I never know where to “start the story” but you could say it was in the late 70s when my parents fell in love being the only two people they knew to care for the stray dogs who lived on the streets of Pakistan.
After they got married, my parents immigrated to Kansas to pursue higher education and I was then born. My parents wanted their growing family to be vegetarian for ethical reasons but were told by doctors and friends that their children would be malnourished so they didn’t make the change.
Throughout this time my mom learned about the horrors of animal experimentation during a time when animal testing garnered media attention in the 80s. We never bought animal tested products, but I didn’t really have consciousness around this decision until 1997, when I was in the seventh grade and I was presented with a frog dissection project.
The frog dissection project was the pivotal moment of my life. My mom was adamant that I not participate in that lab. It was my curiosity about her reaction, more than anything else, that led me to learn more about how animals are used, abused, and killed behind closed doors.
My mom and I had to fight my junior high school to allow me an alternative option. We were successful, but it was a battle. I then joined a small group of older women who were doing activism in my town. We would show slaughterhouse footage to people on the streets of downtown, we protested circuses, stores that sold fur, and much more.
It was during that time that I realized I didn't only want to live by my convictions, I wanted to be an advocate to make change for animals. I've been working for animals in different capacities since that dreaded science project for more than 20 years and I will never look back.
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