Curious Vedanth

From Curiosity to Activism: Aaron Ross's Journey in Animal Rights and The Humane League

August 09, 2024 Vedanth Nuggehalli Season 6 Episode 23

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Season 6 Episode 23: What drives someone to dedicate their life to animal rights activism? Aaron Ross, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at The Humane League, shares his compelling journey from high school curiosity to becoming a prominent figure in the animal rights movement. Learn how Aaron's initial questions about the ethics of consuming different animals led him to a vegetarian lifestyle and the foundation of local animal rights organizations. Hear his personal stories of overcoming skepticism and witnessing the evolution of societal attitudes towards animal welfare.

Delve into the history and growth of The Humane League, an organization that started with a franchise model in 2005 and has since become a key player in corporate animal welfare campaigns. Aaron discusses the pivotal moments, strategic shifts, and the role of influential leaders like David Coman-Hidy in transforming the movement from grassroots activism into a professional, pragmatic effort. Understand the challenges faced as the movement scaled up, particularly after receiving significant funding around 2016, and how the focus on farmed animals, especially chickens, has led to impactful cage-free campaigns.

Discover the surprising link between jiu-jitsu and activism as Aaron shares how the principles of the sport have influenced his advocacy work. Learn about the prevalence of veganism among world champion jiu-jitsu practitioners and the potential benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes.

Aarons episode on How I Learned To Love Shrimp is a podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/how-i-learned-to-love-shrimp/id1679799929?i=1000645240183

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