peta2 Archives - YEA Camp

YEA Camper Activist Profile: Phoebe Collver-Freeland, the “Coolest Vegan Alive”

YEA Camp — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 21:10:50 +0000

Phoebe poses with a chicken at her microsanctuary.

Phoebe Collver-Freeland has been an incredible advocate for animals since she was 11 years old. When we first met Phoebe, when she attended YEA Camp for the first time in 2013, she was very quiet, but every day of camp she wore a t-shirt that had a powerful message about compassion for animals.

Throughout the week, we saw her open up more, and in the years since then, as well as when she attended YEA Camp again in 2015, we have been blown away by the amount of activism she has done. In fact, PETA2 named her the “Coolest Vegan Alive“(!!) when she was just 16! She also recently was given a grant by The Pollination Project to expand her microsanctuary!

Phoebe agreed to let us interview her to learn more about her activism efforts.

1. Tell us about the activism you’ve been doing.

I have a microsanctuary, called Phoebe’s Friends Microsanctuary, which is a small sanctuary for rescued farmed animals. I currently care for three pigs who were rescued from a laboratory, two goats whose guardians were unable to care for them, and chickens who were raised by a cockfighting breeder and saved from slaughter. We host groups of children and teach them compassion for all animals. I also do outreach, art activism, and volunteer work with various organizations, such as serving on peta2‘s Youth Advisory Board for three years.

2. How did you get involved with activism and what you’re currently working on?

I first got involved with activism when I got a PETA Kids book when I was 11. Early on I mostly wrote letters to companies who exploit animals and talked to my friends about going vegan. My family had already been caring for goats and chickens when we found out about the Microsanctuary Movement in 2015. We began identifying as a microsanctuary, and since then we have been rescuing more animals and educating children about them.

Being a public animal rights activist is a crucial aspect to the movement.

3. What challenges have you faced as an activist and how have you dealt with them?

My biggest challenge is being very shy. During my first few years of activism I wasn’t very comfortable talking to people. Instead of being too afraid to do anything, I just found something I did feel comfortable doing: art activism and animal care. After a while I decided that I wanted to be able to do outreach, so I knew I would have to start trying. I volunteered with peta2 at Warped Tour for the first time in 2015. Going up to people and talking to them about SeaWorld was so scary. I would freeze up and forget my talking points. It started to get a little easier though, and now I’ve volunteered with them for the past three summers. Each time it got easier and more fun.

4. What advice do you have for new activists just getting involved?

Find an organization and/or a mentor to work with. If you don’t feel comfortable with a certain type of activism, find what works for you. Educate yourself on your issue and be prepared to answer people’s questions.

5. How did YEA Camp help you in your activism, if it did?

YEA Camp improved my confidence and communication skills. I learned valuable skills on how to talk to people, and practicing and role-playing outreach and other types of activism was really helpful for me.

Rescue pigs are the best cuddle buddies.

6. What activist goals do you have in the future?

When I transfer to a four-year university, I want to apply to be a peta2 Campus Rep. After that, I think I either want to either work at a full-scale farm sanctuary or run my own.

Phoebe Collver-Freeland is an eighteen-year-old animal rights advocate and YEA Camp Alumni from Fremont, California, who attended YEA Camp Oregon in 2013 and YEA Camp New York in 2015.

If you want to be like Phoebe when you grow up, or know someone who does, come to YEA Camp this summer! We even have a YEA Camp for Adults!

The post YEA Camper Activist Profile: Phoebe Collver-Freeland, the “Coolest Vegan Alive” appeared first on YEA Camp.

All We Can Say Is WOW!

Nora Kramer — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 19:48:59 +0000

WOW! What an incredible summer!

We say it every year, and every year it is true! This was our best summer yet!

With Labor Day gone and, with it, the symbolic end to summer, we are still basking in the accomplishments of our seventh(!) year of epic, life-changing summer camps.

It is impossible to capture in a blog post, but we will try to expand on “WOW!” with a few highlights, outcomes, and testimonials from the campers themselves.

