Fighting for animals is meaningless without human equality
Today is June 5 and Breonna Taylor should be celebrating her 27th birthday. Instead, on March 13, three plainclothes police officers entered her home with an illegal “no-knock” warrant and murdered her while she slept. The three officers have not been arrested and no charges have been filed.
There is a wonderful remembrance of who Breonna was in Teen Vogue today. Please read the entire thing.
Breonna had goals and dreams, and she made them known to everyone in her life. She was excited about becoming a nurse, buying a house, getting married, starting a family, and continuing her love for shoes, cars, bananas, and Fruity Pebbles cereal. Ju’Niyah shares that Breonna always wanted to dance to “Everything” by Mary J. Blige at her wedding.
In Louisville, where Breonna lived, protestors filled the streets demanding justice. At a local BBQ joint a few days ago, police caused chaos attempting to break up a gathering of locals. The Black owner and chef, David McAtee, was then shot and killed by police who claimed in their reports that he fired a gun (a claim that surveillance video of the scene does not back up). Before his death at their hands, David was known for giving away free meals to local police officers.
And so, it is hard to think about anything else today. Instead, we will remember them and countless others killed by the law enforcement system that claims to serve and protect us. If you’re able, you can donate to Breonna’s family, David McAtee’s family, or the Louisville community bail fund.
Just a few new stories this week —
My plea with white vegans to stop co-opting Black Lives Matter.
“It is also beneficial to animals in the long run for vegans to allow themselves to focus on racial justice. When all humans are liberated and have their basic needs met, when they don’t have to live in fear of police violence or incarceration, we will all have more energy to fight against climate change, to see the injustice of factory farming, and to usher in a revolution for the animals. Comparing animal lives to Black lives has and will continue to turn many people who could be potential allies away from veganism forever, and makes BIPOC who are already vegan feel unwelcome in the vegan community.”
😍😍😍 27 Photos That Celebrate the Powerful Bond Between Children and Animals 😍😍😍
Alicia Kennedy’s new Vintage Veg on how 1981’s Radical Vegetarianism provides a look at what the vegan movement shouldn’t be — dogmatic, inflexble, and incredibly white.
Chicken sanctuaries are bracing themselves for a wave of unwanted roosters as newly-minted backyard chicken enthusiasts take home chicks and end up with roos.
Summer recipes that don’t require you to turn on your oven and bake your entire house, thanks to Marla Rose!
Check out these incredible sand sculptures of powerful wildlife.
Animal Agriculture Is a Mirror Image of Trump’s America by Marina Bolotnikova.
Even though they are at the center of our civilization’s moral, ecological, and public health crises, farm animals are always the last that we think about. Confronted with the billions on billions of innocent animals bred for lives of confinement, torture, and painful death, it is easier for most people to just look away. I’ve spent most of my life wondering how this can be. How is our unmitigated violence against non-human animals allowed to persist, while those who try to sound the alarm, even on the left, are ignored or laughed at?
TENDERLY REC ROOM
On Fridays, we tell you about things we like
“Brave Space Alliance is the first Black and trans led LGBTQ center located on the South Side of Chicago and since its founding has been supporting this community through mutual aid, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources. Right now, they are providing food, supplies, and a safe space for those engaged in protests against police brutality in Chicago. You can donate to support their work here.” — Arabella
“I watched 1997’s Cop Land by James Mangold this week and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a police movie with such a hard look at the corruption and rot at the heart of the system. Sylvester Stallone and Ray Liotta are both incredible in it, and there’s a scene wher Sly lays on a couch and listens to Bruce Springsteen, so.” — Summer Anne
“All week when I need a moment of calm and joy, I’ve been watching the gardening TikToks of Garden Marcus, who is ‘promoting kindness, patience, and positivity’ with his videos, such as this one about a beautiful hibiscus bloom. ‘Appreciate the entire process. The flower is one part, but there are many stages.’ Indeed.” — Summer Anne
“On her podcast this week, author and researcher Brené Brown spoke with Ibram X. Kendi, the author of How to Be an Antiracist. I know some folks have shared that they’ve been having trouble finding copies of this book, so listening to this conversation on uprooting racism and inequality on a personal and societal level is another great (and free!) way to learn.” — Arabella
“Houston police chief Art Acevedo has been touted by liberal news media as an example of a ‘good cop,’ because he says the right things about George Floyd’s death and police reform. Unfortunately, he actually has a disgusting history, detailed by Texas Monthly this week. This story doesn’t even cover many of the controversies that arose from his time in Austin, including his defense of officers who made jokes about rape victims and his negligent mishandling of my friend’s murder and the events leading up to it . Anyway, not super pleasant stuff, but a good reminder to research the actual history of anyone with power you feel tempted to praise.” — Summer Anne
WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT?
A vegan recipe recommendation from the archives
Rachel Ama’s BBQ Jerk Cauliflower. Fried cauliflower is tossed with sticky homemade BBQ sauce and dipped in a creamy coconut sauce and if you’re not already checking to see if you have everything to make this than I don’t even understand you at all.
No justice, no peace!
Summer Anne Burton, Editor-in-Chief of Tenderly
