadness.

I expected tears.

What I didn’t expect was freedom. The moment the liturgy ended, I felt something lift from me.

Not my love for the congregation or the ministry of the church.

Not my thankfulness for the years we shared.

Not the relationships that will remain part of my story.

What lifted was the responsibility. It was as though my body knew before my mind could find the words.

Physically.

Emotionally.

Spiritually.

Mentally.

I had been released. That surprised me.

Serving as a church pastor was one of the greatest privileges of my life. It shaped me, challenged me, and blessed me in countless ways. Every calling carries both joy and responsibility. For nearly fifteen years, I held that responsibility with love. Then, in one sacred moment, it was no longer mine to carry.

The blessing remained.

The burden of responsibility was gently released.

The  Difference Between Remembering With Thankfulness and Continuing to Carry What Has Already Been Released

Perhaps you have experienced something similar. A career you’ve loved. Leading an organization. A particularly meaningful volunteer role. Sometimes we continue carrying responsibilities long after life has lovingly invited us to set them down. We hold on because they matter. We hold on because they helped form us. We hold on because releasing them can feel like letting go of part of ourselves.

But I discovered something unexpected. There is a difference between remembering with thankfulness and continuing to carry what has already been released.

That day taught me a valuable spiritual practice:

Keep the blessing.

Release the burden.

Walk in freedom.

Vegan Transformation

As I reflected on that experience, I realized it wasn’t only about ministry. It reminded me of another profound transformation: becoming vegan. People sometimes imagine veganism as simply changing what’s on our plates. In my experience it’s much more than that. It is an invitation to see differently.

To recognize animals as fellow beings, as neighbors we are called to love and treat with dignity and compassion.

To consider how our daily choices reflect our deepest values.

To align our actions more closely with the kind of people we hope to become.

Like any meaningful change, becoming vegan brings both joy and challenge. There is joy in living more compassionately. There can also be grief as our awareness expands. We may wish we had become vegan sooner, and that others would better understand our choices. We may feel the weight of seeing suffering we once overlooked.

Transformation asks something of us. Every meaningful change invites us to release an older way of seeing so that something new can emerge. Transformation includes joy and challenge. It’s the presence of deeper alignment.

Making Space for New Forms

Looking back, I realized my farewell was never about leaving parish ministry—it was about making space for ministry to take a new form.

Today that calling includes being a Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator through Victoria Moran’s Main Street Vegan Academy, an ordained animal chaplain through Compassion Consortium, a Food for Life instructor through Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and exploring compassionate living with the WellBeing where wonder changes us, where wonder helps create the conditions that heal.

The thread connecting each chapter is compassion. Forms have changed. The calling continues to unfold.

Every profound transformation asks us to release something in order to fully embrace what comes next. Not because what came before isn’t beautiful, but because life continues to invite us to grow.

I invite you to ponder the questions that continue to guide me:

What responsibility are you still carrying that may no longer belong to you?

What blessing can you cherish while gently releasing the weight you’ve been holding?

What new freedom might this ending be making possible?

Whether your transformation includes becoming vegan, changing careers, answering a new calling, or something else, I hope you’ll remember what my own farewell unexpectedly taught me:

Keep the blessing.

Release the burden.

Walk in freedom.

May your byes be good and your releases be sacred.

Rev. Dina A. Miani Lauman, MDiv, MSW, is the founder of the WellBeing, a sanctuary for vegan Christians, spiritual seekers, and all who long to live with greater compassion, wonder, and wholeness. An ordained United Church of Christ minister and ordained Animal Chaplain through the Compassion Consortium, Dina integrates spirituality, psychology, and plant-based living to nurture healing for people, animals, communities, and the Earth. She is a Main Street Vegan Academy Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, a licensed Food for Life Instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and a Narrative Experiential Practitioner.

Through coaching, spiritual direction, classes, retreats, and experiential gatherings, Dina creates spaces where transformation unfolds with curiosity, courage, and grace. A lifelong lover of Disney storytelling and the power of wonder, she believes wonder changes us. Let’s stay connected in compassion.

