Soul Sister Spotlight: Dr. Leila Dehghan - Finding a New & Better Way for ALL

Racism is “a disease of white people…I do not intend to be quiet about it.” – Albert Einstein

The US-Israeli Genocide in Occupied Palestine has changed everything, and exposed everyone. As a result, I now view family, friends, education, humanity, social justice campaigns, and every industry I can think of differently (especially the media, entertainment, sports, and religious sectors). How can so many people, organizations, and entire movements be silent, or worse, and not speak out against one of the most horrific crimes in human history? I have known for decades that the US is a criminal state that is run by corporations and billionaires, but I still had faint hope that somehow change could come from within (even for a country that has murdered tens of millions of our brothers and sisters in recent decades due to its sanctions, illegal wars of aggression, and now genocide too). I no longer believe that change is possible in the United States so long as the “one evil party with two names” remains in power. As per the late journalist Glen Ford, “The democrats are not the lesser of evils, but the more effective evil.”

Like millions of others, the last 3 years have been the darkest of my adult life due to the Gaza Genocide. We are all flawed, but If you believe like I do that all children are our children, and that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, then how can any one of us not scream to the heavens? I was stunned by the lack of moral consistency by seemingly everyone, and everything. Perhaps the most striking were those within the Plant-Based Diet/Vegan movement who for years claimed to champion human wellness, animal equality, and climate justice. Their continued silence on the Genocide remains unforgivable. To make matters worse, many organizations like PETA, Mercy for Animals, and the Food Revolution Network, doubled down on their complicity in Genocide, by celebrating/hiring outspoken Genocide supporting Jewish supremacist types within the Vegan movement.

It was during this low point that I first stumbled upon the inspiring work of Leila Dehghan, a lifestyle medicine doctor/nutritionist in the UK, who was smart, fierce, and compassionate. Most importantly, she was, and is, morally consistent on the big issues.

Dr. Leila Dehghan (Image: VegFest)

We connected on social media, and I can say that Leila was one of the few people in the animal rights and plant-based diet movement who gave me hope. According to her Bio, Leila Dehgan is a medical doctor, plant-based nutritionist, and Founding Director of Plant-based Health Justice. Born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in Vienna, Austria, Leila is also a social justice activist, and personal trainer. What’s not to love? With a background in medicine, Leila chose to change her career path due to debilitating migraines. Although Leila’s journey to veganism started as an animal rescuer, she later discovered the power of a whole food plant-based diet, and healed her migraines through nutritious plant-based food. This experience shifted her professional interests. She earned a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from eCornell (Center for Nutrition Studies), and obtained a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition from University College London. As per iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network, “Navigating life as a vegan of colour and an immigrant in Austria and the UK, she brings a unique awareness of the intersectionality of different social identities and injustices. Leila passionately champions an anti-oppressive approach within the realms of animal rights and vegan activism, leading her to found Plant-based Health Justice, a non-profit social justice charity dedicated to cultivating justice, equity, and compassion to create a healthier and more sustainable world for all.” In other words, Leila understands that healthy Plant-Based diets are the most powerful weapon we have to fight disease, reduce animal suffering, heal Mother Earth, and promote peace. Unlike most “leaders” in the Plant-Based Diet/Vegan movement, she fights injustice everywhere, and doesn’t distinguish between worthy and unworthy victims. Again, what’s not to love?
Click here for Leila’s primary website.
Click here for Leila’s website Plant Based Health Justice.
Click here for a free nutrition course from Dr. Leila Dehghan & Elena Holmes.

“Just because you’re black doesn’t mean you have an analysis to understand that you are in the heart of the empire, and that even though you’re racialized and oppressed here, you’re a beneficiary. We’re beneficiaries of empire, right? Black Palestinian solidarity is not because you’re black and because you’re Palestinian, we align. Because I’m oppressed and you’re oppressed, we align. Black Palestinian solidarity is a commitment to a political vision. It’s the understanding that racism and capitalism are inextricable, and racism and colonialism are mutually reinforcing. It’s a commitment to anti-imperialism that includes here. So it’s always been a movement that’s aligned the radical elements of the black movement and the radical elements of the Palestinian movement…It requires political education and it requires an understanding that we’re not going to get free, if we don’t all get free.”
– Professor & Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat (Click here for the full interview)

I am one of the luckiest people on the planet, and no doubt, a “beneficiary of empire.” As playwright & activist Eve Ensler (V) wrote, “I feel grotesque and privileged and disgusted to live in America, an empire that spends billions supporting this violent and violating enterprise (the Gaza Genocide).” I have learned over the last year or two that I now have fewer friends who qualify as “white”. I didn’t plan it that way, but apparently, I have more in common with most non-white people, than I do otherwise. The US is a deeply racist country with an increasingly misinformed and shallow culture. Throw animal rights advocacy into the mix of activism, and you can pretty much kiss most friendships, and invitations to events and parties good-bye! Although some of the most inspiring minds and activists today are “white”, the majority of that demographic still scares me, as Jewish/white supremacy remains one of the greatest threats to the survival of our species. Did you know that the highest concentration of millionaires and billionaires in the world reside in the Upper East Side of New York City, and that the vast majority (roughly 95%) of the 900+ US billionaires are white? Knowing who lifetime criminal Donald Trump is, is it any surprise that over 60% of white males who voted in the 2024 US elections, voted for the racist, mass-murdering psychopath, Trump?

“If I have one message to give to the secular American people, it’s that the world is not divided into countries. The world is not divided between East and West. You are American, I am Iranian, we don’t know each other, but we talk together and we understand each other perfectly. The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me.”
– Iranian artist, director, and writer Marjane Satrapi (1969-2026)

I bring all of this up to introduce one of the many transcending presentations/projects created by Leila Dehghan called Decolonizing Veganism, which I know could benefit everyone. As per Ms. Dehghan’s superb website, Plant Based Health Justice, “Decolonizing Our Diets: Foods that are popular in white-dominated, wealthy nations are often considered more desirable by developing countries, but they come with their own costs…Western dietary norms shape global food choices and health, but reclaiming ancestral foodways offers a path to resilience and healing. Plant-based eating also plays a crucial role in justice-centered approaches to nutrition…This video series aims to challenge the defining feature of veganism as a white neo-liberal movement and reach vegans of the global majority by presenting them voices and images they can identify with.”
Click here to learn more from Leila and her team on the connections between food and racial justice.

