Taking action

 
I have always thought that if something bothers me, I need to take action to change it.
This thought pattern is up front and center every day while I drive around Los Angeles. Yes, I'm paying attention to the political race, the state-sponsored bigotry in states like Mississippi and North Carolina, racism, the hungry and the homeless and the huge amount of kids living in poverty in the US to name a few.

Yet one thing that I come across constantly and feel like I do have the power to change is the vast amount of litter throughout LA. No matter where I drive, I see it.

Not that big of a deal? Maybe not. Some would say there is nothing I can do, that in a county where there are close to 11 million people, there is going to be litter.

To accept this would mean that I would need to think that most people who live here don't give a shit. They don't give a shit about litter that makes an area look terrible and litter that has an affect on the environment and wildlife.

From my favorite beach to hiking trails, entrances to the highway and along the street in whichever part of the city I might be driving in, litter is everywhere.

As I think of this and of everything else there is going on in the world, I think of little victories. What does a little victory around litter look like? Maybe seeing the flowers on the side of the road instead of litter. We are in southern California after all where there is an abundance of natural beauty. Maybe it's watching the dolphins of of Zuma beach knowing that the bag of litter we cleaned up that morning was not going to make it into the ocean. By the way, the Algalita Foundation here in SoCal estimates that 80% of marine debris comes from human activities on land! Maybe it's being at the on ramp cleaning up litter just to show others that, like them, there are people who give a shit about where they live.

I see myself making a trip to Home Depot for garbage bags and gloves. Nothing ever changes if we don't take action.

As I create a plan on what I can do to clean up LA, remember that there is metaphorical litter everywhere. From you state legislature to city hall to those who torture animals and spread hate among humans, there is enough of that type of garbage out there to keep us all busy.

Take action.

Thanks for reading!

Gym issues

Leaving the gym recently, I started telling Mike about all of the issues I have with not only our new gym, but with many people who go there.

I should say that I am one of the most positive people I know, and that I have always tried to write positive blog posts. After my most recent gym visit I just had to vent.

I love being back in the gym and working out. I feel better physically and mentally.

But come on!

Please put the weights away. There is no one following you around the gym cleaning up after you. It's just common courtesy.

With limited equipment, if you do not want to share or let someone work in, please purchase your own equipment and stay home.

For goodness sake, don't unload with your "bro" in the sauna about what a bitch your girlfriend, wife or one night stand is. I honestly don't think anyone cares to hear it.

Yes, you are a gym god. You have the best body ever, in the whole world. So what.

Would it kill you to be kind to other folks in the gym?

For all of you who go to the gym, do your thing without disrespecting others or maybe even being nice to someone, thank you.

Not all of us know everything there is to know. Not all of us are there to look good. I want to be as fit as possible, and going to the gym makes that a lot easier for me.

Thanks so much for reading.

Loving Los Angeles

A CicLAvia bike ride in downtown LA.

It has been six months since we left Denver and moved to Los Angeles and we are loving it.

A big move like that isn't easy. If you have ever packed up from one part of the country and moved to another, you get it. We took risks in leaving a wonderful home, a great family of friends and awesome jobs. Yet the southern California life called us. We wanted to be in a warmer climate and wanted to be able to get the beach more than once a year.

And so we have.

I wouldn't say we are fully settled in, but we are close. We still need a maps app to get around sometimes. Home is wonderful and we spend our free time either beaching it or exploring the vastness of LA. The longer we are here the smaller Denver seems as a city. LA is just so, big!

Some of our favorites so far:

Hiking at Griffith Park
Brunch at Sun Cafe
Bike Ride on the San Gabriel bike trail
Surfing at Zuma Beach
Veggie Grill
Beach time at Zuma Beach
Walking around the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena
Listening to a conversation in Chinese on one side and in Spanish on the other while in the sauna at our gym
A CicLAvia ride downtown when streets are closed for thousands to ride around town

We can also confirm that LA is the vegan capital of the world. Yesterday we had lunch at Ramen Hood in downtown, a 100% ramen restaurant in the middle of LA's famous Grand Central Market and then we went to Hollywood and spent an hour tasting vegan cheeses at Vromage.

