S3, Ep15: Redistributing Privilege in Veganism with Mikaela Loach

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This week, Momo and Evy have an in-depth discussion about redistributing privilege in the vegan community with the wonderful Mikaela Loach. Mikaela is a climate justice and anti-racism activist, a writer, medical student and host of The Yikes Podcast. In this episode, Mikaela shares her journey to veganism, her early days of animal rights activism and why the word 'vegan' is no longer front and centre in her activism. Mikaela also shares her ideas on keeping ego out of activism and how the movement will thrive when we listen to marginalised people and focus on the community as a whole rather than glorifying individuals within the vegan community. 

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Also in this episode…

• Mikaela talks about going vegan overnight at the age of 16 after having her eyes opened to the logical fallacies inherent in eating animals.
• She shares her admiration for the young activists finding their voice in our movement and notes the importance of social media as a tool for organising and advocating for causes.
• We talk about the intersection of vegan and anti-racism work and Mikaela reminds us that "being aware of how other beings are oppressed will only ever strengthen our movements, it can't weaken them". 
• Mikaela explains the importance of keeping our ego in check, especially when we're advocating for change on behalf of non-human animals.
•  "If we want to disrupt the system it's going to be uncomfortable". Mikaela emphasises the need to accept discomfort as part of the process in creating systemic change.
• How do we reach and change the minds of those who see the world so differently to us?
• Mikaela gives her perspective on 'cancelling' people and why she believes we need to lower the bar in terms of bringing people into movements.
• Mikaela talks about the upcoming season of The Yikes Podcast and explains why she likes podcasting as a medium.

Links:

Follow Mikaela on Instagram and Twitter.

The Yikes Podcast on Spotify and Apple.

Mikaela's writing on Eco-Age.

50 Years of Imagining Radical Feminist Futures; A Conversation with Angela Davis and Adrienne Maree Brown.

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