Exhibit at the New York City Museum.

End the Genocide March in NYC (Mondoweiss)

NYC Pride Parade 2025.

US Students: Obedience over Critical Thinking
(Image: Unknown)

The United States & Israel are the two biggest agents of terror in the world, and the greatest threat to the survival of our species.

Did you know? (Numbers that Numb)

The United States is an Abhorrently Racist Country
– Black children are 14 times more likely to die from guns than white children of the same age.
– There are over 900 active “hate groups” in the US, a 60% increase since 2000 (hate groups are found in all 50 states).
– Pregnant Black women are 3-5 times more likely to die than pregnant white women.
– Black children are 6 times more likely to be shot to death by the police than their white peers.
– The US continues to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world. A disproportionate number of those incarcerated in the US (over 69%) are people of color.
– Hispanic women earn the lowest median wages per hour, earning slightly more than 50% of what white men earn.
– As a percentage of the population, 23% of Native Americans live in poverty, the highest percentage of any group.
Islamophobia is on the Rise
– As per the annual civil rights report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), there has been an unprecedented rise in Islamophobia in the United States (the ultra racist states of Texas & Florida designated CAIR as a terrorist org.). The report revealed a systematic pattern of collective punishment targeting American Muslims, particularly through the portrayal of pro-Palestinian speech as a security threat.
– Over two-thirds of US Muslims (as per UC Berkeley) have experienced Islamophobia in their lifetimes, and Muslim women are more likely than men to have had a personal encounter with Islamophobia (women: 76.7%, men: 58.6%).
– When assessing the psychological and emotional impacts of Islamophobia on US Muslims, 93.7% responded that Islamophobia affects their emotional and mental well-being.
– Neo-Nazi groups are up 22%, while anti-Muslim groups rose for a 3rd straight year.
Discrimination & Hate Crimes against our LGBTQ Brothers & Sisters Continue to Climb
– As per the FBI, US hate crimes are on the rise overall, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to become hate crime victims than African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, or Jews.
– 90% of LGBTQ+ young people said recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, policies and debates caused them stress or anxiety.
– 36% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year (incl. 40% of transgender/nonbinary).
– 44% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care in the last year were unable to get it.
– Over half (59%) of LGBTQ+ young people ages 13-17 experienced bullying in the past year.
US Americans are being Dumbed Down, and it Starts in Kindergarten with the Pledge of Allegiance
– The average American reads less than one book per year.
– One third of Americans would be in favor of a preemptive nuclear strike on N. Korea, even if it killed a MILLION innocent people.
– 7% of American adults (over 17 million people), think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows, while nearly 50% are unsure where chocolate milk comes from.
– Most Americans are grossly misinformed because they get their news from legacy media outlets via Facebook, X, & YouTube.
– The United States finishes below average in international comparisons of student achievement.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) Requires Violence & Suffering for ALL
– The #1 cause of death, disease, and disability in the United States is the Standard American Diet (SAD), which is heavy on animal products, and processed foods. As per the USDA, the average US resident consumes 224.6 pounds of “meat” every year (meat = body parts from tortured cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and other abused sentient animals).
– As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the United States and Portugal are tied for highest overall meat consumption per capita, in the world.
– 85 billion land animals are tortured & slaughtered each year to satisfy perceived flavor preferences (10 billion in the US alone).
The US & Global Economies Favor Billionaires
– The 12 richest billionaires own more wealth than half of the world.
– In 2024, companies associated with the 10 richest men in the world spent $88 million lobbying US politicians.
– There has been a $50 trillion transfer of wealth from the bottom 90% of Americans to the wealthiest 1%, over the last 40 years.
– As per Oxfam, 791 million workers saw their wages fail to keep up with inflation between 2021 and 2023, resulting in nearly a month (25 days) of lost wages per worker.
Click here to learn more from the Social Justice Resource Center.
Click here to learn more from the film They’re Trying to Kill Us.
Click here to learn how Western corporate media propagandists describe the illegal US war of aggression on Iran as “Defensive”.
Click here to learn more from the Trevor Project’s US National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People.
Click here to learn more about how America’s “Pledge of Allegiance” means Indoctrination over Education.

Dr. Leila Dehghan

“Either I find a way, or I make one”. – Dr. Leila Dehghan

“The place in which I’ll fit will not exist until I make it” – James Baldwin

I can fully relate to the quotes above, and I am reminded of the words of journalist Caitlin Johnstone, “I guess my lack of a clear group or political faction is just what happens when you’re acutely aware that at this point in spacetime humans are too crazy and unreliable to form alliances with any particular contingent. I’ve found it best to just stick to my confidence in my own view and boost various causes and agendas on a case-by-case basis rather than clique up with any one political sect, because for the moment none of them are reliably lucid enough for me to trust them with my loyalty.”

In my experience, most peace activists don’t care about animals, and most animal rights activists don’t care about humanity (and most US Americans over 50 don’t care about either one). Over the years, I have volunteered and donated to many organizations, including Democracy Now!, PETA, and CODEPINK. Although they mostly do great work in their respective area of concern, they often lack the capacity (for whatever reasons) to expand their circle of compassion to include other moral catastrophes as well. Whether it’s cognitive dissonance, system justification, carnism, fear of offending donors, or their own ignorance/racism/speciesism/biases, their level of smug blindness, and outright complicity, can be stunning.
As per Leila Dehghan, “I think we need to broaden our understanding of oppression. It isn’t enough to oppose one form of oppression while remaining blind to the ways we may be reproducing another. If our liberation movements create new hierarchies of whose voices matter, whose suffering counts and who gets to define the movement, then we haven’t dismantled the system, we have simply reproduced it with different people at the centre.”
Click here to learn more about our struggle for moral consistency, and how it impacts many beloved organizations/individuals.
Click here for another example of the independent news outlet Democracy Now! being morally inconsistent.