Who, What, When, Where, Wow

We reached more campers than ever before this summer. Almost 100 youth ages 11-17 came from 16 different states and the District of Columbia to attend.
We held our first ever issue-specific camp, YEA Camp for Animal Advocates, at the incredible new location ofWoodstock Farm Sanctuary, less than 2 hours from Manhattan, attracting extremely committed and accomplished young advocates such as 14-year-old Avalon from Florida, the founder of the nonprofit Conserve It Forward, and 16-year-old Phoebe from California, “PETA’s Coolest Vegan Alive,” as well as up-and-coming advocates who are just getting started on their activist path.
Our staff was incredible – from Michael Starkey, a wildlife biologist with Save the Frogs in Central America, to Chloe Falkenheim, the 18-year-old founder of VegYouth, to Charles Orgbon, the CEO of the youth-run nonprofit Greening Forward, to so many more incredible adult mentors — classroom teachers, nonprofit organizers, and all-around do-gooders in life — thrilled to support younger advocates.
Campers from our California and Oregon sessions this summer have already had a reunion that they initiated! Some have also met up to go leafleting, tabling, and protesting; launched fundraisers; launched clubs at their school; and been extremely active on the causes they care about in ways they had never done before YEA Camp. More on that below.

YEA Camp exposes teens
to things they may never learn elsewhere.

A few key things campers learned that they may never have otherwise learned without YEA Camp:

Each of us has a huge capacity to bring about change, and we can’t allow limiting beliefs we have about ourselves or negativity that others may project on to us to hold us back.
The interconnection of seemingly unrelated social justice issues — from animal advocacy to poverty, pollution to racism – expanding their understanding of the challenges we face and their deepening their desire and ability to help.
Skills like grassroots outreach, campaign planning, fundraising, arts activism, and time management.
Nonviolent communication techniques to connect with people and to feel more confident speaking with those who disagree — inspiring people to want to learn more versus nagging or judging them for being uninformed.
Tools to inspire others to get involved and examples of ways that current activists and those throughout history have brought about change.
Self-care approaches to cope with the injustices of our world and the difficulty of bringing about the change we want.
They are not alone. There are many other people and organizations who care as much as they do and who want to support them in making a difference.

What Campers Say:

“My time here this past week has shaped my life in a way that I didn’t even know was possible. It opened my heart and mind to what I can do to help the world we live in, and gave me tools to fight for my cause.” – Ollie, 14, NJ

“This has been one of the best experiences of my life — for the confidence I have gained, the friends I have made, and the change I know I will make.” -Eva, 14, NY

“This camp has helped me feel so confident and empowered. As someone who has struggled feeling confident and worthy, this camp changed my whole life. Going home I will be focusing on combatting the unrealistic harmful view on body image as well as gender roles by helping middle schoolers and others feel good.” -Ashley, 16, Oregon

“YEA Camp was an amazing experience for me. I have acquired the skills that I need to change the world for the good. I used to be shy and did not want to speak up, but YEA Camp has taught me to speak up. I feel good about myself, like I can change the world.” -Angel, 12, Oregon

“YEA Camp has been an amazing and life-changing experience for me. I have had so much support and learned so many things about important issues such as animal rights, LGBTQ rights, sexism, racism, and gender identities…. I am so incredibly thankful for all that I have learned and experienced at this camp.” -Carolyn, 14, California

Most Importantly, What Campers Have Done:

SO MUCH! We love to celebrate our campers’ many accomplishments! Here is just a small sampling of the things our campers have told us they have done in the short time since camp ended.

Many campers have gone leafleting for their first time ever, passing out flyers on causes they care about. They have reported having great experiences! Here, Maya and Luzia met up to pass out leaflets about reproductive choice, vegetarianism, and their favorite presidential candidate: Bernie Sanders. Five other campers met up at a talk Bernie Sanders gave and passed out leaflets there!
Orianna, 14, from a conservative part of California, reached out to a former teacher who has agreed to allow her to teach his elementary students a 20-minute class once a week on gender roles! She is bringing in toys, asking them which are for boys and which are for girls and why, having them analyze media, and having them learn about and deconstruct stereotypes.

