8 Latinx Vegan Activists Who Will Inspire You to Change the World
Featured image: @thevegantaqueria
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re taking a moment to recognize and thank the Latinx vegan activists working to create change for their local communities, farmed animals, and the environment.
If you’re looking for inspiration on making a difference, look no further! Be sure to give these eight influential activists a follow:
Michelle Carrera
Self-described as a “queer Puerto Rican mom and activist,” Michelle Carrera is an entrepreneur focused on helping others. She founded Plantbased Plants, a veganic plant-care business; Chilis on Wheels, a service that hands out vegan chili to community members in need of a hot meal; and Casa Vegana de la Comunidad in Puerto Rico, a vegan sustainability community center.
And these are only a few of her endeavors. Michelle was included in VegNews magazine’s list of the 20 most influential vegans of 2019, voted New Yorker of the year in 2015 by NY1, and featured in the 30 under 40 list by the Hispanic Coalition of New York in 2016.
If you’re interested in getting involved in your community, follow Michelle on Instagram for some inspiration.
Daniella Monet
Entrepreneur, actor, and activist Daniella Monet has been vegan since the young age of 13. Along with Harry Potter star and fellow vegan Evanna Lynch, Daniella is co-founder of the vegan and cruelty-free beauty subscription-box company Kinder Beauty. She consistently speaks out on behalf of farmed animals and the benefits of plant-based food, including through Mercy For Animals campaigns promoting healthy eating. She also hosted the Mercy For Animals Hidden Heroes Gala in 2018.
For vegan beauty, food, and lifestyle content—plus photos of her adorable kids—follow Daniella on Instagram.
Alejandra Tolley
Alejandra Tolley is the editorial content manager and community organizer for Veggie Mijas, an organization of women, nonbinary folks, and femmes of color creating intersectional spaces for conversations about food policy and plant-based eating. Alejandra also organizes and maintains several community fridges for people in need of produce, water, and ready-to-eat meals in Southern California.
Want to set up a plant-based community fridge in your area? Get some inspiration from Alejandra’s Instagram page.
Raul Medina
Raul Medina is an award-winning chef who believes that everyone should have access to authentic, familiar, and affordable vegan protein. He owns Taqueria La Venganza, a taco pop-up in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Santa Ana, California. “My dream has always been to make my vegan meats accessible to the communities that need it the most,” Raul said. “To be the vegan option at your local taco truck has always been the goal. The plan has always been to keep the money within the community; to be at Latinx grocers, restaurants, and events is my dream come true.”
Follow Raul’s plant-based journey on Instagram.
Jane Velez-Mitchell
Jane Velez-Mitchell is a journalist and an author who often covers animal and human rights. She is the founder of #JaneUnChained, a nonprofit digital news network reporting on animal issues and plant-based news from around the world. Jane has hosted her own show on the HLN network and reported on many high-profile cases for CNN and other national cable television stations.
Stay up to date with the latest animal-related news by following Jane Unchained Vegan News on Instagram.
Carolina Guerra
Colombian environmental activist, actor, television host, and model Carolina Guerra uses her platform to speak out about the environmental impact of factory farming. She graduated as a climate leader from former vice president Al Gore’s environmental advocacy nonprofit organization, The Climate Reality Project.
If you’re interested in living a more sustainable lifestyle, Carolina’s Instagram will inspire you to reduce waste while helping animals and the environment.
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Also known by the initial “X,” Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is an environmental activist and a musician. He was youth director of the global environmental organization Earth Guardians until 2019 and a plaintiff in Juliana v. United States, a groundbreaking lawsuit filed against the U.S. government for failing to act on climate change. Xiuhtezcatl has given TED talks and was invited to speak before the United Nations on environmental policy. In June 2015, he spoke at the age of 15 in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl before the UN General Assembly on climate change.
Follow X’s activism and music career on Instagram.
Lisa Feria
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Lisa Feria is the CEO of Stray Dog Capital, a mission-driven venture capital firm that invests in the plant-based market with the goal of ending the use of animals for food. She is also a Mercy For Animals board member. Lisa is determined to fix our broken food system by encouraging innovations and investments in plant-based foods. She has been chosen twice for the Top 100 Most Influential Latinas list and was recently selected as an honoree for the 2021 Women Building the Future campaign by Vegan Women Summit.
Follow Lisa on Instagram to get inspired to make change!
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Feeling inspired by these Latinx vegan activists? Check out some of our favorite Latinx-owned vegan restaurants!