Are Vegans Less Open to Change than Non-Vegans?

One way we can expand our awareness of oppression is by creating a new word for vegan, so that it includes all forms of injustice. I try to avoid using the word at times due to its limited meaning, and the high level of hypocrisy in the vegan movement. Here again, Leila helps us see the bigger picture, “This might be controversial, but I actually think vegans can sometimes be less open to change than non-vegans. Vegans may feel that they are already doing the right thing, as if there’s nothing more they can do to improve. This can be even stronger among intersectional vegans, who believe they understand how different forms of oppression are connected because they’re not only fighting for animals but also for human rights…Having the language of intersectionality is not the same as actually practising it. In fact, I think sometimes it can give people a sense of moral superiority and make them less willing to question themselves…Since October 7 (2023), I’ve come to realise that much of my effort within vegan circles was wasted energy…But I’m not trying to build an audience by telling people what they want to hear. I’m trying to do work that is consistent with my values. If speaking up about human rights, Palestine, racism, colonialism and other forms of oppression means losing people who would otherwise support me, then that is a price I’m willing to pay.”
Again, what’s not to love?

“The most important thing in education is to make young people think for themselves…The thinking person must oppose all cruel customs, no matter how deeply rooted in tradition and surrounded by a halo. When we have a choice, we must avoid bringing torment and injury into the life of another.” – Albert Schweitzer

In many respects, veganism appears to be trending downward at the moment. If we are going to have an inhabitable planet for thousands of generations to come (hopefully), people will have to begin to think critically (if they’re capable & willing), and be honest about the state of our world. If our species survives the psychopathy of the US empire & Israel, veganism will one day rebound completely. It is the only moral & sustainable option.
Click here to learn more about the state of veganism from Ed Winters.

I reached out to Leila and asked if I could interview her via email for this post, and she graciously agreed.

Leila Dehghan (Plant-Based Diets for Athletes)

Questions & Answers: Leila Dehghan

1. Leila, you are a medical doctor turned plant-based nutritionist, who is a fierce, and inspiring advocate for both human and animal rights, as well as climate justice. In a few words, can you explain your journey, and where your passion for justice comes from?

Dr. Leila Dehghan (LD): “Thanks for the compliment. I’ve been asked this question a few times, and each time I think of my maternal grandmother. She was religious, but not in a traditional way; her conviction came from Islamic teachings and values. I was very young when she passed away, but throughout my life I’ve heard stories about her, how she raised funds for people in need, how people would come to her whenever they needed help, and how she would never turn anyone away, regardless of whether they were religious or not. So, I think my passion for advocating for the oppressed and for those who have been wronged comes from her, and from the Islamic values she embodied. For me, justice has never been about deciding who is deserving of compassion. It is about recognising suffering and responding to it.

2. Your website, Plant-Based Health Justice is excellent. What are some of the biggest challenges that you and your team are facing at the moment with regards to your site’s efforts to educate and raise awareness?

LD: “The biggest challenge we’ve faced from the beginning has been a lack of funding and support from other vegan organisations. We went public a year before the genocide, and since then we’ve been very vocal in our support of Palestine and in calling out the silence and complicity of vegan organisations. As a result, we haven’t received much support from within the vegan movement. There’s this idea in the West that if your idea is good enough, people will find your content. But I genuinely believe that, for those of us from marginalised communities, support from others matters. Networking matters. Being given opportunities and having access to spaces matters. There is also a huge amount of gatekeeping around whose knowledge is considered valuable, whose voices are amplified, and who gets to define what veganism and animal advocacy should look like. And sadly, we haven’t managed to get a seat at the “vegan table”, if you know what I mean.
That has made it much harder for us to grow and have the impact we could have. The best resources in the world are useless if nobody sees them. And when marginalised voices are consistently excluded from the spaces where conversations happen, and our work doesn’t get in front of the people who need it, this is a justice problem.”

3. One of the courses that is offered on your website is titled, “Understanding Islamophobia & Anti-Musim Racism”. Firstly, what is the difference between Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim racism? Secondly, I feel that there is just as fine a line between racism and psychopathy, as there is between white/Jewish supremacy and Genocide. Am I wrong?

LD: “There are different views about what these two terms mean and which one we should use. I personally understand Islamophobia, like any other phobia, as an irrational fear or hostility towards Islam as a religion, whereas anti-Muslim racism refers to Muslims being turned into a racialised “other”, regardless of whether the people being targeted are actually religious or not. In practice, I use the terms interchangeably, depending on the audience and what I am trying to convey. What is important to me is recognising that hostility towards Islam and Muslims is not simply about individual prejudice. It is embedded in institutions, policies and social structures. I like your observation about racism and psychopathy. I had never thought about it in exactly those terms, but I understand what you mean. Racism requires a process of dehumanisation, of seeing certain people as less worthy of empathy, dignity or protection, and that can create the conditions in which extreme violence becomes easier to justify. As for Jewish supremacy, this is a term I cannot use or I get into trouble – so much for free speech in the West. But I do think there is a relationship between white supremacy, colonialism, racial hierarchy and genocide. We can see this in the genocide and dispossession of Indigenous peoples in North America, as well as in the ongoing destruction and dehumanisation of Palestinians in occupied Palestine. Genocide does not emerge from nowhere; it is enabled by systems that construct some lives as more valuable, more human, or more deserving of protection than others.”

The Wheel of Power/Privilege.

