When I call myself vegan... I don’t just mean that I don’t eat animal products. To me it extends to my life; I don’t use or own any animal products in my house. I ride a scooter, recycle everything and bring my own cup as much as possible. No one is perfect and I’m far from it but my point is that I try to live by what I preach. Since moving to Portland my views have broaden on several topics including gender, feminism and always expanding on my reasons why I have chosen to go vegan. Which is why I’m so surprised a long-time vegan restaurant called the Pirates Tavern has turned into Casa Diablo, a “Gentlemen's Club" which seems like a blatant contradiction. On one hand I’m amazed that this type of establishment would even open in Portland; we are a progressive and forward thinking town filled with radical vegans. On the other hand I’m reminded that our wonderful city has more strip clubs per capita than any other city in the U.S as well as a high content of vegans.

Putting the demographics and vegan population aside, the whole point of a strip club is somewhat similar to a rodeo or other event that exploits or uses animals as entertainment. Being vegan means we disagree with the rape of dairy cows, murder of livestock, torture of vivisection and the overall exploitation of animals by the U.S. economy. The similarity of animals seen as products or dollar signs and women on a pole in a strip club are relevant. Both exploited by the customers and the owners of the dairy, slaughterhouse and strip clubs.

As vegans I think it is our duty to show discontent for these views and this establishment just as we show our discontent for the objectification and exploitation of our animal brethren. I hope you stay true to yourself and what being vegan really stands for, equality for all not just men and animals.

I just wanted to thank everyone who came out! We had a great turnout, lots of food was shared and great conversation ensued. Cherry Bomb Bakery was nice enough to drop off cupcakes and oreo cheesecake! We had everything from mac and cheese to Mexican pie. We will be having another potluck next month March 28th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM in the same location SMU 333. So if you missed this one make sure not to miss the next one!

A lot of great things are coming up for March! March 7th we will be having our Portland Humane Society training. The next event is The Great American Meatout event on March 20th; this is still in the works but we are looking for any organizations that would like to donate vegan food or would like to have a table at our event. We are looking at 10:00AM to 2:00PM in the Park Blocks. If you would like to volunteer to hand our materials please let us know.

Don’t forget to check out the Events section of the blog for more information on any upcoming activities!

I love Portland! We have so many vegan eateries and the amount seems to grow everyday. Recently I was able to taste some baked goods from a new bakery in town. Cherry Bomb Bakery has been functioning out of Cellar Door Coffee for the past month, providing tasty treats for patrons at The Red and Black Cafe, Veganopolis and starting this week at The Alberta Cooperative Grocery. Cherry Bomb Bakery is run by a busy mother of two, named Marissa. She is currently finishing her Masters in Business and hopes to one day open a retail store. We talked extensively behind her passion for baking and how she views her pastries as her contribution to spreading the word about veganism. We spoke of the vegan bubble that many vegans in Portland seem to have and her desire to break out of it and reach non-vegans with her products.

The bakery menu is huge with 9-10 varieties of cheesecake, 8-9 cupcakes along with muffins, scones, cookies, fudge and even lemon squares! I was lucky enough to try a couple different pastries.

We met at the new Cellar Door Coffee Shop located on 2001 SE 11th. Cellar Door roasts their own coffee and was a great compliment to the deserts. I started out with a slice of strawberry cheesecake; Marisa explained that she worked on her cheesecake recipe for 10 months! She was determined to make a cheesecake recipe that didn’t include tofu. The first bite was amazing, smooth, sweet and tart but all in perfect harmony. Several bites in I found part of a whole strawberry! The crust, made of a homemade shortbread cookie, was light but crunchy and added a perfect texture to the slice.

The next thing I tried was a Chocolate Mint Cupcake, it reminded me of those Thin Mint cookies I would eat as a kid. These cupcakes are huge; imagine a normal cupcake multiple the size by three and that’s the size of these cupcakes! The cupcake was perfect, moist and chocolaty, complete with a perfect blend of mint and chocolate. I wasn’t even able to eat the whole thing between that and the cheesecake!