Yes, all of this costs money. It can get expensive. We have found that we spend about the same amount of money on food as we did in Denver. There is an unending variety of farmer's markets where we can shop. Our favorite so far is the South Pasadena market. With the huge amount of diversity here, staples like beans, rice, fruits and veggies are actually cheaper here.

Yes, there are the naysayers. Many do not like LA. I'm sure you've heard of LA traffic. We've experienced it. Not too bad. It requires planning and yes, patience. One cannot be driving at a fast speed and expect to go that fast for their entire journey. My trip to work is about 30 minutes in the morning and can be just over an hour on my way home.

Our exploring will continue. A new hiking trail, a beach we haven't been to yet. Another gorgeous view. A coffee house filled with folks not speaking English. A fruit we have never heard of before.

I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, if you're going to be in LA keep an eye out for our new "When in LA" page that I am working on for the blog.

Thanks for reading!

Now is not the time

Now is not the time to stay silent.

We are all swamped: family, work, activism and simply doing everything we need to do as part of our lives.

And we must not be silent.

Domestic terrorism, an incredibly negative US Presidential campaign, welfare ranchers taking over bird sanctuaries, crazy poverty levels, demonizing of anyone who is different and a continuing list of people killed by those paid to protect us. These issues don't even include our every day personal issues, mine being immigration and animal rights.

Yes, it can all be overwhelming. Yet silence will not bring us any closer to the world we are working towards. Our silence allows others to take the spotlight and in many cases promote causes we disagree with.

Taking action doesn't take a lot of time. Find an article from a respected news source that is about something important to you and share it on social media. Retweet a fact you see on Twitter that supports what you believe. Support an action alert on an organization's website who work you support. Make a small donation.

Speak out. 

This list could be much longer. You get the idea.

Since creating The Gay Vegans I have been blown away by how many of those who read this blog care so much about so many issues. Together we can totally make change.

Thank you so much for reading!

I don't want free things for Veteran's Day

Or fake discounts.

Or a sale.

(I'll admit that I liked the free Starbucks last year.)

So many retail shops all of a sudden give a hoot about veterans in November.

What I really want is us, as a country, to embrace all veterans and to support them after they have served if they need the support.

Tens of thousands served in Iraq and Afghanistan. And so many came back not being the same person, either mentally or physically, as they were when they left. Many came back to endless red tape and a society that is so much talk than action.

Politicians LOVE talking about veterans. Many of them had no problem sending them to war when they were active duty.

Most folks speak highly of veterans, yet they don't support them politically.

It's time to hold politicians accountable.

And it's time to hold our society in general accountable.

And retailers? I think you need to do a better job as well. Support veterans all year.

Thanks so much for reading.

I will #FastAgainstSlaughter this Friday

After much prayer and meditation I have decided to do the #FastAgainstSlaughter which is this Friday. Friday is World Day for Farmed Animals, the day after World Vegetarian Day and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. This fast will be part of a world-wide fast on the same day.

If you know me, you know I am vegan and that I am vegan so that I cause as little harm as possible to animals during my time on earth. I abhor violence and almost 20 years ago committed to being vegan so my dinner plate reflected more of who I am as a human being and did not include any animal products.

So Friday I will fast for 24 hours, for the animals.

From Farm Animal Rights Movement:

"Each day, 160 million farmed animals are transported to meet their gruesome end at slaughterhouses throughout the world. These caring, sensitive individuals are denied food, water, and rest on their journeys for several hours, up to days. They are scared. They are starving. And their suffering is silenced by an industry that doesn’t want us to know the truth."

In their name I will not eat for 24 hours. I will only drink liquids. I share this with you because I am fearful of this. I eat at least seven times a day. I love food. I love eating. I will do it for the beautiful animals who are beaten, tortured, and killed just for someone's taste buds.

I could really use your support. Please send love. And if you pray, meditate or just are in silence on Friday, please think of me and those I am fasting for.

Thank you!

