CREATING A VEGAN WORLD
Nadely Requena
My Eleanor Miltimore Wolff Internship
I am a Latina student journalist at the University of Texas at Austin. I was a virtual intern for the Eleanor Miltimore Wolff Internship organized by The Vegetarian Resource Group.
One of the most life-changing things that occurred during my internship was that I finally went vegan! I initially began my vegetarian journey in 10th grade after learning the appalling practices of the meat industry and its long-lasting effects on the environment. I'm very proud that I've made the change to become vegan in hopes of living and promoting an eco-friendlier lifestyle.
I assisted VRG with their phenomenal online restaurant guide, interviewed folks for the Vegan Action column in the Vegan Journal, and reviewed a Korean vegan cookbook and a newly opened vegan Mexican restaurant in Austin. I also led two vegan cooking classes at Christopher Place, a residential program providing education, training, and recovery support to formerly homeless men of the Baltimore area. Adding on, I participated in the University of Maryland dietetic intern in-service and learned about the importance of obtaining proper nutrition and being well-educated to speak about different types of diets, avoiding common stereotypes and misconceptions.
Throughout my time with VRG, I continued to combat the stereotypes that exist for Latino and Hispanic people, educating others on living an eco-friendly lifestyle while still being budget-friendly. I had the opportunity to experiment with recipes from different cuisines with ingredients I had never interacted with. It definitely helped me reconquer my confidence in the kitchen as I am now living on my own and not in the university dorms where I had a meal plan.
My internship further established that journalism is the field I want to be in, and that environmental advocacy and education are vital. My conversations with others showed me how important it is to be well-educated in the field one is choosing to write about. VRG has allowed me to dabble with different types of writing styles and to meet others, further increasing my experience in the field.
Without this internship, I wouldn't be here with these realizations and most certainly, wouldn't be able to say that The VRG was a part of my story as a journalist. This organization is also incredibly helpful in providing financial support for their interns. It definitely comes in handy to people such as myself who are low-income college students and are financing their education and life by themselves.
For information about VRG internships, see vrg.org/student/index.php
To support VRG internships, donate at vrg.org/donate