4. I no longer presume that all vegans are cool and like minded people. In fact, overall, I believe that the US vegan movement has been complicit with the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza. As a result, I now try to limit my use of the word vegan. I first heard of the term “anti-oppressive” (in the context of efforts to come up with a new term for veganism) from you and thought that it was great. You described the term as being the only way forward. You also explained how too many activists focus on anti-capitalism, anti-racism, anti-Blackness etc, but then end up creating hierarchies and replicating the same systems they claim to oppose. As a self-described “multiple marginalised person”, what kind of backlash have you received, and why is it important for people to broaden their perspectives on oppression?

LD: “Like you, I also find the term vegan problematic. A few months ago, I was invited to speak at the first Anti-Speciesism Conference, and I chose to speak about whiteness in liberation spaces. As I was preparing for that talk, I found myself reflecting on how veganism, as a named movement, has largely developed within the Global North. Many vegans, particularly white vegans, like to remind us that the word “vegan” was coined by a British man in 1944. That history is important, because plant-based ways of living and traditions of avoiding harm to animals existed across many Indigenous and Global South cultures long before the word “vegan” was created. By giving these existing practices a new name and institutionalising them within a Western movement, the principles were placed within a framework shaped by the same colonial structures that have influenced so much of Western thought. That’s why we see the same hierarchies, discrimination and exploitation within vegan spaces. What is more difficult to acknowledge is that even supposedly intersectional vegan spaces can reproduce those hierarchies. I often use the wheel of power to explain this. At the centre is power: the dominant Western culture and its values. And the further you move from that centre, the more marginalised you become. Those of us from the Global South who experience multiple forms of marginalisation are not only marginalised because of our ethnicity or skin colour. We can also be marginalised because of our nationality, our relationship to Western lifestyles and institutions, our politics, our religion, our class, or simply because we don’t conform to what the dominant culture considers acceptable. So the main backlash I’ve experienced for speaking about the hierarchical and colonial structures within veganism has actually been isolation. And that brings me back to your earlier question about the challenges Plant-Based Health Justice faces. When you are isolated, your impact is reduced; it also becomes easier to dismiss someone’s ideas. It is much easier to label someone as difficult, divisive or insignificant than to critically engage with what they are saying. That is why I think we need to broaden our understanding of oppression. It isn’t enough to oppose one form of oppression while remaining blind to the ways we may be reproducing another. If our liberation movements create new hierarchies of whose voices matter, whose suffering counts and who gets to define the movement, then we haven’t dismantled the system, we have simply reproduced it with different people at the centre.”

Israel has killed 97% of Gaza’s Animal Wealth.
Click here to learn more from EuroMedMonitor.

Israel eats more chicken per capita than any
other country. (WeAnimals)

5. I read your latest blog, “How Israel Weaponizes Animals in Settler Colonialism” and it was both educational, and infuriating. Here are a couple of excerpts from your outstanding piece, “After the massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982 provoked international outrage, Israel realized it was losing global opinion and began investing heavily in propaganda, or hasbara. Israel polished its image as a modern democracy, a haven for women and LGBTQ people and later, as an animal-friendly ‘vegan nation.’ But when we look closer, another story emerges: in Palestine, animals are weaponized, made into tools of violence, victims of war, and instruments of propaganda…Western animal rights groups repeat the narrative. PETA, Mercy for Animals and ProVeg all praise Israel’s “vegan revolution.” None mention that Israel consumes more chicken per capita than any other country, or that it ranks among the top for beef. None mention that Israel imposed a calorie cap on Palestinians in Gaza, or that today, it blocks food aid, creating a man-made famine.” Leila, what are the best strategies for speaking truth to power, and wresting the narrative back from Israeli propagandists, and the US corporate media?

LD: “Nelson Mandela said that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, and Malcolm X spoke about education as a passport to the future. I think education is vital, and I would add that we also need to be intentional about what we learn and where we get our information. What we in the Global North are increasingly recognising is that much of what we are taught is shaped by colonial ideas. The news and messages we are exposed to are also largely filtered through mainstream Western perspectives, and inevitably this shapes how we understand the world. This is why I think the idea of “decolonising your mindset” is so important. At the same time, social media has created another problem. We are constantly exposed to information, but it is usually the shiny, sensational and easily digestible content that reaches the masses. We therefore need to be much more mindful about what news we consume, what books we read and whose voices we listen to. And once we learn something, we should share that knowledge, but be intentional about that too. I see so many posts from influencers and digital content creators who seem to feel that they need to have an opinion on everything. That is particularly problematic when they have large platforms, because their opinions can be mistaken for expertise and misinformation can spread very quickly. A few weeks ago, I posted about the rainfall in Iran and neighbouring countries after years of drought. I shared the available evidence and explained what was being discussed, rather than presenting a definitive conclusion. One person criticised me for not having reached a conclusion. And I thought: this is the world we live in. We want someone else to do the thinking for us, give us the finished product, almost like fast food, rather than doing the work of thinking critically for ourselves. So yes, I believe in raising awareness, but I think we need to be much more thoughtful about what that actually means. Speaking truth to power isn’t simply about replacing one narrative with another. It is about developing the ability to question the narratives we have been given, seek out knowledge that has been excluded, listen to people whose experiences are different from our own, and think critically about the information we consume. If we don’t decolonise our thinking, we can end up reproducing the very hierarchies and systems we claim to oppose. We may change the narrative, but recreate the same structures underneath it.”

