By Anayeli Camacho, VRG Intern

As one of many students that had the privilege of graduating High School in the Class off 2020, predicting the future seemed impossible. The world we were coming into decided to erupt. Life began to change for almost everyone. Underneath all the confusion there was always hope for me with my internship at The Vegetarian Resource Group. As a virtual intern, I had the opportunity to participate in writing for an organization that carries shared beliefs of knowledge and growth regarding health while being confined in a mayhem filled world. This provided me with an outlet and a form of expression during a difficult time in my life.

     During my VRG internship, I interviewed a woman I hold close to my heart, a Vegan restaurant owner that established her blog then turned it into a restaurant. Stephanie Rich somehow maintained the flow and growth of her restaurant during the pandemic. I had the privilege of interviewing and understanding her mindset during all the chaos. One thing she said to me will always find its way into my mind. “Life is a monkey bar. Never let go of one hand without the other already placed.” This gave more depth than she could have anticipated. I turned it to the bars being knowledge and growth, me still being the monkey, but my arms being my desires. As I learned with this internship—Knowledge and expansion are a choice. You must have the desire to find more, feel more, and live in unpredictable ways to keep it moving. If not, you are faced with the possibility of remaining stuck and inevitably falling, only to start again never reaching the end. VRG operates on knowledge and research. Being a part of this and seeing how broad and deep growth regarding health can be, changed my entire perspective of life. We had a choice during Covid-19, to change our outlook of life and reach higher grounds in the unknown, or remain still and fear the dark. This quote was said to help me understand—life is unpredictable in fascinating ways.

   As an intern for one of the most, in my personal opinion, groundbreaking organizations, I had the pleasure of talking to people that conduct life in this mindset. The unknown territory, the doubts that society could cast on being a vegan can frighten and push back the possibility of making that life choice. The Vegetarian Resource Group spreads knowledge and understanding. Conducting polls, researching, and consulting with youth and like-minded professionals to spread the understanding that—change is good. The search for truth and the spread of this truth is what helps you to make these changes. Without fear of the nutritional deficiency that a few still love to scream about, being presented with people of this mindset allowed me to broaden my change and evolve.

     Life can turn and change in drastic ways. But even amid all the disarray during the pandemic (and other times) lies growth and expansion. It is our choice to find these truths and wisdom. With my internship at VRG, I found more than I could have hoped. Admiration lies for this organization that decided to spread understanding and expansion rather than opinions and stillness.

For information on VRG internships, see: https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php