LA's Summer Vegan Bonfire! Live from the Beaches of California…

The Summer Vegan Bonfire! Welcome to UnchainedTV, broadcasting live from the Summer Vegan Beach Bonfire at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey, California! This was a super-fun gathering of an incredible coalition of animal rights groups, including The Humane League, Mercy for Animals, Plant Based Treaty, New Roots, SoCalVegFest, Direct Action Everywhere, We The Free, Los Angeles Animal Defense League, Animal Alliance Network,  Anonymous for the Voiceless, UnchainedTV and others. This entirely plant-based potluck brought together passionate activists fighting for animals through street outreach, policy, and powerful campaigns. These incredible activists deserve a little down time to party! It was the perfect afternoon/evening to connect with a thriving community of like-minded activists enjoying the ocean breeze.  This gathering is entirely eco-friendly, so attendees are reminded to bring reusable cutlery and plates. To keep the space safe and inclusive, the event is strictly alcohol and drug-free, as well as entirely vegan—meaning completely meat and dairy-free. No animals suffered or died to make this party! Let's celebrate!

 

 

Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning journalist, television producer, and New York Times bestselling author. She is the founder of UnchainedTV, the world's premier plant-based streaming network, featuring more than 2,000 documentaries, cooking shows, lifestyle programs, and news reports promoting compassionate, sustainable living.

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TRANSCRIPT:

 

LA'S SUMMER VEGAN BONFIRE PROVES VEGANS HAVE MORE FUN
(0:05) We are live from Playa Del Rey, California, and the vegan bonfire. (0:12) This is history in the making because you are looking at a big party and we are bringing (0:18) it to you live from Playa Del Rey, California. (0:22) If you hear a lot of planes, that is because LAX, Los Angeles International Airport, is (0:30) right in front, but this is a huge vegan bonfire, vegan party, just shows you vegans have more (0:39) fun.
 
(0:39) I want to bring in my co-host, Kate Delgado. (0:43) Woohoo! (0:44) Hey, how's it going?(0:44) This is our second annual vegan bonfire where we get the entire L.A. activist community(0:51) together, potluck, enjoy the beach, have fun, build community, and strengthen our cause.(1:00) Folks from Mercy for Animals, DXC, AAV, Plant Based Treaty, New Roots, We the Free, and(1:11) End Chain TV folks, and a lot of other organizations, all the volunteers came over to participate (1:18) in this.
 
(1:19) Okay, and you see, ah, everybody's just having a good time. (1:22) It's a party, and it's, oh, vegan s'mores, that's part of it. (1:28) You know, one of the things that I think is so important about this is that people think, (1:35) Kim, that vegans don't have any fun, and it's, I know, it's the craziest thing.
 
(1:41) That's ridiculous. (1:42) Yeah, it's the craziest thing, so we're going to go back to, look at those crazy vegans (1:48) having fun. (1:49) Yeah.
 
(1:49) I want to come back to you, and you're here with Wednesday, our rescue, and she's a service (1:57) dog, so don't get all crazy about that, but tell us, Kim, for people who think that vegans (2:03) don't have as much fun, what would you tell them? (2:06) I would say, go vegan, and you will find out how much fun we have. (2:10) This is the second annual, and this year it was much bigger than last year. (2:15) Next year, you'll be here joining us, and you'll see how much fun we have.
 
(2:19) Hi, I'm Katrina, I'm a yoga teacher and a psychologist, and I'm vegan. (2:24) And what are you doing with this event? (2:25) Are you involved? (2:27) I have friends here, and I love eating vegan food, and I'm a long-time vegan, yeah. (2:33) Randy and I co-organize with We the Free, we do street outreach together, mainly in (2:38) like Santa Monica, and we show people a three-minute movie documentary about various, like, farm (2:43) factory farm footage, and we show that to the public, after they watch that three-minute (2:47) video, then we have a conversation about them, and try to get them to go vegan.
 