“Israel’s use of force in Gaza and the rest of occupied Palestine is illegitimate. As the Court of Justice reminds us, Israel cannot attack militarily the population it occupies. Pure logic that is expressed in law.” – Francesca Albanese

PETA is worse than Silent
on the Gaza Genocide.
(Al-Jazeera)

6. In your piece on how Israel weaponizes animals, you also call out hypocritical organizations like PETA, Mercy for Animals and Pro Veg for their unwavering support of Israel (and by virtue, the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza, and other US-Israeli war crimes). I have been disgusted with the actions and silence of these organizations, as well as many other self described “compassionate” operations, including PCRM, Friends of the Earth, VegMichigan, Animal Save Movement, Our Hen House, Beyond Carnism, Food Revolution Network, etc. Although they may still do solid work for animals, they are complicit in genocide (and the unspeakable misery of both humans and animals). Period. As per Human Rights attorney Craig Mokhiber, “Politicians and public figures must stop accommodating Zionists and “both sidesing” apartheid, aggression, and genocide. There is no such thing as a “liberal Zionist,” just as there is no such thing as a liberal slaver, a liberal Nazi, or a liberal fascist. And there is no morally defensible position that grants the blood-soaked, genocidal Israeli regime a “right to exist”…Evil is not defeated by accommodation. It is defeated by confrontation, resistance, and solidarity.” Leila, how do champions of justice for everyone, reconcile the moral inconsistency of the entire vegan movement (and “vegan” organizations like the ones mentioned above), which is selective with regards to who it sees as being “worthy” and “unworthy” victims? In other words, why are so many organizations and leaders in the vegan movement silent (or worse) on human rights issues? Also, Is there a danger of normalizing US-Israeli crimes, if animal rights activists lend credibility to these “animal rights” organizations by referencing their work? Finally, has the vegan movement lost credibility since October 7th, 2023?

LD: “Why is the vegan movement largely silent? Money. I used to work with large vegan organisations, and I witnessed the role money plays and the “sacrifices” people make to secure funding. What people don’t always realise is that every time you cut a corner and sacrifice one of your values to gain access to funding, you give up a little piece of your integrity, and eventually, you can find yourself running a capitalist business while still pretending that you are primarily motivated by compassion for animals.
And I think this is where the moral inconsistency becomes particularly obvious. You cannot claim to care about suffering while deciding that some suffering is politically inconvenient and therefore should be ignored. You cannot build an ethical movement around compassion and then become selective about whose suffering deserves your solidarity. That is why I believe the silence of major vegan and animal rights organisations has been so damaging. They had enormous platforms and an opportunity to demonstrate what solidarity actually means. Instead, many chose silence. In my view, that was one of the most selfish things they could have done in the name of animals, because ultimately, it’s the animals who pay the price. And yes, I think there is a danger in continuing to reference or legitimise organisations simply because they produce some good work for animals. We need to be able to hold two things at once: an organisation may produce useful animal advocacy while also being deeply compromised in other areas. We don’t have to pretend that one cancels out the other. Has the vegan movement lost credibility since October 7th? Absolutely. It’s a betrayal of the highest level and simply unforgivable.”

Iranian child’s bloodied book-bag caused
by US-Israeli War Crimes.

7. Background: The United States and Israel have launched an unprovoked, illegal, and immoral war on Iran, which has already killed over 3,100 innocent people, including hundreds of children (nearly 1,000 fatalities have also been reported in Lebanon due to illegal Israeli attacks). There appears to be three reasons for the latest round of US war crimes, and mass murder campaigns in Iran: (1.) The attacks are a distraction from the Epstein files and the overwhelming evidence that implicates Trump, and the Epstein class, as pedophiles, and war criminals (apparently, Trump’s name appears more times in the Epstein files, than the name Jesus appears in the Bible) (2.) Israel, the 2nd largest agent of terror in the world (next to the US), is the tail that wags the dog (according to Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Israel has mostly controlled US foreign policy for over 30 years, and has wanted the US to attack Iran for decades). (3.) US Hegemony. The United States would rather destroy all life, than give up on controlling all life.
Questions: Leila, what do people living in the United States, and around the world, need to know about Iran? What scares you the most about the hegemonic US Empire? What can people do to maintain their health, and overall wellness, during one of the darkest periods in human existence? And finally, what do you love most about Iran, and what, if anything, gives you hope?

LD: “I believe one thing people, whether in the US or anywhere else, often forget is that Iran is not homogeneous. You hear that Iran has over 90 million people living inside the country, and several million more in the diaspora, but the voices that get platformed represent only a tiny percentage of that population. On social media, some of the loudest voices are Iranians who were born or raised outside of Iran, and I often wonder how much their perspectives have been shaped by their upbringing in the West. And the voices coming from inside Iran are often those from more privileged backgrounds, particularly people who speak English and have access to international platforms. So what people hear is only a small piece of a much larger picture.
Iran is so much more than that. It is layered and complex, with the good and the bad, like any other country. For me, as an Iranian, that is what makes Iran so beautiful: the colour, the diversity, the history, the contradictions and the potential. I’m forever bound to that country. And that takes me to your question about what scares me about US imperialism. Sadly, many of the values associated with Western capitalism, individualism and racism have already been imported into the Global South, including Iran. These values are often presented as desirable, particularly to wealthy people around the world. So when we talk about decolonising our minds, I think that is paramount. We all need to question the Western values and habits that we have absorbed and ask ourselves why we see them as inherently better. As for how people can maintain their health and wellbeing during such dark times, I think we need to remember that wellness cannot be separated from the world around us. We cannot meditate our way out of injustice. Sometimes staying well means allowing yourself to grieve and feel the sadness and heartache, and then finding a like-minded community and ways to act rather than feeling completely powerless. And what gives me hope, and helps me stay sane during these dark times, is my faith. I’m a practising Muslim, and I believe in God. That doesn’t mean I sit back and do nothing. No, my faith gives me the strength to keep going and to trust in God’s plan.”

8. What is the single biggest challenge today in the work that you do?

LD: “Lack of time. My activism is self-funded, meaning I have to balance it with paid work and everything else life requires. So often the biggest challenge isn’t a lack of ideas or things I want to do, but simply having enough time and energy to turn those ideas into action.”

9. When it comes to animal rights, and human rights, how forgiving are you of people who are willfully ignorant?

LD: “This is an interesting question. I don’t see it as a question of whether I am forgiving or not. I always ask myself: how can I help the cause? What will me being harsh towards people, or criticising and belittling them, actually achieve? Will it help them change? It may sound cliché, but I truly believe in the power of compassion and kindness. That doesn’t mean I believe everyone is capable of change, or that we should excuse harmful behaviour. My focus is more on what I can do to make the world a little better.”