Twelve-year-old Zinn testified at an Oregon Department of Agriculture hearing to oppose the expansion of dairies in the state.
Seven YEA Campers joined in a huge protest at the zoo to advocate for elephants.
A group of YEA Campers from NY are fundraising for Farm Sanctuary’s annual Walk for Farm Animals, and all together campers from around the country have fundraised over $2,000!

This is just the tip of the iceberg! Our campers are on fire, and we can’t wait to see the incredible changes they bring about in their communities. We will be sharing more here and on our Facebook and Instagrampages. Please check them out!

THANK YOU.

Getting to actually spend the summer at YEA Camp in such a space of inspiration and community is such a joy — and it would not be possible without the efforts and contributions of so many people.

To all of our amazing campers, THANK YOU for being your amazing selves! You inspire all of us that our world can change and is changing for the better!

To our campers’ parents and families, THANK YOU for trusting us with your children and supporting their efforts to change the world!

To our incredible staff, THANK YOU for everything you did — from helping a camper with their action plan to doing the dishes — to make this summer so incredible.

To everyone who donated money toward our scholarship funds and operations, THANK YOU for making it possible for us to exist and to help so many young leaders along on their path.

To all of the companies who donated incredible food, THANK YOU for helping us eat so well, and for your contributions that made it possible for us to keep our costs down so we could accept campers on scholarship who otherwise wouldn’t be able to have the opportunity to attend.

To everyone who volunteered their time in any way, the organizations and individuals who helped spread the word about YEA Camp, offered advice or kind words of support, THANK YOU. You help us keep going when things feel hard.

We will be announcing our 2016 dates and plans in the coming months, but in the meantime, THANK YOU for everything you do to make our world a better place!

With so much appreciation,

Nora + Team YEA Camp

The post All We Can Say Is WOW! appeared first on YEA Camp.

Everyday Should Be Earth Day … But Monday Is Earth Day!

Nora Kramer — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:44:38 +0000

Tomorrow, Monday April 22, is Earth Day, but what does that really mean? Last time we checked, we live on the Earth everyday. Unfortunately, maybe for that exact reason, it can be easy to take things like clean air or drinking water for granted, though even here in the U.S. many people — especially those in poor communities — are impacted by polluted air and water everyday.

[hulu id=cbvha7_qwoo5ij-troylew width=512]

The first Earth Day was held in 1970, and there were political and news-raising events all over the country to speak up for protecting the planet. Today, 33 years later, Earth Day is still an opportunity for each and every one of us to look at how we can do our part, and to raise awareness so others will do their part, to protect the planet.

What can you do to help? Different organizations have different campaigns, ideas, and ways to participate.

The environmental justice organization Green For All and The League of Young Voters Education Fund are sponsoring #Earthdaylive. #Earthdaylive is a 2-hour live broadcast featuring some of the most innovative people, projects and organizations working to protect the environment and create opportunities for all communities. Featuring music, videos, and live interviews, it will be an engaging look at the problems our communities face, and the people creating the most effective solutions. You can tune in here from 3-5pm ET, 12-2pm PT Monday April 22.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-WUcar0YA4&w=560&h=315]

The climate-change organization 350.org is urging people to sign the final petition to President Obama urging him not to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which scientists warn would have terrible consequences for the environment. It is fitting that the deadline for accepting comments is Earth Day. Sign here and use your voice for change!

Mercy For Animals is “reinventing environmentalism” by encouraging people to adopt “The New 3 Rs” — to rethink your diet, reduce your meat consumption, and restore the planet. Did you know that 30% of all the Earth’s land is used to raise farmed animals and their feed crops? Check out this amazing resource from PETA2. If every person in the U.S. skipped one meal of chicken per week and ate vegan food instead, it would be like taking more than 500,000 cars off the road. Give it a shot!

What will you do to celebrate Earth Day?

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