(2:52) I found it's really an effective way to get people to go vegan, because they see the truth(2:56) behind the scenes of what's going on in animal agriculture, and we can have really effective(3:00) conversations with them. (3:01) So, We the Free is a really great organization to get involved with, that we've been volunteering. (3:05) So, we are here to build community, and I am here to, I am the Los Angeles organizer, (3:12) and I also oversee Orange County, and the Inland Empire area.
 
(3:17) And this event tonight, it's very important, because we're getting multiple organizations(3:22) together to amplify the activism that all local groups are currently doing to defend and(3:29) protect animals across different regions. (3:32) And at the Humane League right now, we're also getting activists to go after campaign (3:38) targets that will change the lives of millions of animals across the globe. (3:42) And so, I'm really happy to be here with so many other organizations, and friends, and (3:47) meet more new members of the community, and let's keep it going.
 
(3:52) Let's get stronger here to change the lives of so many around the world. (3:56) Thank you for being part of this historic live, the first time we've gone live with (4:02) a satellite dish. (4:03) In fact, I could probably just show you the satellite dish right here.
 
(4:08) Why not? (4:09) Full transparency. (4:10) There it is. (4:11) Right there.
 
(4:12) That's allowing us to go live. (4:15) Oh, Dale, come on down. (4:17) It's amazing that we can actually use technology, too.
 
(4:21) Yes. (4:21) As we should, to spread the word that vegan is the only way to go. (4:26) We've got to save our planet, save the animals, and, you know, peace begins on your plate.
 
(4:32) So let's start there. (4:34) Thank you. (4:34) Dale Hendrickson is an amazing artist who does The Simpsons.
 
(4:40) I mean, we've got some famous people here. (4:42) This is our second annual Vegan Summer Bonfire. (4:44) We have about double the people we had last year.
 
(4:47) I actually want to turn it over to my co-organizer, Annabelle. (4:50) We've been organizing together every single week. (4:52) She's on the other camera right there.
 
(4:54) I organize with a group called Los Angeles Animal Defense League. (4:57) We work on mostly international campaigns, whether it's against fur or foie gras or whatever. (5:06) I mostly organize fur, but currently I'm working on a campaign against Milan Fashion Week to get them to enact a fur-free policy.
 
(5:13) It's part of a larger global movement, and it is one of the final things upholding the fur industry. (5:20) So we want to end fur forever. (5:23) Coming back to us here.
 
(5:24) Look at the bonfire. (5:26) It's pretty amazing. (5:28) Hi.
 
(5:28) My name is Chinmayee Orcrystal, and I do a lot of activism. (5:33) I went vegan last year, and ever since then, I just want to do as much as I physically can for the animals. (5:38) I do a lot of AV outreach, plant-based 3D outreach.
 
(5:41) And also, I made a campaign at my school to have plant-based options for a big unified school district in California. (5:50) I'm vegan because I'm against animal exploitation. (5:53) If I was in their position, I would not want to be hurt.
 
(5:57) I would not want to be used for any purpose. (6:00) I would not want to be used for any purpose. (6:03) I'm not a resource the same way they're not a resource, because they're individuals who feel pain and suffer just like us.
 
(6:09) They deserve to live just like us, and we have no right to take anything away from them.(6:13) Why don't you tell on Shane TV who you are and what you're involved with. (6:18) Rick Scott, vegan hockey player.
 
(6:21) Yes. (6:22) I'm Lisa Valenza, private chef. (6:25) And why did you guys come out tonight?(6:28) I heard it was going to be, well, one, there was a lot of great food, and a lot of vegans.
 
(6:35) And I just wanted to, because I know there are a lot more vegans in the vegan community that I don't know. (6:44) That, like, we haven't all connected. (6:46) I see a lot of the same faces a lot.
 
(6:48) And at this event, in particular, there were several organizations combining forces. (6:54) And so there were, like, a lot of vegans here that I have never seen before. (6:59) And it was really exciting to, like, get to know new people and connect even with people in my area where I live who I didn't know.
 
(7:10) That's awesome. (7:11) And how about for you? (7:12) Real live vegans. (7:14) Right.
 
