Discussion with Ms. lauren Ornelas, Founder and President of the Food Empowerment Project

lauren Ornelas has been active in the animal rights movement for more than 30 years. She is the former executive director of Viva!USA, a national nonprofit vegan advocacy organization. lauren investigated factory farms and ran consumer campaigns. In cooperation with activists across the country, she persuaded Trader Joe’s to stop selling all duck meat and achieved corporate changes within Whole Foods Market, Pier 1 Imports, and others. lauren was also the spark that got the founder of Whole Foods Market to become a vegan. In this talk, lauren will discuss the origins of the Food Empowerment Project, the ups and downs of running an NGO, the challenges and triumphs of the focus on plant-based diets, and challenges up ahead. Location: Middlebury Institute of International Studies, McGowan Building, Room 100, 411 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940. Free, Open to the Public. No registration requested. Website for more info: go.miis.edu/sustainability. For Questions, contact Rachel Christopherson at the Center for the Blue Economy at [email protected] or (831) 647-4183.