10. What is the biggest lesson that you have learned so far in the work that you do? What is the one piece of advice that you would give to others who may want to follow in your footsteps?

LD: “Be clear about your values first, and then build your activism around them. Don’t build your values around the movement you happen to be part of, and definitely don’t cut pieces of yourself away to fit into places that don’t accept your whole being. If they can’t see the value in all of you, perhaps that isn’t where you’re meant to be.”

Artist: Unknown

11. What role does love play in the work that you do? What do you love most about what you do?

LD: “For me, it has always been about alleviating the suffering of others. Call it love for humanity or love for God, but helping someone feel “seen” and not forgotten, helping them feel that they matter, is very important to me. Those moments when I feel that I’ve made someone feel seen in this world, even for a second, are what I love most about my work. And that applies to both humans and animals.”

12. I have become more cynical over the years with regards to having faith in our species to love all beings, and our only planet. What are your thoughts on the future of humanity and animals?

LD: “I’m also very pessimistic, but at the same time I know we cannot give up and give in. Is there a future for humanity? Maybe not, but there’s a future for some humans, and perhaps for some animals and ecosystems. The question is what kind of future we want to see and want to fight for. We have to keep doing what we can, even when we don’t know whether we will see the outcome. For me, hope isn’t necessarily believing that everything will work out. It’s just refusing to accept that suffering and injustice are inevitable. One thing I know for sure: it won’t be vegans helping animals and the planet.”

13. Why are so many anti-war, and “peace” organizations silent on animal rights, and the damage and suffering that is caused by the Western, or Standard American Diet (SAD)?

LD: “I believe it’s the same reason why animal rights activists are often silent on human rights issues. The majority of us, if not all, are taught about anti-oppression through a Western lens that lacks a thorough understanding of what it actually entails. So activists adopt a single-issue approach. Not only do we see the same oppressive methods and hierarchies reproduced across different social justice movements, but people also tend to focus on one form of oppression because, if we wanted to truly address all forms of oppression, we would need to be mindful of all our actions, constantly examining our own thoughts and behaviours. And that would be exhausting, wouldn’t it? People like things to be easy; we tend to choose the path of least resistance. True social justice work needs to include work on ourselves and on decolonising our mindsets. The two should go hand in hand.”

14. How concerned are you about losing “vegan” supporters due to your activism and commitment to truth and justice for everyone?

LD: “Not at all. My audience are not vegans. This might be controversial, but I actually think vegans can sometimes be less open to change than non-vegans. Vegans may feel that they are already doing the right thing, as if there’s nothing more they can do to improve. This can be even stronger among intersectional vegans, who believe they understand how different forms of oppression are connected because they’re not only fighting for animals but also for human rights. When you see yourself as one of the “good people”, it can become much harder to recognise when you are reproducing the very hierarchies or forms of oppression you believe you are fighting. Having the language of intersectionality is not the same as actually practising it. In fact, I think sometimes it can give people a sense of moral superiority and make them less willing to question themselves. Since October 7, I’ve come to realise that much of my effort within vegan circles was wasted energy. And to be honest, I should probably have started by saying that I’ve already lost many vegan supporters, maybe not necessarily individuals, but the majority of vegan and animal rights organisations no longer support my work. But I’m not trying to build an audience by telling people what they want to hear. I’m trying to do work that is consistent with my values. If speaking up about human rights, Palestine, racism, colonialism and other forms of oppression means losing people who would otherwise support me, then that is a price I’m willing to pay.”

Leila Dehghan (Kung Fu Training)

15. What is one thing other than human rights, animal rights, and Mother Earth that you are most passionate about? Why?

LD: “Martial arts. I’ve been fascinated by them since a very young age. I used to practise karate until I was introduced to Shaolin Kung Fu, and despite many setbacks, injuries as well as life circumstances that have prevented me from training at different times, I always find my way back to it as soon as I can. What fascinates me about martial arts is not only the limits of what the body can achieve, but also the mental clarity and groundedness that come with it. For me, it is not really about becoming stronger or more powerful. It is about learning how to use both the body and the mind with purpose, and ultimately for something greater than yourself. I’m drawn to the core ideas of martial arts, which are often depicted in legends and myths: the idea of the warrior who stands up to injustice, protects those who cannot protect themselves, and does the right thing even when it comes at a personal cost. There is something deeply inspiring to me about that indomitable spirit, the refusal to surrender in the face of injustice. I once heard a Korean saying that really stayed with me: “A sword is not to kill, but to protect what we hold dear.” Whether or not these ideals always exist in reality, I think they represent something worth aspiring to. Strength is about having the courage to protect what matters to us.”

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

16. Have you lost or gained more friends by championing human & animal rights, and going plant-based (vegan)? What would you tell a young person who is afraid of losing the support of family and friends by going vegan, and speaking up for humans, animal rights, and Mother Earth?

LD: “Initially, I gained many new friends and felt I had finally found my tribe. But since October 7, I’ve lost many vegan “friends”. Interestingly enough, though, I’ve also met a few animal-loving, justice-oriented non-vegans. What I’ve learned after 13 years of animal rights advocacy and even more years as an anti-racist activist is that you will lose friends and opportunities. But at the end of the day, even when I’m struggling, I can look into the mirror and proudly say that I’m standing up for my values. As clichéd as it sounds, that is priceless. My activism has also led me to meet some incredibly interesting and inspiring people. Some of them may no longer be with us, but I would never have met them otherwise. And in a way, I know I’m not alone, even though I may not have many friends. So, to a young person who is afraid of losing the support of their family and friends, I would say: don’t make decisions based on fear of being alone. If you feel passionate about something, pursue it, because if you don’t, there’ll always be a void in you that will eventually catch up with you. Just start. You don’t have to have all the answers. Yes, you may lose some people along the way, but you may also find people you would never have met otherwise, people who see the world in a similar way and who will walk alongside you.”