Being a voice for the voiceless

Many times while expressing my viewpoint or speaking up for something or against something, I look inside myself to see if the action I am taking is truly honoring the voiceless, whichever voiceless I am trying to be a voice for at the moment.

How is my action or behavior actually helping the voiceless? Is it viewed positively or negatively. Would folks not necessarily in agreement with me at least ponder what I am talking about or will they just blow me off as crazy, rude, etc?

This topic is huge for me. I seldom lose sight of why I am an activist, why I think it is so important to be  a voice for the voiceless. To continually speak out against animal cruelty, bigotry, violence and recently just basic unkindness. To be a voice for liberation.

I became vegan for one reason: animal cruelty. I didn't become vegan because someone yelled at me or threatened me. It was a very personal decision based on the person I wanted to be. I loved animals. Why in the world would I want to do anything that would harm them? Although I would have picked up a stray dog or stopped someone from abusing an animal in front of me, what was on my dinner plate did not reflect my values when it came to animals.

I know that some will disagree with me, that we must do everything in our power to stop the violence and to fight for total liberation.

I would rather invite those opposed to my ideas or my way of thinking for a coffee and actually talk. This of course is not always possible. I would rather disrupt in a calm, kind voice. I have seen this in action and smiled.

I remember one day standing outside a Baptist church during a silent protest against the church taking out a full-page ad in the local paper to denounce homosexuality and make clear their stance against it. Chatting with a family on their way out I said that we all have more in common than not. We had a wonderful conversation. I am not sure if they would stand on the side of liberation and equality, yet I am pretty sure they would not demonize gay people. Perhaps that's a start.

Thanks for reading.

One in five children

This is one of those posts that will typically not get a lot of reads. When I write about topics like poverty, hunger or HIV/AIDS, many tend to skip the post.

I will keep this post short.

The federal government released poverty numbers this past week.

One in five children in California live in poverty.

One is six children in the US live in poverty.

No matter why you read my blog or why you connect with me personally or with The Gay Vegans, I ask you to please consider these numbers.

So much wealth. So much privilege. Yet so many live in poverty.

As activists, we can take action. We can also build bridges with activist communities whose main mission is not ours, and become stronger. We can find connections with our work to poverty, to hunger and to class. In the Los Angeles area, where we live, it is not difficult to see hard-core class distinction.

If you would like more information on poverty in the US, please click here.

Thank you for reading.

Let's just attack each other.

A lion was stalked and killed.

A trans woman was beaten to death.

A four year old boy was killed by a stray bullet.

Supporters of #BlackLivesMatter met in Cleveland to discuss strategy.

These are the news items I paid particular attention to in the last week or so. Not in any particular order.

The story that hit me the hardest was a couple of weeks ago, and that is the story of Sandra Bland being pulled over in Texas for not using a turn signal. She was jailed and died in her cell three days later. She had been unable to pay the $5,000 bond to get out of jail. For not using a turn signal (and for what I think, knowing her rights).

Each of these news items touched off debate, conversation, and unfortunately, judgment.

Before I could get to my second coffee, people in different groups were attacking others for not seeing things as they see things, not taking the correct kind of action, or condemning people who could not possibly help or relate.

Oh my.

My activism is not neatly boxed into one issue. I give a shit about many issues and I try to use my voice to make the world a better place for all living beings. I have been a fighter of injustice since I was a kid.

Yes, a white gay guy living in privilege who gives a shit about others, and I'm not alone. I'm not into fighting and being told I don't belong. There are definitely discussions I stay out of when I think it's not my place, but there are so many issues where my voice can be powerful. I don't write that just because I think my voice is stronger than yours. I write it because I believe everyone's voice can be powerful.

When we use it.

I Periscoped earlier this week with the title "Talking about Sandra Bland" and most folks were not interested, a couple had no idea who she is is, and one said it was funny seeing someone living in white privilege talking about Sandra Bland. Yep.

It is so easy for activists, or humans, to attack other activists rather than asking questions, having a conversation or opening one's mind to learn something about an issue that is equally as powerful as yours, but one you might not know much about.