Episode 563, air date July 23rd, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

A Vegan Makes a Feature Film ft Glen Merzer!

Buddhist Blues is an intriguing feature film that tackles life and family with a by-the-way-he’s vegan protagonist. Writer/director Glen Merzer takes us into his process and celebrates “accidental activism.”

In this engaging conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes bestselling author, screenwriter, and filmmaker Glen Merzer to discuss Buddhist Blues, the first feature film he has written and directed. Set in St. Louis in 1993, the film follows a young vegan living outside the law. As family tensions rise, he must confront difficult choices and the fragile bonds that connect us.

Together, Victoria and Glen explore storytelling as a form of advocacy. Glen explains why he believes in “soft vegan messaging.” Rather than preaching, he creates compelling characters and authentic stories that encourage audiences to reflect. They also discuss the challenges of producing an independent film and the unique ability of cinema to inspire empathy.

Beyond the film, Glen reflects on his decades as a writer and his lifelong commitment to vegetarianism and veganism. He also shares why creativity can help build a more compassionate world.

Whether you’re passionate about filmmaking, vegan advocacy, or simply love a good story, this episode offers an inspiring look at the intersection of art, compassion, and social change.

In This Episode

• Glen’s journey as a writer and filmmaker
• The inspiration behind Buddhist Blues
• Why storytelling can be a powerful form of advocacy
• The philosophy behind “soft vegan messaging”
• The challenges of producing and directing an independent film
• How creativity can inspire compassion and change

About Our Guest

Glen Merzer is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and longtime vegan advocate. He is the writer and director of Buddhist Blues, a feature film that explores family, identity, and compassion through a distinctly vegan lens. Glen also co-authored Moving Medicine Forward with Dr. Michael Klaper and wrote Food Is Climate. A vegetarian for more than five decades and a vegan for over 35 years, he hosts The Glen Merzer Show, where he explores food, health, ethics, and the environment.

More from Glen

Learn more about Glen’s latest projects, including Buddhist Blues, his books, and The Glen Merzer Show.

Website: https://buddhistblues.com

YouTube: The Glen Merzer Show https://www.youtube.com/@theglenmerzershow

Also Mentioned

• Moving Medicine Forward (co-authored with Dr. Michael Klaper)
• Food Is Climate

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.

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 our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted July 21 , 2026

I was an art maker and illustrator before I was vegan, and just as becoming vegan has transformed how most of us show up in the world, it has transformed my art making. For me, it was awakening to the suffering of animals that turned me vegan and, like so many others, as my eyes were opening to the truth, I found myself wanting to shout from the rooftops everything I was learning. I assumed all I would have to do was tell people what I was discovering and they would make the same choice I had. So, I began telling people—and, as an art maker, I began creating work to shine a light on the seemingly infinite ways that animals suffer at the hands of humans.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors

In the beginning I was confident that if I could make illustrations that were clear and moving enough, I’d be able to change the beliefs and behaviors of anyone who saw them. But of course, as so many new vegans come to realize, that isn’t how it works. Not everyone is wired to be transformed by the information that vegans find transformative. I began to wonder if it was perhaps self-indulgent to spend time making art—and whether, given the urgency of the animals’ suffering, I should instead find a more efficient means of trying to influence non-vegans toward change.

Keeping Hope and Motivation Alive in the Larger, Non-Vegan World

While pondering this question, I discovered and joined the Art of Compassion Project, an international vegan artists’ collective. As a member I was able to contribute to the group’s collaborative projects, reaching a wider audience while helping to raise awareness and funds for vegan causes. Not long after, I signed up for the Main Street Vegan Academy. While getting certified as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, I became part of another wonderful community of like-minded people. The support and inspiration I receive from being around other passionate vegans is crucial for keeping my hope and motivation alive in the larger, non-vegan world. And the varied array of projects that these vegans pursue, with their diverse interests and backgrounds, reminds me that this movement needs all our voices, and all the different mediums and methods through which we can share our common message.