17. Where can people go to support Plant-Based Health Justice, and the vital work that you do?

LD: “I appreciate this question. People can visit the Plant-Based Health Justice website to donate or enrol in one of the courses I offer. All proceeds from the Understanding Islamophobia & Anti-Muslim Racism course, and 20% of the proceeds from the Plant-Based Sports & Exercise Nutrition course, are donated to animal shelters in Iran. For me, being able to provide practical support for animals in Iran is incredibly important, especially because they receive so little international attention and support. So, if people feel inclined to support our work, there are several ways they can do so: by donating, taking one of the courses, or simply sharing our work and helping more people find us. Every bit of support helps us continue the work, and ultimately helps us support animals who have very few people advocating for them.”

Artist: Unknown

18. What is the one big idea, or lesson, that you would like to teach young people?

LD: “Kindness goes a long way. Don’t get so caught up in your ambitions, life goals or even your activism that you forget to be kind. It’s easy to become so focused on the bigger things, on the end goal, that we forget to be kind while trying to achieve it. The end doesn’t justify the means. And remember, kindness doesn’t mean turning the other cheek or staying quiet when someone steps on your foot. I guess we all need to relearn how to be kind without being submissive, and how to stand up for ourselves and others without losing our compassion.

19. What is one of your favorite stories that you love to share about your experience so far with your advocacy, and Plant-Based Health Justice?

LD: “One of my favourite experiences was working with a Filipino group to translate my “Go Vegan” course into Tagalog. There were three Filipino vegans involved, and since I had received a grant from Thrive Philanthropy, I was able to pay them for their work. What stayed with me was how much it meant to them to have their contribution formally recognised and valued. Many activists from the Global South are used to contributing their time and skills simply because they care. There is so much passion and generosity, but sometimes that passion is taken for granted. People are expected to volunteer because they love the cause, while similar work in the Global North is more likely to be funded and recognised as professional expertise. For me, being able to pay these activists was about more than simply compensating them for their time. It was about saying: your knowledge, your language and your work have value. You deserve to be recognised for it. It also reinforced something I strongly believe in now: if we genuinely want to amplify voices from the Global South, we need to fund them. It is not enough to invite people into spaces, ask them to share their knowledge and then expect them to contribute for free.”

“In 1945, two-thirds of the world was not part of this conversation (establishing what is universal & what is international law). It doesn’t work this way. You cannot decide what is universal out of power, out of the structure of power. It has to be a consensus process…you cannot avoid that dialogue. You cannot impose your Western values, whatever they are, on the rest of the world and call them international…The reason international law does not defend the Palestinians from genocide in Gaza is not Donald Trump. The reason is that the international system is not built to defend (against) a Western supremacist project like Zionism…Palestine is still an open wound of colonialism. Nelson Mandela had a different version of it. South Africa will never be free if Palestine is not free.”
– Israeli Historian Ilan Pappe

20. Where do you see yourself, and our world, in 3-5 years?

LD: “My goal is to help bridge the gap that has been created between Islam, Muslims and animals. I believe much of that separation is the result of colonial ideas and Western frameworks that have shaped how we understand both Islam and animal advocacy. I want to challenge those narratives and create space for a different conversation, one that recognises the rich traditions of compassion towards animals within Islam and the diversity of ways Muslims around the world relate to animals, food and the environment. Over the next three to five years, I want to see my work grow beyond individual courses and projects. I want to advocate more strongly for animals in West Asia, particularly animals in Iran, while also supporting Muslims around the world to reclaim their own voices and knowledge rather than constantly having to fit themselves into Western frameworks. I hope to build a community of people who believe that animal advocacy, human rights, climate justice and decolonisation cannot be separated. And I hope more people will join us, whether that means supporting our work financially, taking part in our courses and projects, sharing our resources, or simply helping amplify voices and stories that are too often ignored. Ultimately, what I envision is a decolonial future: one where we are no longer looking to the West to tell us what justice, compassion, liberation or even ethical relationships with animals should look like. The future is decolonial.”

Thank you again Leila for your thoughtful and enlightening responses, and for all that you do! 🙂

Dream Team?

Malala Yousafzai Sign – Women’s March on DC

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” – Rosa Parks

I was thinking the other day of a Dream Team of the top 5 female role models that I would love to invite to speak in my classroom.
Here are the first 5 names that came to mind (sadly, the greats, Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), Agnes Edna Ryan (1878-1954), and Rosa Parks (1913-2005) are no longer with us…well, I did say Dream Team, right?)

1. Francesca Albanese
2. Susan Abulhawa
3. Greta Thunberg
4. Noura Erakat
and 5. Leila Dehghan!

There are many other game changers as well, but these were the first 5 names that I wrote down. 🙂

Attention All Schools: Silence = Complicity

Classroom Banner

“By discouraging critical thinking, schools ensure a docile and compliant population.”
– Educator & Author John Taylor Gatto

“We should be honest with young people; we should not deceive them. We should be honest about the history of our country.”
– Educator & Historian Howard Zinn

I hung the banner above in my classroom with “Free Palestine” written across the top, and other inspiring slogans printed below. I was surprised, and humbled, to realize that I soon had a handful of older students with diverse backgrounds, who wanted to hang out in my classroom during lunch & after school, including one in particular who proudly told me that she was Palestinian & Mexican. I wasn’t their teacher but I was reminded of the importance for all of us to be recognized, validated, and celebrated.
I was lucky on many levels because the school was run by a great group of people, and overall, the students were, as they say, awesome. Leila’s words from our interview above reminded me of the importance of “alleviating the suffering of others”.
As per Leila, “Call it love for humanity or love for God, but helping someone feel “seen” and not forgotten, helping them feel that they matter, is very important to me. Those moments when I feel that I’ve made someone feel seen in this world, even for a second, are what I love most about my work. And that applies to both humans and animals.”