But it's not impossible.

Thanks for reading.

Crappy vegan food is bad for veganism

I have always loved this line. I heard it when in a session at Vida Vegan Con II in Portland, Oregon two years ago. I was in a session to learn about writing restaurant reviews given by Grant Butler, a columnist with The Oregonian.

It has stayed with me ever since and I consider it every time I write a restaurant review.

I have thought of it a lot since moving to the Los Angeles area while we experience so many new vegan opportunities. Having been to LA many times, we've known that this is a vegan food mecca. Living here is different, as new experiences pop up almost every day.

There have been some eating experiences that have blown us away, where we find us like at each other going "oh my goodness!".

And then there have been experiences that were not so mind blowing. 

On the top of my list was a dessert Mike and I saw. We both instantly drooled. Anticipation was very high as the server brought it to our table. Then utter disappointment. It was dry and not very tasty.

We have had several moments like this. We read reviews, we get excited, we drive way out of our way to try a restaurant and then we are presented with food that is average, and in some cases not good on any level.

How can this change? I'm starting with this post. At the restaurant where the dessert was a huge disappointment, I took the server aside and gave very honest feedback. I wouldn't do a restaurant review based on just one experience.

I think it is vastly important that we let restaurants know when their food is sub-par. Of course food is very personal, but if you get something that is totally off base, let the folks know.

I think about someone who wants to try a vegan meal and gets crappy food, and how that affects not only veganism but the animals as well.

Thanks for reading!

LA traffic: picking us off one at a time

We have been living in Los Angeles for three weeks now and are loving it. Many told us about the traffic and how awful it is when we talked about moving here. They of course are correct. Yet for the most part the traffic flows, perhaps not as fast as we wish, but it flows. One plans around it and I have found it important to not be in a hurry.

All of this being said, there are always plenty of news stories about people killed in auto accidents.

The other night is was a young woman killed by a hit and run driver. The next day it was an accident in central LA.

A few minutes of driving in LA and one can see how accidents happen. My focus has gone way up since moving here. Folks change four lanes in two seconds, many times with no signal. In a city notorious for traffic, many are still in a hurry to get somewhere.

The bummer is that although deaths are newsworthy for a day, it seems like they are an accepted fact of living here.

Perhaps most feel they will always be OK, that crazy driving won't affect them. The father of the young woman killed by a hit and run driver said this, that "you never think this will happen to you".

Yet it does.

One by one we are being picked off because of carelessness, ignorance, arrogance and basically folks just being in a rush. The news stories don't even affect us anymore.  Perhaps people are to the point where this is just how it is.

I don't believe that is how it has to be.

Perhaps it is stricter laws. Perhaps it's calling out the reckless drivers. Perhaps it's simply just asking people to give a shit.

Today another family will get a call or a visit. They will be crushed with the news.

Thanks for reading.

Why are The Gay Vegans following me?

I wanted to title this post "Why on earth are The Gay Vegans following me?" but that was a bit long of a title, especially for twitter.

I love building community. And I do a lot of that online. Our blog has accounts on Google+, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter. I use each one for different purposes, and I never blindly connect them all so the same post goes to all of them. I do use them to spread my blog posts, but I also use them to meet folks I'd like to know and to build community with folks who might not normally be in community with gay vegans.

Being 48 and wanting to be as healthy as possible, I like connecting with others who work out and are into fitness. When I see someone who says that they are vegan are into fitness too, I like to connect with them.

That doesn't always go over well. So I want to clear the air if you will.

If I connect with you through social media it is because that something you are doing either inspires me, I want more of it in my life, or it's something I want to learn more about.

It doesn't mean I am hitting on you for goodness sake! Or that I want to offend you in any way!

There are a bunch of folks out there who inspire me. They may be totally out about being a follower of Christ, or vegan, or raw, and I make the attempt to connect.

They are not always thrilled. Recently on twitter, a vegan guy wrote how he couldn't believe The Gay Vegans would connect with him. After all, he's Christian, and far right. We exchanged some tweets and after I saw other tweets where he wrote to others saying that he was just going to have fun with us I disconnected.

