VEGAN ACTION
Avery Yale Kamila: Re-Maine Involved
By Emily Carter
Veganism has been taking off in Maine, with one person echoing every wave of glory for the vegan crowd. Avery Yale Kamila is a columnist for the Portland Press Herald and covers all sorts of vegan news — from the growing plant-based seafood industry (we're talking about Maine after all!) to how to navigate Maine as a vegan. She takes national vegan news, like the economic growth of plant-based meat, and adds a local spin.
Kamila moved to Maine with her parents when she was only two-years-old. She stayed on her grandparents' dairy farm until her parents started an organic farm. Living on the farm and working in fast food influenced Kamila. She went vegan 28 year ago while attending college at Syracuse University. She began studying journalism and then switched to SUNY-ESF to pursue a degree in Environmental Science and Policy.
After college, she returned to Maine where she has witnessed veganism growing. Following her working for various nonprofits, she started documenting aspects of plant-based living in the Portland Press Herald in 2009. Her first column, Natural Foodie, was not focused on veganism but on natural lifestyles. In 2014, her column was redefined and named Vegetarian Kitchen, and in 2016, it evolved to Vegan Kitchen.
"I am a firm believer in the fact that education and ideas create change, and that ideas spread. They spread through social networks, and they spread through networks in terms of what people read, and in terms of media and what [people are] exposed to. I think that's my biggest form of activism ... I'm not out on the street demonstrating, but for years now I have been slowly, methodically talking about the same thing. And I'm hoping it reaches people," Kamila explained.
Her career as a vegan columnist hasn't been easy the whole way, however. A few times, her column was even cancelled. Due to Kamila's background in journalism, the connections she has made throughout her career, and the outcry from the public following cancellation, she was able to continue the column.
"It's not like they just woke up one day and decided they wanted a vegan writer," Kamila said of her struggles to maintain the Vegan Kitchen. Kamila suggests that a way for everyone to get involved and spread the vegan message is to write letters to your local newspaper editor.
"Whether it's the teeniest little weekly newspaper, or a larger daily newspaper, if you can get a letter printed in there about whatever vegan stuff — that is huge. Way more people read the letters to the editor section than will ever read the food section," she said. "Even people who are not writers or are not interested in writing columns; I think that all of us have an opportunity."
Kamila also feels in the world of social media, everyone can be an influencer within their own social network. The simple act of sharing vegan messages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any social media, can make a difference.
"The more exposure people have to vegan ideas, the more normal they become. And it's not a weird thing anymore — after they've seen it 100 times!" she said.
