An interview with Yunuén Ávila, CAA Volunteer and Explore Veg Mentor Program Coordinator

What drew you personally to veganism?

I started choosing to be vegetarian (without really knowing that that was even “a thing”) when I was a baby. My mom said that I would spit out meat or feed it to my pets. I would also cry when I was forced to eat meat. As a young teen, I made my mom a promise, “When I turn 18, I’m becoming a real vegetarian and you can’t stop me.” My mom was offended and worried at the time, since the Hispanic/Latino culture relies heavily on meat consumption—you’re either “poor” or something is wrong with you if you chose to abstain from it. 

I was a proud Lacto-Ovo vegetarian until I stumbled on the dark side of YouTube: videos of animal cruelty, animal testing, the dairy industry, and more. I remember I was sobbing in pain, feeling anger at the abusers, and feeling anger at my own hypocrisy.

“How is it that I say that I “love” animals, but I pay these monsters to torture and kill these living and sentient beings?!”

I remember setting my laptop on the kitchen floor and in rage, I went into my kitchen cupboards and threw everything out on the floor. I did the same in the bathroom. I sobbed on the floor as I read the labels on the canned goods and toiletries to see if they had any animal ingredients or if they’d been tested on animals. That day in May, seven years ago, was my true “AHA” moment. I had become a vegan for the animals. 

Seven years ago, veganism wasn’t as popular as it is now and I relied heavily on social media pages that encouraged the vegan lifestyle. Although I had found myself, I still didn’t feel like I “belonged” anywhere. I was an outcast to the “meat-eaters” and an outcast to the judgmental vegan community I had found on social media. I struggled with veganism for a while until I stumbled across Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA). They received me with open arms and with them, I felt I had found my home and community. THIS is what veganism is all about: it’s about COMPASSION—compassion towards our animal friends and towards ALL people, no matter what stage in their veg-journey they’re on. I began being active with CAA and volunteering as much as I could. They offered veg-activism training and I wasn’t hesitant to attend. I’ve been volunteering at CAA for four years now and the only thing I regret is not being a vegan and a CAA volunteer sooner. 

All in all, it’s never too late to have that “aha” moment. If you’re reading this, this might be the time to spark that change in your life and be the one whom our animal friends thank for letting them live their lives to the fullest. 

How do you explain your vegan lifestyle to folks if and when they ask about it?

Veganism is not only about avoiding the consumption of animals or abstaining from wearing anything that derived from animals or that has been tested on animals. It’s a moral and mental awakening of the horrific suffering these living and sentient beings have to endure on their short-“lived” lives. It’s about making a conscious decision to not participate in the abuse. It’s also about perspective. If one frowns upon the other side of the world for consuming who we view as pets in this country, then why is it okay to consume farmed animals? If I stopped drinking my mother’s breast milk at a young age, then why is it viewed as normal to consume milk at an adult age, especially milk that doesn’t belong to us in the first place? Supply and demand. The more one demands plant-based food, the less suffering there will be. Take the leap with me. 

What is your favorite dish to share with veg and non-veg folks?

My husband’s, Sanchez Brown, “famous” authentic, vegan tacos and my “famous” vegan spinach and cheeze lasagne. (P.S. If you want to try Sanchez’s tacos, they’re exclusive to CAA volunteer appreciation events. Sign up to volunteer today!)

Besides volunteering with CAA, what are you up to these days?

I advocate for workers (union activism) and for the voiceless. In my spare time, my husband and I like to throw parties, make tons of vegan dishes to share, and then show them off to our non-veg friends to try so they can get a taste of the beauty of veganism.

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Looking to make a change in your life? You can find free veg resources on our website and sign up for the Explore Veg Mentor Program. To get involved with CAA, visit our volunteers page to let us know what you’re interested in getting involved with. All are welcome!

Suzy Sorensen is a Twin Cities-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who is passionate about plant-based eating! She has a Certificate of Training in Vegetarian Nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and opened Move2Veg Nutrition Counseling in 2009 to support those interested in plant-based eating. For more information, visit move2veg.com.

This month, the first part of her new four-part nutrition series, Growing Up Vegan, will be published on our blog. The series will explore ideas for supported eating during the four main stages of development. Read on to learn how Suzy’s passions for veganism and nutrition intersect.

What drew you personally to veganism?

A vegetarian friend invited me along to a PETA seminar here in the Cities (nearly 20 years ago). That first opened my eyes to what happens to animals and the choices I can make to reduce suffering. That’s where I connected with CAA! My “aha moment” was very shortly after that. We were visiting friends in Florida and happened to be there for lobster season: a few days when scuba diving for lobsters is allowed. Essentially, a hunting season. I was able to catch a lobster (the guilt is as present today as it was then). When we got to the dock, the idea was to twist the animal in half, separating head (thrown away) from tail (the desirable part to eat). I could not, would not ever do that. That was it. If I couldn’t kill an animal to eat it, I would not have someone else do it for me and pretend that was ok. That up-close experience with an animal headed for the plate made compassionate eating immediate, personal, and real to me.I sometimes say a lobster changed my life! And I’m grateful.

What drew you to your practice (and study of) nutrition?

I have a degree in education and taught science for 7 years. I was looking for a change and took a career development class. I shadowed a dietitian, took an intro to nutrition class, and it was love at first sight! I realized that food is powerful medicine, much more than just “fuel for the machine.” Food plays a critical role in health and disease. I still consider myself a teacher, but with a new subject matter—nutrition! Later, when I became vegan for compassionate reasons, I was driven to learn about plant-based nutrition to take care of myself and my family. It didn’t take long to realize that there was a lot of misinformation out there among my friends and my patients! That’s what prompted me to start Move2Veg, there is a need for accurate, evidence-based, individualized nutrition information. With that, we can be our best plant-based selves!

What are three tips you would emphasize to a friend transitioning to a plant-based diet? 

1) It does not have to be complicated or difficult to move to a plant-based diet. There aren’t “rules” or a “right way” to do it. We each need to do what works best for us to reach our goal. 

2) Make connections, you aren’t alone! Go to pot lucks, dine outs, other social events, connect with a mentor, meet with a plant-based dietitian! We can learn from and be inspired by others.  

3) Forgive yourself—learning something new takes time and practice, there will be moments where it doesn’t go quite as planned but tomorrow is another day.

Do you have a favorite food trend?

Easy, plant-based! The research shows more people than ever are giving it a try! Specific food trend? SO many new vegan cheeses, I’m always curious to check them out. Lots of people say cheese is the hardest thing to eliminate—not anymore!

Do you see a shift happening in public perceptions of nutrition?

Absolutely! I work in clinic part-time as a diabetes educator. Patients are interested and excited to hear more when I bring up vegan diet as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. It’s not a foreign concept. Better yet, many more people come in already giving it a try after reading a book or seeing a movie like Forks Over Knives! The word is out about the powerful health properties of a vegan diet!

To read more from Suzy, follow her new four-part nutrition series, Growing Up Vegan, released monthly on our blog starting March 6.