What image first comes to mind when you think “vegan”? Is it an image of green juice with condensation budding on the side? Is it a tiny baby duckling from the brochure that volunteers handed out in your college dining hall? Is it a young(-ish), thin(-ish), white woman dewy from yoga yet immaculately dressed in upscale athleisure – $100 leggings and all?
Hi, I’m Sarah! I’m a 20-something, college educated yoga instructor, who, despite years of body dysmorphia, can admit she’s thin(-ish). I’m the cliché stock photo that comes up when you search “vegan woman” (see stock photo below). Side note: The best laugh-out-loud images for “vegan woman” showed white women wearing hats made of cabbage or balancing red peppers on their heads, but those images were copyrighted.
Despite what the common perception of vegans and veganism might have you believe, many world cultures and religions have long-standing traditions of vegetarianism and plant-based eating dating back thousands of years (think Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism).
As much as I love bloggers and chefs like Ella Woodward (of Deliciously Ella) and Jeanine Donofrio (Love and Lemons), both of these women look just like me. I have so much to learn about plant-based eating, and I cannot do all of that from people who share my ethnicity.
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) vegan Instagram influencers you should follow right now:
What other BIPOC vegans should I know about? Add your favorite vegan influencers in the comments below.