Seriously?

He is a vegan athlete, including being a runner, and of course I would want to be connected with him.
But I get it. There are just always going to be folks who for whatever reason do not want to be connected with gays and/or vegans.

Another guy, on Instagram, deleted my comment on a photo of his saying that he was inspiring me.

So...

If The Gay Vegans connect with you on any of the social media listed above and you do not want to be connected with us, please just tell me. I will disconnect and all will be well in the world. I honestly only wanted to build relationship and let you know that something you are doing inspires me or teaches me.

I hope this clears the air.

Thanks for reading.

Three years of The Gay Vegans blog

It was June 16, 2011, my first blog post for The Gay Vegans.

I wanted to create a blog separate from the one I did for my work as a fundraiser, and The Gay Vegans was born.

As it says on the main page, this blog was created to build bridges amongst communities, to be a voice for the voiceless and to share our experiences being gay and vegan in the burbs.

The blog has become so much than that, thanks to those who have found it interesting, who read it regularly and who take action when we ask our readers to do something that we think will make the world a better place for all living beings.

Thank you so much!

I love corresponding with folks who write me about a blog post or folks who are considering going vegan. I love hearing back from people who registered to vote for the first time or who came out to an elected official, whether the coming out was about their sexuality of the fact that they are vegan and wanted to elected official to know.

Most of all, I love the hundreds of stories that have been shared with me about the actions of one person who decided that they wanted to make a difference, and they did!

I am sending thanks to everyone who has ever read a blog post and to all of you out there who have supported The Gay Vegans. I am super stoked when I think of what more I can do with this blog, and how much more fun all of us can have as we become a stronger voice for the voiceless and continue making this world a better, safer place for all living beings.

Let's do it!

Thanks for reading!

My second half marathon

This past May I ran my second half marathon. As I did last year, I ran to fundraise for the organization I work for which serves youth experiencing homelessness.

For those new to this blog, I have not been running for long. I began last March (of 2013) when I decided to try the half marathon portion of a local race in Denver, The Colfax Marathon. For me it was all about fundraising, a way to support a cause I believe in so strongly (young people living on the streets).

This year my training was a little different. Winter seemed to go on and on here in Colorado, and although I am good running in cool temperatures I don't like running in freezing temperatures. So my training was affected, or some might say I chose to train less.

I finally got some good runs in, paid attention to some vegan athletes I follow through social media, and started to build my confidence for the upcoming half marathon.

Since last year when I began running, I sure have begun to enjoy it. At first it was a task, a tough one at that. Now I feel in my comfort zone when running, a chance to think or not think, to just be and breathe. It's a pretty good feeling. I also feel, no matter the distance of a run, that I am doing something good for myself, my physical being as well as my mental being.

May 18th came quickly this year and before I knew it I was at the starting line. A cool morning, and I was super excited. A co-worker of mine ran with me, and that made a huge difference.

The 13.1 mile route is rather flat. All the better for me. By the fourth mile I felt rather good. As I pass each mile I do a check of how I am feeling: breathing, good; feet, good; legs, good. Up until mile 9 or so. By then the sun was in full force, I had to go to the bathroom really bad, and I felt that my whole body was giving up.

At the mile 10 station there was no line at the port-a-potties so I could finally go. I covered myself with water and drank water and Gatorade. I felt refreshed. After a good start from that station I felt better, back to being energized and excited.

At mile 12 some Colorado firefighters from the annual calendar were in the middle of the street shirtless and giving hi-fives, that was nice!

After 2 hours and 41 minutes I crossed the finish line. My goal, a goal I had though of at the race last year, was 2:30. Yet I beat my 2:55 time from last year.

And I had a blast. Not just with the race itself but with everything I did before the race to train.

It is quite a shock to me that at 48 I love running.

If you are interested in running, a great website and a great support system I have found is here: VegRunChat . I've met many wonderful people here and gotten some great inspiration.

