Hi everyone! So excited to be here and connect with more like-minded/hearted individuals I have been vegan since Aug 2022. It's actually a really unique story. I was vegetarian for about 10 years, and then started volunteering at a local farm animal sanctuary. I fell in love with the most adorable dairy cow rescue, heard her story, watched Cowspiracy and learned more about the dairy industry, then went vegan overnight. At that time I was also horseback riding. After going vegan, I started questioning the ethics of riding, and literally one week later I was thrown off my friend's horse (whose name was Butter lol), broke my back, and decided that was the universe telling me to stop! Because of my back injury and surgery, I found out that I have low bone mineral density (this was at age 32, obviously pre-menopausal, and no real family history - so it is very odd!) and therefore started delving deep into nutrition and exercise. I am also in healthcare (a pharmacist). Shortly after this I got a DEXA scan which showed a much higher body fat % than I was expecting; I was shocked because apparently this meant I'm what they call "skinny fat" - I was thin but didn't have enough muscle! Obviously now working to rectify that 💪 Before Vegan Squad was around, I started working with a coach, Brooke Sellers (@missmeatlessmuscle) and still work with her today. Working with a coach and getting into weightlifting has been one of the best things for my journey. I love that this community now exists to share and learn from each other's unique stories and experiences!

Like most people, I wasn't born a vegan. This had to be brought to my awareness, and it started at 10 years old. My best friend came over, I was going to (and did) eat a hamburger, and she told me that if I eat that hamburger, I'm killing a cow. First, I got really angry. Angry at her for mentioning it, Angry at my parents for saying that it's normal, Angry at myself for not already thinking that maybe I shouldn't be eating a cow. Over the next three to four months, I slowly removed different animals out of my diet and became vegetarian at 10 years old. At that time, I thought that was it. About three years later, I'm on the ride to middle school with my mom, and I'm reading a PETA magazine, and I'm realizing that the factory farming done for hens, for cows, is just as bad, if not worse, than the meat industry. On that day, I decided I would try going vegan for one week. And now, it’s coming up on 21 years. At 15 years old, I started bodybuilding, and again, I didn't really see the intersection between veganism and bodybuilding being exclusive until everybody told me you can't do this, and so I've spent the last 18 years or so trying to prove to people that you can. Thank you for being a part of this community, this Vegan Squad, for being vegan and for making the world a better place. If anyone feels open to sharing their stories below I would love to hear. And to learn more about activism as a whole and how the world is changing check out the modules created by our very own Jessica Nieves located here: https://www.skool.com/vegan-squad/classroom/53ea7316?md=eae772c60df14956b28bfc34736ee5c8

Thank you for being the best team in the entire world. This Vegan Squad has renewed my desire to live. We are growing at an insane rate. Stay tuned. The best years of our lives are still on the way. Let’s keep working daily for a vegan world! I love you all!

Hello Vegan Squad Fam!👋 For a while now, I’ve been coaching part-time.. pouring everything I have into my clients and honestly, you all have changed my life in ways I can’t even fully put into words. Watching your growth, your confidence, your consistency… it’s been the biggest reminder that this is exactly what I’m meant to do. What makes this moment even more meaningful is my past. I’ve tried the “traditional” fitness route, working at gyms full time and it left me burnt out and in debt. I knew I wanted something different… something aligned. Now I get to do this full time with a company that actually matches my morals and values as a vegan, and that means everything to me. Huge thank you to John for seeing something in me, believing in my potential, and giving me the opportunity to be part of this team. I don’t take that lightly. Going full-time means I have more space, more energy, and more availability to help YOU. Let’s build something powerful together 💚