(7:15) The funny thing is, like, you know, so hockey player, figure skater. (7:20) I didn't know you were a figure skater. (7:21) That's awesome.
 
(7:22) Yeah, yeah. (7:24) This is the first one of these was a year ago. (7:28) And just as Lisa mentioned, like, the cool thing about this is this is a bunch of different organizations.
 
(7:33) It's Plank X 3D. (7:34) It's Mercy for Animals. (7:36) They sent me this after last year, by the way.
 
(7:37) Oh, that's cool. (7:38) So I was like, okay, let me read it or let me wear it. (7:41) And so, like, it's a big group of a lot of people.
 
(7:45) In fact, there's a lot more people here this year than last year. (7:48) So it's growing. (7:49) And this is the second year, which means that from the turnout, there will definitely be a year of three.
 
(7:54) And how long have you been vegan and why did you become vegan? (7:57) Oh, so I stopped eating animals 36 years ago. (8:02) Oh, and OCD. (8:03) Yeah, yeah, yeah.
 
(8:05) However, vegan 11 years. (8:07) And I am absolutely ethical vegan. (8:09) Once I learned what factory farming was, I went vegan for the animals.
 
(8:13) And how about for you, Nicole? (8:16) Interesting amount of time. (8:18) 36 years that my family went vegan. (8:21) And what was the question? (8:24) Oh, how long have you been vegan and why? (8:26) And why? (8:28) Because, well, my family went vegan because my mom had symptoms of colon cancer when she was 37.
 
(8:33) And because she was so young, her doctor wouldn't test her for cancer. (8:40) And so she took matters into her own hands and started reading a lot of books. (8:45) One of them I remember was A Diet for a New America.
 
(8:48) Yes. (8:49) And so she was like, I'm going vegan. (8:52) And she told my dad.
 
(8:53) She had it in her head, actually, before she told my dad, like, if he's not going to go vegan.(8:57) Because she tried to go vegetarian before that a couple of times. (9:01) And she was like, if he's not going to do it, I'm leaving him.
 
(9:04) And for some reason, he said, OK. (9:07) That's awesome. (9:08) So, yeah.
 
(9:09) So my family, we called it vegetarian. (9:11) But it was, like, very strict. (9:13) Like, no meat, no dairy, no eggs.
 
(9:16) And also a bunch of other things for the health reasons. (9:20) And we didn't even know, like, the terminology back then. (9:24) And other people were like, we lived in North Carolina.
 
(9:27) So they were like, oh, you're a vegetarian. (9:31) Yes. (9:32) Because nobody knew how to say it.
 
(9:33) We didn't even have YouTube. (9:34) So. (9:35) I remember that.
 
(9:35) Because I've been vegan since 1990. (9:37) So I get it. (9:39) Yeah.
 
(9:39) Hi, Jane. (9:39) Thanks for having me. (9:40) My name is Dash Nye.
 
(9:42) I organize with a bunch of different groups. (9:44) But I'm most active with Direct Action Everywhere, the LA chapter. (9:49) We're still pretty thrilled about a recent victory where we convinced the luxury chain (9:55) to drop Meyenberg Goat Milk, a company that was documented committing numerous cruelty violations.
 
(10:04) So that was a big victory. (10:05) Yes. (10:06) And we're trying to have serious conversations and talking to each other about how we can (10:10) level up our activism.
 
(10:11) But I'm not going to lie. (10:12) We're also enjoying ourselves. (10:14) I've been a little indulgent tonight.
 
(10:16) I had two vegan s'mores. (10:18) But I stopped after two. (10:19) So maybe I'm, like, getting a little more mature.
 
(10:21) There's no alcohol. (10:22) Certainly no drugs here. (10:24) Very straight edge kind of feel, right? (10:28) No meat.
 
(10:29) No dairy. (10:29) No drugs. (10:30) No alcohol.
 
(10:31) And yet everybody's having a fabulous time. (10:34) And one of the points of this, in my opinion, and I'm going to show you this. (10:39) People are roasting marshmallows, but there are vegan marshmallows.
 