If you are interested in just getting more active, perhaps doing something other than running or in addition to running, No Meat Athlete is a great resource. Of course both of these sites honor my plant-based life, and if you are not veg or vegan I think you could still get a lot out of them.

Thanks for reading!

Interview with Stephanie Redcross of Vegan Mainstream!

Colorado Springs is the next stop for Stephanie Redcross and Vegan Mainstream for their Vegan Professional Boot Camp! I am so excited that Stephanie is bringing her magic to Colorado and giving the opportunity for vegan and vegan friendly business folk to learn so much about business, marketing and many other items that can help in being successful.

I had the awesome opportunity to speak with Stephanie and ask her a few questions. Before I get to that, please check out her site with all of the information you need about the upcoming boot camp in Colorado Springs on May31st: http://veganprofessionalbootcamps.com/project/colorado-springs-co/

This boot camp is listed as an action-packed learning symposium for existing and aspiring vegan professionals! I love that. Looking over the list of presenters I see names of people I know will be able to give attendees so much information and insight on so many levels.

Lastly, before we get to the interview, I have been in the position in my life where I really wanted to attend something that would support my goals and found myself not being able to afford it. If you are a blog reader of ours, find yourself really wanting to go to this boot camp knowing that this could benefit you and those you help in the future but it's not in your budget right now, and agree with our principles of making the world a better place for all living beings and being a voice for all of the voiceless, then send me a private email to vegandude@msn.com I will pick one scholarship of those that connect with me.

Now to my conversation with Stephanie! Stephanie is the managing director of Vegan Mainstream. Vegan Mainstream provides marketing solutions to vegan and vegetarian businesses, as well as to those interested in incorporating more mindful practices and products into their brand. I haven't met her in person but I grinned the entire time speaking with her. Her kindness overflows and her knowledge of marketing and business came across to me immediately.

Where do you see the biggest challenges in regards to vegan/vegan friendly businesses and their use of social media?

Two fold: one is reaching deep into the vegan community but also being open enough to pull in folks who are in a transition stage. We feel comfortable talking with vegans, but not so much those who are not there yet. How do I maintain my ethics and at same time create community/space that feels welcoming.

 

What was the most surprising thing you learned from an attendee at one of your boot camps?

From Dill Ward in Portland, OR : We forget to invest in ourselves as an asset in our business. We see ourselves as the free employee. See yourself as something valuable: pay, training, well being.

I have read all about your boot camps and think they would be wonderful for the non-vegan business who wants to do business with more vegans. What is one suggestion you would make to such a person?

Spend some time in the community. Go to meet ups. Go to your local veg fest. Understand the language and priorities. Don’t go by what you think the need is or by a stereotype.

Do you believe vegan businesses can wear their activism on their sleeve?

No. They have to be very careful. I believe there should be a separation between your business and your personal activism; you want your business to be on its own. If it’s separate, you can make a clear decision about donating or something like that. You don’t want to make decisions that are more for a non-profit when you are a for profit business. Make a very successful business then you can make all sorts of decisions to support your activism. Freedom of time gives you the chance to do more.

In all of your travels, what city surprised you the most with vegan food options or the best vegan food you have had?

DC was surprising to me. I grew up in Philly so have been many times as a child. What impressed me the most last year was so many vegan/veg options at places that were not classified as veg or vegan. Healthy stores had vegan options unlike other cities. Lots of options on menus.  Every place we were we were able to find vegan options. Multiple options. Flavorful dishes and dishes you would get really excited about.

For your Professional Vegan Boot camps, are they focused on the same learning topics or to you change them based on the geographical location?

We change them and always have local speakers. This helps us to have different topics and we can talk about local support.

Who tops the list of people that inspire you and why?

Seth Godin. Love his stuff. I love it because he’s not a typical author/marketing geek. He has charted out his own path in life and he is not a typical guy. I am very trail blazing, if you can believe it you can do it. I like how he cares about people. I like people who care about people, customers they serve in their business.  And he’s funny. He has a “get it done” attitude.

Thanks for reading! 

 

More about Twitter

Note: This is a blog in conjunction with other past blogs about social media. I have written about Twitter once already and this post is in response to the huge amount of feedback and questions I received about Twitter.