Art as Activism

Buoyed by these communities, I’ve continued my artivism. My goal is always to reach and motivate change in not-yet-vegan viewers; but I’ve become more accepting of the reality that this is a very long game. The only thing I have control over is what I send out into the world, not how others receive it. This recognition helps keep me going. This, plus my conviction that if each of us speaks our truth as only we can, the world will move, if ever so slowly, toward awakening.

I still fall into self-doubt when an artwork I share gets very little response—and even sometimes when it gets a strong, much appreciated response, but only from fellow vegans. I wonder, am I simply preaching to the choir? A while back I received a welcome insight into this question. I learned that some collectors intentionally display my work in spaces where they’ll spark conversations with non-vegan guests. So even when I know who has purchased a print or painting, I never know who else it may reach. It’s been gratifying also to hear on occasion directly from not-yet-vegans who’ve told me my work has inspired a shift in their thinking. So, I continue with my artivism and trust that it is adding meaningfully to the world’s chorus of vegan voices.

And because I continue, opportunities sometimes arise to share my work more widely. In 2025, I was asked to create some of the official posters for the Animal Rights March in NYC. It was truly an honor to be able to help amplify the message of such a moving and powerful event. So many passionate, articulate, and creative leaders and activists in the animal rights movement came together that day to lend their voices to the voiceless—or more accurately, to the animals whose voices are systematically silenced.

Measuring Progress

Recently, another couple of opportunities led me to realize that the response that vegan-themed artworks receive in the wider art community may be a useful way to measure the progress of our movement. While by many metrics, veganism seems to have lost momentum over the past few years, I’ve been so encouraged by the opportunity to have my painting, The Ghosted, with a clear vegan message, included in two recent art exhibits in New York City, neither of which was vegan in theme.

The 55th Anniversary People’s Flag Show (November 2025, at Judson Memorial Church) challenged artists to create work that, “interrogates the American Flag as a symbol of ‘freedom and justice for all.’” The SaveArtSpace.org True American exhibition (July 2026, on billboard ad space in Brooklyn) called for work that asks, “What does America look like in practice? Who does it serve—and who does it fail?” The curator called on artists to “center voices and experiences that have historically been excluded from dominant representations of American identity.”

In submitting The Ghosted, I worried that this painting, which centers the voices and experiences of nonhuman farmed animals, might not be received well. I worried that some might see it as inappropriate at a time when so many human voices are being suppressed, and so many human beings are suffering under inhumane government policies. I submitted it anyway and was relieved and encouraged to find that it was well received by the organizers and viewers at Judson, and was selected for the billboard by the curator at SaveArtSpace. I’m choosing to see this as a metric that counters the ones suggesting that veganism’s moment has passed.

Truth on Our Side

While there is no doubt that veganism is being challenged from all directions, our movement has the truth on its side. The evidence of its benefits—for the environment, human well-being, and of course the animals—only grows more compelling. Data indicates that people outside the vegan movement recognize this. A 2025 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine survey found that half of US adults acknowledge the health benefits of a plant-based diet. And, anecdotally, the organizers of two social-justice-themed art shows have selected an animal rights piece as a valid commentary on the ways the US is failing those who live within its borders. So, even as the powers that be put out their misinformation and promote the animal industrial complex, individual people are quietly being swayed by the truth. I find this kind of confirmation that our movement continues to make progress energizing. I hope it gives all of us the boost we need to stay the course and keep on spreading our shared message, each in our own unique way.

Read Lisa’s Artist Statement for The Ghosted, as well as the Curatorial Statement, here: https://www.saveartspace.org/true-american.

Lisa Goldberg is a mixed-media artist and the illustrator of three children’s books. She is a member of the Art of Compassion Project and a certified Main Street Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. She lives on the Lower East Side of New York City with her husband, daughter, and two spoiled cats. You can view more of her work and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook, and on her website, Lisa Goldberg Illustration.

Episode 562, air date July 16th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Justice for Animals: Creating Lasting Change!

Can the legal system become one of the most powerful tools for protecting animals?

