In today’s episode, my last before taking a summer break, I’ll be sharing a few thoughts on the literal and figurative turbulence we face in our lives. And our options for dealing with it.
Here’s the link to my YouTube skydiving video I reference in the episode:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=tPLo3zWSIEp5-g1c&v=9Ph_ypxvXwQ&feature=youtu.be
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today I’m excited to share that we are headed back to Italy, this time to Bergamo, for a conversation with Claudia Pievani, Founder and CEO of fashion brand Miomojo.
Miomojo is a certified B Corp based in Bergamo, Italy. Founded by Claudia in 2012 they design and produce cruelty-free fashion accessories that do no harm to animals, humans, or our home: the beautiful planet we live on. All Miomojo fashion accessories are not only cruelty-free but are also made with the most innovative materials available in the world, sourced from oranges, cacti, apples, corn, and other high bio-based content, ensuring a minimal environmental footprint.
This constant search for revolutionary materials establishes Miomojo as a leader in fashion innovation, aiming to guide the industry towards a kinder and more conscious future. With creativity and compassion, they have proved that is possible to have fashion, without fashion victims.
Embracing the motto “you buy, we donate,” Miomojo actively supports animals in need by allocating
10% of the value of every purchase, both online and offline, to projects carefully selected in collaboration with leading international organizations dedicated to animal protection.
Each Miomojo is more than just a bag; it is an Act of Love.
You can find more information about the company and explore potential collaborations at:
Website
Miomojo | Italian, vegan handbags.
Miomojo | Certified B Corp: Overview | LinkedIn and Claudia Pievani | LinkedIn
Miomojo. Designed Kind. (@miomojo_italia) • Instagram photos and videos
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode, I’ll share a few brief thoughts about being considered “vintage” and how that might be an interesting concept to apply to both my own work and segments of our movement.
I’d love to have your thoughts. So please feel free to reach out to me at podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com
Also, as I mentioned in this episode, I’d really love to help organizations that are working to take care of and find loving homes for senior dogs. Here are a few of them that I hope you will follow and support their work:
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
Instagram: @muttvillesf
Vintage Pet Rescue
Instagram: @vintage_pet_rescue
Touch of Grey Rescue
Instagram: @touchofgrey_rescue
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by the lovely Angel Walkine.
Angel is a Well-being Coach, Author, Wellness Speaker, Retreat Leader, Certified Raw Vegan Chef, and a Certified Yoga Teacher (specializing in posture, breathing, and meditation) who is passionate about helping you to thrive on a healthy plant-based | vegan diet | raw vegan diet and lifestyle from head to toe.
With decades of experience traveling around the world to over 30 countries, Angel has gained a deep appreciation for many cultures and healthy practices worldwide that have influenced her holistic wellness approach and she enjoys helping others to enrich their well-being through a healthy lifestyle at home and while traveling.
Living a holistic lifestyle, is very important to Angel, and involves more than just her high vibrations plant foods diet. She also focuses on practicing powerful habits such as meditation, yoga, gratitude, self-love, self-care, aromatherapy, herbalism, physical fitness, and healthy relationships, to achieve her high vibrations lifestyle.
Angel is happy to announce that she is hosting the 2024 Women’s Retreat: AWAKENING IN THE JUNGLE in magical Costa Rica.
Angel is based in the United States, and considers herself a global citizen.
You can connect with Angel and her community at:
Website: https://happyenergyjourney.com/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Sdym3W
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnergyJourney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyenergyjourney/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today I’m thrilled to have as my guest Rebecca Gade Sawicki, who is joining me from Detroit.
Rebecca is the founder of the vegan travel company, Veggies Abroad. In an effort to align her professional pursuits with her ethics, Rebecca left her 15-year career in 2021 in order to start the company. Veggies Abroad offers a myriad of services including small group tours and custom trip planning that combine the thrill of exploration with a commitment to ethical practices. With a focus on plant-based cuisine and cultural immersion, Veggies Abroad invites travelers to discover the world in a way that aligns with their values.
You can find information about all of Rebecca’s activities including her blog, her podcast, her travel planning services and upcoming tours on her website:
Veggies Abroad | Vegan Travel & Tours
And you can follow her on social media (she is most active on Instagram):
@veggiesabroad
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode I’ll be speaking with Ellen Meijers. Ellen is a 23-year-old certified fitness trainer, soon to be a personal trainer. She
adopted a vegan lifestyle almost 5 years ago after spending 2 years as a vegetarian. It was one short conversation with a vegan that planted a seed. And fast forward to today, she is thriving as a healthy and happy vegan.