As you know by now, I love Twitter. You can find me on Twitter @TheGayVegans or @FundraiserDan. I use each account for different purposes.

It is easy to create a Twitter account. On their main web page, simply create an account by filling in your name, email address and password. Create a password that is secure as I frequently see Twitter accounts hacked. Once you have done that, you'll be brought to another page and you can finish creating your account. Add a photo and you're good to go.

Some people use their real name as their Twitter name, I use our blog name. If you are going to use Twitter to promote a cause, think of a name that matches your cause.

Once you are set, you will have zero follower and zero that you are following. Like many things in life, Twitter is as good as the time and effort you put into it. Use the search area and look for people or groups you might be interested. For @TheGayVegans, I started with a search titled "vegan" and I was on my way. If you want to search under what folks are tweeting about, click on Discover at the top of the page and enter the same word. For example, if you type in "vegan" you will get a list of tweets that include that word.

You will immediately start seeing hash tags (#) in people's tweets. This means their tweet can be brought up in the Discover page for people doing a search using that topic. For example, if I end my tweet with #Lakewood (where we live), anyone doing a search for Lakewood will bring up our tweet. Another example is that every time I post one of our blog posts on Twitter, I add the hash tags #gay #vegan #blog so anyone searching using gay, vegan, or blog will bring up my tweet containing my latest blog post.

It really is simple, and fun, and a great way to learn and meet folks from all over the world. Many times I use Twitter as my news feed, as people I follow post news items they have come across. Vegan? There is a huge community on Twitter? Conservative? You guessed it, huge community? Same with communities I am part of: equality, human rights, animal rights, fundraising, etc.

I hope this post answers some of the questions brought up from the last past.

Thank you so much for reading!

I love Twitter

This is part II of posts I am writing about social media.

This post is all about Twitter. I love Twitter. You can find me @TheGayVegans as well as @FundraiserDan.

Twitter allows me to meet people from all over the world, to engage in conversation around almost every topic, and to get my blog posts in front of people who want to read them.

I have truly met amazing people on Twitter.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Twitter is another social media option in which the user has 140 characters to pass along information, opinions, articles, pretty much anything. If you are interested it's easy to set up an account and get going. Like most social media opportunities, it's only as good for you as the amount of effort you put into it. I am on Twitter most days, reading what people are writing, passing along their info if it interests me, posting my blogs, and engaging in conversation with people I both agree and disagree with.

On Twitter you can meet other activists, regardless of your cause. I use the Twitter feed page as a way of watching what is going on in the world on a daily basis. As a fundraiser for a non-profit, I also use Twitter as a way to connect with other fundraisers and I learn a lot from them.

Check it out. And say hi!

Thanks for reading!

Social media for your cause

Wikipedia's definition of social media: Social media includes web-based and mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue.

Before I even begin with this post I must let you know that I am in no way a pro at social media. I have a basic understanding of it and have used it for many purposes including my day job (as a professional fundraiser) and promoting causes and groups that are near and dear to me.

Social media enables you to make your world larger than it is. From wherever you are. It has enabled me to create this blog and build bridges with communities of people all over the world, some who agree with my posts and some that don't. It allows me to connect with other activists, other vegans, other fundraisers, other passionate people, most of whom I would have never been able to connect with.

It's easy to start. If you have a Facebook page you can create a page that is all about your group or cause. I have a page for The Gay Vegans Cruelty Free World and for Coloradans for Marriage Equality. They each serve a different purpose but many times I will post one of my blog posts on both pages. Facebook pages include very large animal rights or human rights groups as well as very small shelters around the country. Some groups are for a specific area and others for anyone who is interested in their cause.

And it's certainly not just about Facebook. There are a ton of ways to engage with social media and I'll cover other ways later.

Engage the world and check it out. I realize many of you reading this might already use social media a lot, yet for those who don't I highly recommend.

More to come, including our experience on Twitter (we love it) and learning about new social media opportunities (like Pinterest, which we just started).

Thanks for reading!