By Sam Tucker, Australia and New Zealand Outreach Coordinator

I recently updated the Australian section of Vegan Outreach’s website by adding information on where to find the best vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants across Australia. I’ve also added a page describing the suffering animals experience on factory farms and slaughterhouses in Australia and New Zealand.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people in Australia and New Zealand think that factory farming is something that doesn’t happen here, and many people think that we treat animals more humanely than in the United States. For this reason, I think it’s important to show people exactly how animals are treated here, using footage and pictures exclusively from Australia and New Zealand.

By Taylor Radig, Campaigns Manager

Denver’s Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria is increasing their animal-free options by adding a vegan pizza to their menu.

The pizza is on their Chef’s Special menu, and it features their tomato sauce, grilled asparagus, artichokes, savory button mushrooms, Peppadew peppers, and Daiya dairy-free cheese.

When Vegan Outreach approached Lala’s, they told us that vegan cheese has been a common request from customers, and they’re excited to finally have this option available!

We’re thrilled to be partnering with Lala’s as we continue to make the world more vegan-friendly!

By Roxanne Hill, Community Engagement and Events Manager

I first heard about Joe Coleman, the Vegan Monk, through a Vegan Outreach colleague. She mentioned that he has a very positive Facebook presence and would be a great person to interview if he was interested. Well, Monk—as he likes to be called—was interested, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to do this interview and learn about who he is and what he stands for.

Roxanne Hill: How long have you been vegan?

Joe Coleman / Vegan Monk: I’ve been vegan for over two years, but meat-free for over four years.

Roxanne: What inspired you to become vegan?

Monk: My spiritual practice inspired me to stop eating meat. It probably was around my third year of meditating regularly when I made the connection to all life, or should I say, that was brought back to my awareness.

I used to think veganism was a religion, a cult. I didn’t know what it was, so I did research. Once I learned what happened to chickens, I became vegan.

Roxanne: Once you had made the decision, did you find the transition challenging?

Monk: Due to the way I became vegan, the transition was seamless and natural.

Roxanne: How did the name Vegan Monk come about?

Monk: One day my friend said to me, “You don’t drink, you don’t smoke, you don’t eat meat, and you’re not in the streets. You’re like a monk.” And that’s how I got the name Vegan Monk.

Roxanne: How is your life different now than prior to becoming vegan?

Monk: It’s night and day. I notice things that I never noticed before that support animal cruelty—it’s everywhere. I do my best to consciously not be a part of any of that. I have better mental clarity and my body feels amazing.

I also do my best to spread the message of veganism and other social injustices to help people understand they do still exist. Once I made the change, I was on social media and the vegan community took me in. I started going to different vegan Facebook pages and leaving my opinion. Eventually, I got picked up by a sponsor—Clean Machine.

Roxanne: Apart from the way you live your life, setting an example for others, and also using your Facebook page, are there other methods that you use to raise awareness and spread the message? For example, do you host events in your community or do you do speaking engagements?

Monk: I do vegan homeless feeds when I can. I’ve only done a couple public speaking engagements, but I plan on doing them on a regular basis.

I got my pro bodybuilding card last year, and through bodybuilding competitions I try to raise awareness. I get to talk to meat eaters. I hear there are a lot of bodybuilders switching over.

I also have a show in the works called “The Monk and the Guru.” I’ll be traveling around the country, with the Guru, spreading awareness by teaching people about vegan food.

Roxanne: Do you ever encounter negative responses to your lifestyle and the message that you’re spreading? If so, how do you handle such responses?

Monk: Of course, I do. When it does happen, I do everything I can to be understanding. I know the best response is not to react, pause for a second, and figure out the best way to respond—I won’t argue. If you’re aggressive towards somebody, they’re going to push back and nothing gets accomplished. My way is to do it with compassion. We, as vegans, have to include human animals as well as non-human animals. We must look back at ourselves prior to being vegan. We can’t judge people.

Roxanne: What are your favorite vegan foods?

Monk: My favorite vegan foods would have to be pizza, lasagna, and tacos.

Roxanne: What advice do you have for people who want to go vegan today, but they don’t know how to start or what to eat?

Monk: My advice for anybody that wants to go vegan is to do some research. There are all kinds of good information out there. Something else I would tell them is there’s nothing bad about going vegan. In fact, just the opposite. It’s a win-win-win for the animals, your health, and the planet.

Roxanne: Thank you so much, Monk, for taking the time to interview with Vegan Outreach! We wish you the very best in your future competitions and outreach efforts.

Did you know Vegan Outreach’s cofounder and Executive Director, Jack Norris, is a Registered Dietitian (RD)? In this video he talks with Paul Kelly of Raw and Cooked Vegan about a wide range of vegan nutrition topics—and more!

Jack describes how a fishing trip led him toward a vegan lifestyle. He covers various vegan nutrition topics, including the importance of eating foods high in protein and calcium. He also discusses the welcoming approach to veganism that Vegan Outreach uses to make the lifestyle mainstream.