Ellen plans to join forces with her mother to combine vegan food recipes with workout inspiration and perhaps develop an app that combines the two. That sounds like a winning combination to me.
Ellen’s story is a reminder that as vegans our conversations can and do have impact. You never know what might result, so never stop talking.
As she is developing other parts of her business/marketing, Ellen is focusing mainly on her Instagram professional pages... @pushupqueen__.
I hope you’ll follow along and see where her passion and commitment take her.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today I am joined by Linda Middlesworth, aka the VeganMentor.
Linda has been living as an ethical plant-based vegan for over 35 years. As she turns 80, Linda can point to so many accomplishments including: creating the Sacramento Vegan Society in 2008 which boasts 5,200 members, and obtaining her certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition in 2018.
Linda is incredibly passionate about physical activity and is an aerobics instructor for CA Family Fitness, where she has taught cardio and weight training classes for the last 20 years. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through AFFA and an event organizer for Get Healthy Sacramento.
Having been an advocate in the whole food, plant-exclusive vegan lifestyle arena, Linda is the founder of Get Healthy Live!, a series of virtual summits designed to reach people around the globe with healthy, plant-exclusive teaching. The series, Get Healthy LIVE, Go Compassionate LIVE, and Go Sustainable LIVE, features doctors and leaders in health, animal advocacy, and climate change.
Linda is also the co-owner (with her son Darren Middlesworth) of V-Dog.com, a vegan dog food business that she and her late husband, David, launched in 2005 so dogs could benefit from a healthy, cruelty-free and environmentally friendly dog food. V-Dog recently garnered international recognition as one of the Top 3 Best Specialty Dog Food Companies in the world.
An active animal rights activist for PETA, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), Sacramento Animal Rights, Sacramento Animal Save, and Sacramento Health Save, Linda also recently joined the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies CNS Medical Advisory Board in the role of Community Liaison.
You can find Linda on her website www.veganmentor.com
And follow her on her social media pages:
LinkedIn: Linda (Vaughan) Middlesworth
Instagram: @lindamvegan
Facebook: @lindamiddles
X: @farmanimalluv
TikTok: lindamiddlesworth
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today’s episode features and fascinating and inspiring conversation with Italian filmmaker Alessio Schiazza.
Alessio moved from Italy to Los Angeles to pursue his career in filmmaking 16 years ago. He worked on several Hollywood films as an editor, establishing himself in the industry. In 2018, however, he watched the documentary Unity, and it forever changed his life. That same year he went vegan and decided to quit his job and focus on speaking up for the animals full time, through producing, directing and editing films.
He has worked with Shaun Monson (Earthlings) on several documentaries, they have collaborated with Joaquin Phoenix on a few projects in 2020 and 2021 as well as a short fictional piece to raise awareness about climate change – Guardians of Life (2020).
In 2022 he edited Moby’s documentary Punk Rock Vegan, which won the Santa Monica and San Pedro International Film Festivals. He is the video manager for Generation Vegan, a non-profit focused on promoting a healthier, more sustainable and just food system for all.
He is currently editing Finding Happy, a documentary on human-animal connection, directed by Maria Bertrand and produced by Jim Greenbaum (The Game Changers).
He is managing the editing of additional content for Kip Andersen’s (Cowspiracy) new film Christpiracy. And he has been filming alongside Matthew Glover (Veganuary) and Christopher Shoebridge (Invisible) for The War on Truth documentary aimed for Netflix and slated for a 2025 release.
In 2023, Alessio founded We Are All Animals (WA3), a production company focused on speaking up for all animals. His first project, A Day in the Life of a Farmed Animal (2023) premiered at The International Istanbul Vegfest ’23 and the MiVeg ’23 in Milan. It is currently being reviewed by Academy Awards qualifying festivals such as Slamdance.
You can contact Alessio and/or follow his work at:
weareallanimals.orgwfaday.orghello@weareallanimals.org
Instagram: @weareallanimals_us
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Welcome to Season 2 of The Unexpected Activist Podcast.
It’s so great to be back up and running. We’ve got lots to share with you and I think 2024 is going to be an amazing year.