She sent me home with almost a whole cheesecake and my partner and I have been devouring it since. Marissa will be attending the vegan potluck... giving you a chance to taste some of her amazing food! For a complete list of what is available visit http://www.cherrybombbakery.com. Cherry Bomb Bakery is taking orders online as well as over the phone.

Did you know right in our backyard genocide is in the works? Recently the NOAA Fisheries Service submitted a report stating their plan to start shooting Sea Lions. These extremely smart, articulate creatures apparently are “eating too much fish.” Even in their own report the department says that killing the Sea Lions may not help the situation and at most result in a .5%-7% decrease. The other issues at hand; fisherman kill twice as many fish as the Sea Lions while the Bonneville Dam kills more fish than fisherman and Sea Lions combined.

Please help us fight this act of murder by submitting your resistance to sea.lion.comments@noaa.gov (please use ''California Sea Lion Lethal Removal'' in the subject line). We only have until February 19th, so please submit, tell your friends and family to express their dissent as well! For the full report, please click HERE.

Here is an example of an actual email that was sent:

Hello,
I am a member of a Portland State University based animal advocacy group. Upon hearing the news that a limit of 85 sea lions per year are allowed to be killed in order to reduce salmon consumption, I was very disturbed. Not ready to just sit idle and let my emotions take control, I decided to search for further information.

I am sure that I can inform you of no more than you already know. But it is beyond the point that the sea lions are responsible for less salmon consumption than the dam, or by the fisherman, since the sea lions are responsible for eating 2-4% of the population, while the dam is responsible for 2-16%, and human fisherman 4-17%. It also beyond the point that the estimated impact of the lethal removal is 0.5-7% improvement, and that this improvement is not necessarily permanent. These are only statistics that can be interpreted subjectively.

However, this information is symbolic of a broader movement in human society. It is not enough that we eat salmon and other fish, regardless of the fact that we do not require fish in our diet. It is not enough that we built a dam that is causing more damage to the ecosystem than any natural issue, such as the sea lions. Humans must push the limits further, to kill innocent sea lions, who rely on fish in their diet, and can not be taught to stop eating fish. The sea lions may die, they may suffer from wounds and may watch their families fall apart by the hand of man. It is not for the salmon that this is being done. If the salmon were of such concern, then humans wouldn't be eating them, fishing for them, or damming their river. Mankind has always put the concerns of its species first. Without the salmon, the Northwest's fishing economy might have to suffer a little loss. Without the salmon, humans might not be able to sit down for an hour or two and enjoy a fillet on their pallet. It is not for the salmon, it is for the humans.

This anthropocentric view of right and wrong has pushed the limits as it is. We have destroyed and exploited the environment to very dangerous levels, and finally take action to stop it when our health and lives are at stake. We didn't stop when species went extinct. We didn't stop when oil spills destroyed beaches and tortured its wildlife. We now begin to take a look around as the economy, health, and our future are threatened.

I am writing because I strongly disagree with the sea lion decision.  I am writing because I don't believe in the dominion that we have over the natural world. If you weigh the decision you will see the inequality between the species that are concerned. The sea lions need the salmon to eat, yet we take it away so we can sustain, not our lives (like them), but our economy and our tasty meals. The sea lions will die and suffer for these trivial reasons. The salmon are seemingly having their interests looked out for, yet we refuse to renew the dam, or to even acknowledge the damage its doing, and we continue to drain them from the rivers, cash them in for income, and pick them off of our plates. The humans have no loss. The humans still get their energy, and their jobs. The humans still get to fish, if not for a living then for fun. The humans still get to eat salmon and all kinds of animals, while they suffer the pains and tortures of our appetite. More significantly, the humans retain their position at the top and control the status quo about these inequalities. How many people will stop to think about these decisions? This action may not be the most horrible thing in human history, but it the tip of an iceberg. The decision to kill these sea lions will only perpetuate an unjust inequality, an exploitation.

