Desde Animal Class compartimos en esta ocasión la experiencia de una compañera de Chile, Karen Flores.
When I started studying pedagogy, I was unaware of how powerful this career is; I didn't grasp the impact a teacher has on the environment in which she operates.
Cuando me volví vegana me hice también activista y junto con eso mi deseo de poder educar y de llegar a la mayor cantidad de personas con el mensaje de que todos los animales merecen respeto y consideración se hizo algo urgente y necesario en mi vida.
This is how I very naturally incorporated activism into my teaching, taking advantage of every space the classroom offered and looking for opportunities to educate and inform about veganism.
I have to put up with some jokes behind my back from some students, but it doesn't compare to the richness of the spaces where I can talk, answer questions, debunk myths. The number of respectful and curious students far surpasses those who find it a little harder to let go of prejudices. I understand it that way, and it's because speciesist education marks children's words and actions from a young age.
Learning guides with examples such as: design the production stages for a vegan food delivery service.
This simple example allows me to answer the question "What do vegans eat?" and to talk about the truth behind eggs and milk.
I also ask the students not to use materials of animal origin, and the question "Why can't I use leather?" allows me to talk about the origin of leather, wool, feathers, etc.
I always tell vegans to take advantage of every opportunity to educate and share information: at their jobs, at their schools, at universities, with their families. No opportunity should be missed; every space and time is valuable. We fight against the speciesist machine that steals the lives of millions of animals every minute, but we have the strength and conviction that this fight is for life and that nothing can make us give up.
A couple of weeks ago, a former student visited me. We started talking about different things until he suddenly said, "I'm a vegetarian now, teacher!" I was very happy, but that wasn't all. He continued talking and said, "Do you remember that time you wrote down several websites and video links for me to watch? I did, and that's why I'm a vegetarian. Now I want more information because I want to be vegan."
It is these moments that fill me, excite me, and confirm that I cannot rest and that I must not stop believing that a considerate, empathetic, and respectful world is possible for all animals.