In this compelling conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with attorney and animal law advocate Vanessa Shakib about the growing movement to secure meaningful legal protections for animals. Through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy, Vanessa is helping reshape the legal landscape for farmed animals. In doing so, she challenges long-standing systems that treat sentient beings as commodities rather than individuals worthy of protection.

Together, Victoria and Vanessa explore the evolving field of animal law. They discuss the challenges of creating systemic change through the courts. They also explain why legal advocacy is an essential companion to education, grassroots activism, and compassionate living. Along the way, Vanessa shares her own journey to veganism. She describes how it inspired her to dedicate her legal career to advancing justice for animals.

Ultimately, this thoughtful and inspiring episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the legal strategies that are helping build a more compassionate future.

In This Episode

How Vanessa found her calling in animal law
How compassion can shape public policy
Reasons for hope in the growing animal protection movement

About Our Guest

Vanessa Shakib is an attorney, animal law advocate, and founder of Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting animals through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy. After becoming vegan, she redirected her legal career toward advancing legal protections for animals. Since then, she has challenged institutional cruelty through the courts. Her work spans issues including factory farming, animal research, and government accountability. As a result, she has become a respected voice in the rapidly growing field of animal law.

Connect with Vanessa

Website: https://advancinglawforanimals.org

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 our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted July 14, 2026

I have been vegan for twenty years, though my friends and family are not. For my 60th birthday, I wanted a vegan lunch. My only sibling, Gary, died three years ago at age 58, making every birthday especially meaningful since I can turn an age he never will. When I turned 30 and 40, I celebrated with my mom and brother—both now gone. At 50, my mom had just died, so I could not celebrate. Now, I mark my 60th.

My goal: To celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends. I left the men at home, including my husband, and it was ladies only.

I wanted vegan food and vegan cake. I wanted to show my friends and family what it’s like to walk in my shoes for a day. Veggie Heaven in Teaneck, New Jersey, is the only 100% vegan restaurant in my county. There are several restaurants with vegan options, but you know how it goes…Please take out the cheese, meat, eggs, etc. It irks me to pay for items I have removed when they cannot be replaced with healthier, cruelty-free alternatives.

It was an honor to host this gathering, welcoming friends and family, and I was not nervous at all about whether they would like the food. Everybody loved the food! Their dishes are delicious, and the veggies are always fresh, as well as the faux meat.

The cake was the highlight. I ordered two freshly baked cakes, a Black Forest Cake and a Funfetti Cake, so there would be both chocolate and vanilla options. Everybody kept asking if it was dairy-free since some guests are lactose intolerant. I did not ruin their experience by explaining we are all lactose intolerant since no human should be drinking the milk of another mammal—our bodies rightfully reject it.

It helped that I have been going to Veggie Heaven weekly for over 20 years since moving to the area. The owner, manager, and servers know me well. We were given a separate room and not rushed to leave. We had appetizers that I chose for everybody: scallion pancakes, steamed vegetable dumplings, and spring rolls.

To simplify things for this event I created a personalized menu. I chose 29 main dishes, ranging from only veggies to noodles, mock beef, chicken, or fish with vegetables, picking the most popular dishes emulating what people normally order in a Chinese restaurant. I thought it was fitting to have 29 dishes to reflect that I have been celebrating my 29th birthday for 31 years now!

Despite being the only vegan at the table, I was thrilled that everyone was impressed, and many said they would happily eat there again.

There were 18 of us in total. I am not religious, but in my Jewish culture the number 18 represents life, vitality, and good fortune. I took it as an excellent sign. The weather was sunny, dry, and not too hot for June. It was the perfect day.

It was important that I did not have to smell or see meat for my birthday. Around the table, almost everybody is owned by a dog or a cat (or both). It made me feel great to share my love of harmless and delicious food with fellow animal lovers.

Will anybody become a vegan after our lunch? Probably not. It’s okay, though, because they know that vegan food is tasty and a viable alternative.

Cherie Hans holds certifications from Dr. McDougall’s Starch Solution and Dr. Campbell’s Plant-Based Nutrition programs, and is a Main Street Vegan Academy 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.