by Navaal Mahdi

Interning at The VRG has been one of the best life experiences I’ve
had thus far because I’ve been able to learn more about one of my
passions. Coming into this internship, I thought myself knowledgeable
about vegetarianism considering that I had spent countless hours
researching about vegetarianism before finally becoming vegan some
months ago. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there’s
always been something new to learn in the VRG office.

As a writer, I can ask for nothing more than for someone to give me
constructive criticism about my pieces because I love submitting my best
work. At The VRG, I’ve been able to dabble in writing about a variety of
topics, from creating vegan recipes to reviewing vegan products, and
I’ve even been able to give some advice to teens along the way. What’s
even better is that I’ve been able to interact with non-vegetarians
at outreach booths in a professional environment, which means that I
have been able to help people learn more about the ethical and health
reasons that explain why many vegetarians choose not to eat meat and
animal products. Together, both of these experiences have made me more
passionate about being vegan, and after working with an organization
that helps to spread awareness to so many people around the world about
animal cruelty as well as healthy eating, I know that I will always try
to do the same in my life.

I came into The VRG wanting to learn how to be firm in my beliefs
regarding veganism, and I’m leaving having gained that skill. When
someone asks me why I choose to be vegan, I now know how to confidently
respond. What’s even better is that though I’ve gained so much knowledge
here, I know that there’s still a lot out there that I need to learn. I
can’t wait to continue to learn about my passions because my work with
The VRG has taught me that if you keep exploring and advocating for what
you love, you’ll finally find out your calling. I want to make a
positive change in the world, and I’m so motivated to do that now.

Contact The Vegetarian Resource Group if you would like to intern
in Baltimore or long distance. You can see the work of past interns at:
http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php. If you would like to support internships, you can donate at www.vrg.org/donate.