Encompass Essays: Pursuing Racial Equity in Animal Advocacy

Encompass Essays: Pursuing Racial Equity in Animal Advocacy is a collection of essays written by farmed animal protection advocates who are committed to exploring and prioritizing racial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as we work to create a more just animal protection movement. We are a group of advocates who care deeply about this work, wish to document our stories and processes in an exploratory space from which we can grow, and would like to use our words to hold ourselves and our peers accountable and create new ways forward. The essayists contributing to this virtual anthology were all attendees of the 2020 inaugural Encompass DEI Institute. Encompass—the nonprofit that organized the Institute—aims to make the farmed animal protection space more equitable by working with organizations to operationalize racial equity and with individual advocates of the global majority by helping them cultivate their leadership potential.

Encompass Essays is a collaboration between Encompass, Our Hen House, and Sentient Media. Our Hen House is an award-winning media nonprofit that produces podcasts that aim to change the world for animals. Co-founder and co-host Jasmin Singer is the editor of the essay collection. Sentient Media—where these essays will roll out throughout 2020—is a robust digital platform that publishes deeply thoughtful articles about animal agriculture and its impact on the world, as well as fosters a fellowship program where newer journalists are mentored by seasoned ones. Down the road, we will invite you to join us for digital panels, collaborative discussions and trainings, and audio versions of the essays—which will be published on the Our Hen House podcast. As always, Encompass will continue to offer transformational DEI consulting and training to leaders and organizations who want to integrate DEI into their work.

Read more:

Self-Discovery and the Pursuit of Racial Equity in Animal Advocacy: Introducing “The Encompass Essays”

The forthcoming collection of narratives examine how a cohort of advocates in the farmed animal movement intend to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.

By Jasmin Singer

From Speaking Up for Animals to Becoming an Antiracist

It’s time we own how the vegan movement has supported the systematic racism that robs people in the global majority of their humanity.

By Rachel Huff-Wagenborg

Using Research and Data to Create an Inclusive Animal Rights Movement

Learning about racial inequity through the lens of data analysis not only improves the efficacy of my animal advocacy, but it fuels my commitment to fighting all forms of oppression.

By Brooke Haggerty

How My Cultural Identity Informs My Animal Advocacy

Reflecting upon my history in animal advocacy, I realize that I have undervalued my family’s roots as a key factor in why and how I want to help animals to live a life free from suffering. I’m ready to change the narrative.

By Unny Nambudiripad

International Animal Protection Is Stronger When It’s Antiracist

International animal advocacy groups need to incorporate a framework for racial diversity, equity, and inclusion into their global strategy to ensure the oppression of all species can come to an end.

By Stien van der Ploeg

How Racism in Animal Advocacy and Effective Altruism Hinders Our Mission

Improving the lives of animals is just one part of making the world a better place—to fully accomplish that mission, we must be antiracist as well.

By Michelle Graham

Animal Advocates: It’s Time We Move from Performance to True Antiracism

Here’s why the surge of interest in racial equity work gives me hope—and pause—about the animal protection movement’s quest toward antiracism.

By Aryenish Birdie

Oppression Without Hierarchy: Racial Justice and Animal Advocacy

21st-century advocacy embraces cross-over between issue areas, giving us the best chance for holistic, sustained, transformative justice for all.

By Michelle Rojas-Soto