(10:43) It's a company called Dandy's. (10:45) D-A-N-D-I-E-S. (10:47) I've had the privilege to interview the founder.
 
(10:49) It's based out of Chicago, and they make absolutely the most amazing vegan marshmallows (10:58) and related products. (11:00) So I think the whole point of it is that you don't need to hurt animals or kill animals (11:07) to have a good time, to have delicious food, to have all your traditions. (11:11) Like, sure, bonfires are tradition.
 
(11:14) I grew up in Manhattan, so bonfires weren't part of my life. (11:17) But it's so Americana, and people think they have to give that stuff up when they go vegan. (11:24) And the truth is, no, they don't have to.
 
(11:26) I'm here because I like being around a lot of vegan people, and this is great. (11:31) And I've been vegan for 13 years, along with Dale. (11:37) And we have 18 cats that we rescued, and we created quite a sanctuary.
 
(11:44) Tell us who you are and what brought you here. (11:46) Hey, everybody. (11:47) My name is Sam, and I'm in Southern California trying to connect with all of the vegans around town (11:55) to save the world and save the animals.
 
(11:58) So I just thought I'd pop in and say hi to Jane, since she does such great work with Unchained TV. (12:04) Well, thank you. (12:04) And what focus do you have in animal rights, though? (12:08) Well, funny you ask.
 
(12:10) I'm making an animated feature film that contains an extinction warning (12:18) in that beginning of the animated feature film, animals are extinct. (12:23) And spoiler alert, by the end of the film, humans are extinct. (12:27) Wow.
 
(12:28) Or at the twist at the end of it, or do they all get a second chance? (12:33) You know, a bit of a cliffhanger there. (12:35) And it's animated? (12:36) Exactly. Animated feature film.
 
(12:38) So I've been going back and forth to Japan, and we got our pitch deck together. (12:43) So they sent me, they said, OK, now Sam, get us a Hollywood movie deal. (12:47) So I'm like, OK, yeah, no problem.
 
(12:50) My name is Nuzar. (12:51) I'm with Leap Over Feet, and I'm here enjoying the vibes of the community. (12:56) It's a great event to bring everyone together.
 
(12:59) You know, the animal rights, the foodies, activists, everyone just joined together in harmony here, (13:06) enjoying a great day at the beach. (13:07) Hi, I'm Alex. I run Taco Sin Vaca.
 
(13:10) It's vegan taqueria based out of L.A. County. (13:14) And I volunteer at a lot of animal sanctuaries. (13:17) I rescue dogs in Skid Row.
 
(13:18) That is really awesome. (13:21) Thank you, because that is a big issue right now. (13:23) It's getting darker and darker.
 
(13:25) But tell us. (13:26) Hey, guys. (13:27) Yeah, tell us who you are and your involvement with this.
 
(13:30) Yeah, so my name's Hartosh in SoCal VegFest. (13:33) And yeah, we're one of the co-organizers for this. (13:37) Just happy to have everyone come down.
 
(13:40) And yeah, we're here just hanging out, having a good time, the bonfire. (13:44) And this is the second annual. (13:46) We're going to make this an annual thing.
 
(13:48) So if any of you guys see this, want to come down, come down next time. (13:51) Just have a great time. (13:53) Well, one of the things that I want to say is that this proves that vegans have a lot of fun.
 
(13:58) You know, the meat industry and Big Pharma and everybody who's aligned against us(14:03) tries to make it seem like we just walk around lecturing people and eating raw carrots.(14:10) And there is a little bit of that. (14:12) But we also have a really great social life.
 
(14:15) Honestly, I could go to a party every night in the vegan community in Los Angeles. (14:20) And I'm not joking. (14:21) There is one every single night.
 
(14:22) In fact, there was one last night. (14:24) There was one today that I didn't make. (14:26) And now I'm here.
 
(14:27) But, you know, isn't that part of it? (14:30) Because you also do SoCal VegFest, which is massive. (14:34) And it's another big party. (14:36) And people, you know, they should see for themselves how much fun it is.
 
(14:41) Look at this party. (14:43) Look at this party going on.

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