If this letter does nothing but offer you another complaint about the sea lion decision, then at the very least offer me an explanation. Offer the public an explanation of why humans have the right to continue. I would like to hear a reason of why this is logical or fair. If there is no reason, and it is simply another desensitized decision based on the needs of man, then things can become clear. The reasons why the climate and environment are in crisis are clear, and the reasons why billions of animals suffer every year are clear. When there are no salmon to enjoy, then we may stop. When there are no forests left to harvest, then we may stop. It comes down to our relationship with the Columbia and its natives. If this decision can be reversed, then possibly so can the greater pattern in our existence. It comes down to the sea lions.

Thank You.
Justin

And if you would like to do more, please email us and we will forward as much information as we have to you.

For everyone who missed it we were at the Wellness Fair yesterday, right next to the huge bowls of hummus! We were able to hand out a lot of material and get some more emails on our listserve! Don’t forget about the potluck and recipe sharing this month on the 22nd from 6PM to 7PM. We’re having issues with the system to get a room, but the location should be nailed down by next week and we’ll send out an email with the exact details!

On other news, we have officially set a date for our training at the Portland Humane Society! Friday, March 7th from 1PM to 3PM; don’t be late, make arrangements to stay the duration and dress like your going to be walking a dog! Ill be sending out an email with nailed down information shortly.

I am lucky enough to have an old classmate who works for Aramark on campus. Not a big wig, but someone with enough grease to introduce me to the head chef, take me on the tour of the kitchen, and show me what was vegan and what wasn’t. Surprisingly enough there are several vegan options, however, we’re working on a proposal to get even more items, as well as clearly marked items (I told them use a V!) and separate “vegan-only” grill and “vegan-only” cookware. I can say the head chef was very nice, was very open to my ideas and really listened to what I was saying. I hope this will be a start to what can really come, and for Vegans For Animal Advocacy to be on the forefront of change.

Distinguishing vegan items from non-vegan items has always been a hassle, but finding items clearly marked vegan is almost impossible. However the times seem to be changing, Vans who have always had several vegan friendly shoe options (yay for canvas!) have now decided to clearly mark on their website if a shoe is vegan! Now it may seem like a small feat, but my friends... this means we really are moving up in the world. Imagine a place where we don’t have to break out the “Animal Ingredients A to Z” book every time we want to buy something. Imagine not having a sniffing contest between you and your friends to figure out if that shoe smells like leather! Ahh… I can almost taste it. So buy Vans, support their choice to support us! Plus, their canvas slip-ons are by far the most comfortable shoes ever, and you don’t even have to tie them!

Food For Thought Café which is located in the sub-basement of Smith Memorial Union has started a library for information relating to about everything. Slowly, Vegans For Animal Advocacy have secured ourselves a whole shelf dedicated to veganism and animal rights! Our friends over at Action For Animals have also placed materials, so anytime you are stopping for a snack or bite to eat... feel free to snag some information. Tell your friends as well; it’s a very easy, no-hassle way to read up on becoming vegan! We will also be in Food For Thought Café tabling for the Wellness Fair on Thursday, February 7th. We will have several members at our table from 11AM to 1PM, so please stop by! There will be free chair massages, free food, free health assessments and tons of free product information!

We had our first successful meeting on Friday; seven of us were in attendance at the Food For Thought Café. We ate, chatted, and worked out details on our goals for this term. Our first goal is doing as much as we can to save the Bonneville Sea Lions. We will be posting up signs very soon on campus, so please help spread the word! We also discussed plans for our first Potluck and recipe-sharing event; it will be Feb 22nd from 6PM to 7PM. We are working on a room and give notice when we secure the exact location.

The Volunteer Roundup at the Vegan mini-mall was awesome! Our table was placed in Sweet Pea enabling us to eat some tasty brownies and talk with people about our cause. Not only were we able to get a few more emails of interested people, but we were able to network with several local groups which is always a great opportunity. We would like to thank Sweet Pea and Food Fight for hosting us!