It was quite a contrast to this school year, where I was dismissed by a NYC public school (Upper East Side of Manhattan, which again, has the highest concentration of millionaires & billionaires in the world) for calling the Genocide in Gaza, a Genocide. The top administrators suggested that it was anti-semitic to make such a statement and therefore, I was told, I was no longer welcome in their school. And this, as we enter the 4th year of the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza, one of the worst crimes in human history. I explained the importance of telling our students the truth, and how over 25 major humanitarian organizations have all concluded that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza. It didn’t matter. Like most racists I have known, the school’s administrators wanted no part of a meaningful conversation, or the truth. As I was escorted out, I felt disgusted, and sorry for the young people in that school.

Unforgivably, the NYC Department of Education remains “neutral”, or worse, on the US-Israeli Genocide in Occupied Palestine. Don’t they know that “you can’t be neutral on a moving train”, and that silence is complicity? (more to follow)

Who will Stop the US-Israeli Axis from Causing Nuclear Annihilation?

Hiroshima after US bombing (1945)

Gaza after Israel-US bombing (2025)

“The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was an act of premeditated mass murder that unleashed a weapon of intrinsic criminality. It was justified by lies that form the bedrock of America’s war propaganda in the 21st Century, casting a new enemy and target, China. During the 75 years since Hiroshima, the most enduring lie is that the atomic bomb was dropped to end the war in the Pacific and to save lives.” – Filmmaker & Author John Pilger

Lastly, it appears as though the US-Israeli axis is talking about the use of nuclear weapons once again, in the latest development of their illegal, and immoral, war of aggression on Iran. Since October 7, 2023, it is estimated that Israel, and the US, have dropped a tonnage of explosives equivalent to at least 6-8 atomic bombs or “6 Hiroshimas” on Gaza (which is about 70,000 tons of targeted explosives). Over the last 3 years, the US-Israeli e US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza has killed an estimated 680,000 of our brothers, sisters, and children in Palestine (if this number is confirmed, 380,000 of those murdered are infants under five). What else do we need to know about Israel & the United States? This is who they are.
Click here to learn how the latest Israeli airstrikes shredded children, and destroyed a Gaza school.

The United States & Israel normalize greed, lies, suffering, terror, mass-murder, and genocide. Now the hegemonic US empire, the only country to ever use nuclear weapons against another country, wants to normalize nuclear annihilation, and the use of nuclear weapons against our brothers, sisters, and children in Iran. The US is a criminal state that is run by psychopaths (corporations and billionaires). No country in history has murdered more innocent people, and it’s not even close. Since dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki with impunity, the US has killed TENS of MILLIONS more innocent people, and not a single US “leader” has ever been held responsible. Until the US creates a mechanism of accountability, moral catastrophes will only continue to happen. Again, this is who they are. The United States & Israel are the two greatest threats to the survival of our species.
Click here to learn more about how US hegemony opens the doors to hell, and nuclear annihilation.
Click here to learn more about the latest No Nukes March in NYC.

Leila in Iran with a street cat.

Leila Dehghan is visiting Iran this month, and shared this message on social media:
“To those of you in the West who oppose a nuclear attack on Iran:
Don’t wait until it happens to speak out.
Don’t wait for the images, the death toll, the radiation and the devastation.
If you’re against this, do something NOW. Put pressure on your governments. Take to the streets. Make your opposition heard.
Because once a nuclear bomb is dropped, your protests and expressions of solidarity will be too late.”

Zionism is Racism is Fascism.

“There is no way through this moment without reckoning with that ideology (Zionism) that has constructed very vividly and explicitly that Jewish life is supreme and that Palestinians not only are inferior, but are not even eligible for the category of human. And on that basis, have the right to maim, kill, steal, destroy, harm, and then be coddled by the world because they’re doing it from a place of trauma…there is no form of Zionism that was ever not discriminatory and based on a form of racial supremacy. Period.”
– Professor and Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat

The Bottom Line? Like millions of others, these are indeed the darkest times of my adult life. The United States and Israel continue to commit one of the worst crimes in human history, the genocide in Gaza, while concurrently mass-murdering mostly non-white people throughout the world. And now both countries are threatening to use nuclear weapons on Iran. Requisitely, racial supremacy is baked into the colonizing psyche of both the hegemonic US Empire, and the genocidal state and society of Israel. Inspired by greed and unchecked power, the United States has killed MILLIONS of innocent people in the last 20 years alone, via sanctions, war crimes, illegal wars and occupations, and acts of genocide. Is it any surprise then, that per capita, the United States also slaughters more innocent animals than any other major power too?

“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” – Howard Zinn

On behalf of all animals, humanity, and Mother Earth, I would like to thank Leila Dehghan for all of her “small acts” of kindness, and true inspiration. She is a game changer, and someone that I am proud to know. For me, Leila is a breath of fresh air. She makes all the right connections, and convinces us that a “decolonized” world is within our grasp. She is smart, humble, passionate, and morally consistent on the biggest issues facing our world today. A caring, sensitive soul, Leila is also a fighter with a big heart. Again, what’s not to love? Thank you Leila! 🙂

Just one more thing: I have learned from outstanding journalists, artists, authors and professors that it is important to remember that our Palestinian brothers & sisters are not victims, but freedom fighters. And although they have off the charts courage, they are only human too. Which is why I wanted to share this heartening video of young Palestinians dancing on the rubble in Gaza. 🙂
Click here for the “We are the Al-Kuffiyeh Team from Gaza” video.

All Children are Our Children!

Until next time…

Sending love to Palestine, Iran, Cuba, Lebanon, Venezuela, and all targets of the hegemonic US Empire.

FREE PALESTINE!Artist: Carlos Latuff

*Adopt a Plant-Based diet today, and feel good about yourself. No animal will have to suffer and die in order for you to live. Plus, you will greatly reduce your risk of premature death from chronic disease, promote peace, and lessen your carbon footprint.

Israel = Nazis = US Rulers = EVIL = ICE = US Corporate Media = GENOCIDE = World War III?