When someone hears the term “vegan,” the common misconception that follows is that the food is boring and will cost a pretty penny.
The Vegan Society on Pierce College hopes to change that stigma with their first Vegan Day event in the Great Hall on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The objective of Vegan Day is to shed light on the benefits of being vegan, its effects on climate change, discussion of animal rights, environmental justice and health, Vegan Society President Erin Baker said.
Vegan Day has received attention from not only those on campus, but also from the outside community. The club had to issue a statement via their Facebook page following the removal of the event on social media.
“Hey Everyone, Vegan Day at Pierce College is still on, and we appreciate the huge amount of interest in our event. However, the event is for Pierce students, faculty, and staff, and not for the general public,” the Vegan Society Facebook page posted on its page.
Throughout the event, many different speakers will talk about the different aspects of veganism. Guests can enjoy food, samples, games, and purchase goods at a bake sale.
Vegan Society Treasurer Galit Ashkenazi said the club wanted to create a line-up of guest speakers and games as opposed to a one-hour slide presentation event because they said it would help further the message and allow their audience to open up.
“We wanted to bring a bigger audience because, if you have one presentation, it’s going to be very much like you are going to another class and sitting down and learning something,” Ashkenazi said.
Ashkenazi said that having speakers who really believe in the message can make a difference on how the information given can be received.
“When we have actual people that are invested in the topic are talking about it, it really shows the enthusiasm and how one person can be so passionate,” Ashkenazi said.
Vegan Society Advisor Stephanie Winnard hopes to change the minds about veganism after the event.
“We hope to persuade as many people as possible to go vegan after attending our event. And that those who are already vegan will enjoy a sense of community and friendship,” Winnard said. “We hope to spread veganism to make the world a better, more peaceful place for all life on earth, including the animals, and also for future generations.”
To view a video piece of Vegan Day at the Great Hall, click here.
***This story has been updated to include a multimedia video of the event***