In the coming weeks we’ll be talking about all kinds of things including filmmaking, Italy, fitness, vegan mentoring and vegan pet food. We have some of the most interesting and inspiring guests with great stories to tell and I can’t wait to share them with you. Some might be names you recognize, others you may not. For some it will be their first podcast. But I’ve invited them as my guests because they all have, in their own ways, impressed me with their commitment and the actions they are taking to make this a more compassionate world.
I’ll also continue, periodically, to share some of my own thoughts on a variety of subjects related to my own vegan activism and personal and professional activities.
On that note, I’m heading to Italy soon, where I have to testify in a court case (not so much fun), but then I am off on an epic Italian adventure with my sister Megan to start work on a vegan lifestyle project we have in development for Four Dogs and a Fish Productions. If you love travel, great food, veganism, animals, and/or a good old fashioned road trip, (and really, who doesn’t love at least one of those things) then I think you’ll enjoy what we are planning. We’re on a mission to prove that two vegans over 50 (me soon to be over 60) really CAN and DO have more fun. Watch this space.
And I hope you’ll continue to follow along as we launch this new season. Please do listen, like, comment, subscribe and share the podcast. If you haven’t caught up on all episodes from Season 1, you can find links to all of them on my website, theunexpectedactivist.com or wherever you get your podcasts. It’s only with your support that I can build something special that will help to make this world a better place for animals and people. I have lofty goals, I know, but a girl can and should dream.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Sharing some thoughts about a milestone birthday I have coming up. And what I have decided to do to make the coming year fun and productive and to make me the best and most effective advocate for animals I can be.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today’s guest is the one and only Jamie Logan (who I thought was going to be joining me from NY but popped up from Portland OR). I’ve been following Jamie’s work online for a while now and it’s great to have a chance to speak with her. I talk a lot about creating your own brand of activism. And Jamie has surely done just that.
How Jamie describes herself:
“I’m an animal advocate, YouTuber, Filmmaker, Content Creator and Podcast Host. I’m based in NYC and I make videos that get people thinking—Some call it ruining lives and pushing my agenda but I like to think of it as sharing an obvious truth that most people tend to ignore.”
I think you’ll really enjoy learning more about Jamie.
For information on her work or to find episodes of her YouTube show and her Podcast, you can visit her website:
Or follow her on social media:
Instagram/Threads: @itsjamielogan
Facebook: Jamie Logan
For information about the The Next Girl Film:
And the VKind Experience event in Los Angeles, November 11-12 2023 where the film will be premiering:
AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode, I’ll recount a recent trip I took to Milan to attend a national animal rights protest, why it was so important that I was there, and what I took away from my visit.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Content and trigger warning: This podcast contains references to addiction, sexual assault, child abuse, suicide, depression, infant and pregnancy loss.
In today’s episode, we’re going to take a little diversion from the subject matter I’ve been covering up to this point. And we’re going to focus on another pillar of the podcast’s mission. In addition to advocating for animals, I am also passionate about encouraging people to embark on passion-driven new chapters in life, something that has been transformational for me.
Today’s guest, Nicole Gebhardt, is an incredible embodiment of that idea, both personally and professionally. Her story of turning tragedy (infant and pregnancy loss, domestic abuse, sexual assault and addiction) into triumph is truly inspiring and how she has made it her own mission to empower others to do the same is amazing. I can’t wait for her to share her story.
Nicole is a highly sought-after motivational speaker, author, transformational coach, Reiki Master & Emotion Code Practitioner who specializes in helping her clients step into their true power, reclaim their radiance, and live a life of fulfilment.
Through one-of-a-kind coaching programs, three published books, speaking engagements, corporate workshops, retreats, masterclasses, and individual training sessions Nicole has helped women gain clarity on what they want in life, commit to healthy rituals that set them up for success, and let go of limiting beliefs that hold them back from their true potential.
Her mission is to have every woman recognize and embody their worth, love themselves fully, and become their own version of The Empowered Queen.
Nicole captivates her audiences by openly sharing her story and the pivotal life lessons that changed her life, unlocking her high performance through discovering her self-worth. Her biggest strength lies in her very own life experiences, which have enabled her to intuitively heal, guide, and uplift her clients effortlessly.
Nicole has seen phenomenal results in her clients & has helped more women than we could count in their personal transformation.
To find out more about Nicole, follow her work, and access the coaching tools she has developed, please see the links below:
Website: www.nicolebgebhardt.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nicolebgebhardt
Instagram: @nicole.gebhardtGebhardt
LinkedIn: Nicole B.
In today’s episode, I’ll share some thoughts about “being normal”, my own experience on the subject, and questions about normality as an aspirational concept.
. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today I’m excited to have with me Todd Sinclair, who is joining me from his childhood hometown on Prince Edward Island in Canada. I’m so grateful that he took some time out of his family holiday to speak with us. Here’s a little bit about Todd:
Todd is a writer, podcaster and speaker, specialising in vegan lifestyle and
travel. He’s the bestselling author of the Rebel Vegan trilogy: REBEL VEGAN
LIFE: A Radical Take on Veganism for a Brave New World, REBEL VEGAN LIFE: Plant-Based Nutrition and Beginner’s Guide, and REBEL VEGAN TRAVEL GUIDE: Veganism on the Go.
After growing up on his family’s dairy farm in eastern Canada, Sinclair knew
farming wasn’t for him. So he moved continents to set up a new life in London and
come out as queer.
He spent 12 years working for one of the UK’s leading homelessness charities,
managing a multi-million-pound budget for a 29-bed accommodation centre for
vulnerable men with substance misuse issues, before being bitten by the travel bug.
Sinclair’s love of travel led to a 12-year career as an international tour leader for
Tucan Travel and G Adventures. He also ran his own business leading bespoke
tours including some vegan tours through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.
After becoming ill in Vietnam six years ago, he was nursed back to health after
being fed a plant-based diet by forward-thinking monks. He has been a devoted
vegan advocate ever since and helped him gain a new sense of awareness and
purpose.
When the world shut down in 2020 Sinclair used that time to write the Rebel
Vegan trilogy to show how vegan values are a fundamental way forward to avoid
future pandemics, protect animals and the planet, and take care of our health.
Today Sinclair lives his best Rebel Vegan Life in London, UK.
CONTACT LINKS:
Website: https://www.rebelveganlife.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebelVeganLife
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebelveganlife/
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-sinclair/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebelVeganLife
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
Today we are going back to Italy, this time to Milan, to speak with Edoardo Valsecchi, Owner, Founder and CEO of Linfa – Eat Different, a wonderful restaurant that became an instant favorite of mine after visiting in July of this year.
He is an Italian plant-based entrepreneur and a prominent figure in the restaurant and hospitality industry. After obtaining a degree in Management and Economics, he pursued his passion for food and embarked on a career in the industry. He honed his skills by training in the operational, marketing, and management areas of the most prestigious hotel facilities around the world.Today, Edoardo is the Owner, Founder, and CEO of Linfa - Eat Different, a highly regarded, high-end vegan restaurant based in the heart of Milan, Italy. With years of experience in the industry, Edoardo has built a reputation for creating innovative, high-quality cuisine that is delicious, sustainable, and healthy. His unwavering commitment to using high-quality, fresh, organic, and locally sourced ingredients has earned him recognition from food critics and customers alike.Under his leadership, the restaurant has become a beloved destination for locals and tourists and has garnered numerous awards and accolades. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, Edoardo realized his life dream and career goal of founding Linfa, a chic, responsible, fully plant-based restaurant and hospitality concept.Edoardo's passion for food and commitment to sustainability continues to inspire his culinary innovation and elevate the dining experience for guests.:
To learn more about Edoardo and the restaurant or to make reservations please visit their website:
And you can follow find them on social media at:
Facebook: facebook.com/linfaeatdifferent
Instagram: Linfa - Eat Different (@linfaeatdifferent) • Instagram photos and videos
You can find Edoardo at:
LinkedIn: Edoardo Valsecchi | LinkedIn
Instagram: instagram.com/edoardo_valsecchi/
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode, I share a story of how a little brindle dog named Creature changed my life and opened the gates of compassion for me. From professed dog lover to vegan activist…a little bit about my journey. I also discuss how lovers of companion animals are wonderful candidates for conversations about veganism and expanding our circles of compassion.
I would also like to share some information about a great organization I reference in this episode, Animal Place and their Food For Thought Program. You can find them at:
Website: Food For Thought - Animal Place
Instagram: @foodforthoughtprogram
Facebook: www.facebook.com/animalplacefoodforthought
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.
In today’s episode, I share some thoughts on the role tradition plays in preventing change and the adoption of a vegan lifestyle. And what we, as activists, might want to consider in addressing this challenge.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WORK, INCLUDING THIS PODCAST, MY BOOK, MY PRODUCTION COMPANY and MY NON-PROFIT, PLEASE GO TO theunexpectedactivist.com AND FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT podcast@theunexpectedactivist.com.