Vegan Teens Are The Future Scholarship

I became vegan because I could no longer ignore the blatant violation of animal rights. Every year, countless animals endure unimaginable suffering, stripped of their lives in a world that prides itself on being "modern." The existence of slaughterhouses and the senseless killing of over a trillion land and marine animals annually, just for a fleeting moment of taste on someone’s plate, is unjust, cruel, and immoral. All sentient beings, regardless of species, experience pain and suffering. It is our moral duty to minimize this pain, not to be the cause of it. Over 100,000 animals have been killed since you started reading. Growing up as a vegetarian, I believed I was causing no harm to animals. However, I was unaware of the horrors within the dairy, egg, honey, animal entertainment, fashion, and testing industries. These industries perpetuate the lie of "humane" treatment, but the reality is far more sinister. "Animals go into the slaughterhouse alive and come out chopped into pieces, and people like to think something humane happens along the way." The idea of "humane killing" is an oxymoron, a falsehood designed to comfort those who don’t want to face the truth. No compassion is found in the slaughterhouse; only suffering and death. I became an overnight vegan 2.5 years ago and for the past year, I have been passionately advocating for this ethical movement. Veganism for me is a deep-seated conviction that all animals deserve respect and the right to live free from exploitation. We live in an era where exploiting animals is entirely unnecessary. We do not need to consume their bodies or secretions to be healthy; according to ADA, "well-planned plant-based diet is optimal at all stages of life." My passion was awakened by activists whose powerful messages awakened me to the full extent of the atrocities committed against animals. Their words fueled my determination to give everything I have in this social justice movement. All sentient beings, regardless of species, deserve the same respect and rights as any human. The fight against speciesism is a fight for equality and justice. My commitment to veganism extends beyond my lifestyle. I engage in online activism, run my vegan Instagram account (@vegan_principle), and regularly debate and educate others about the harsh realities of animal exploitation. I take pride in having turned my sister and parents vegan. Every time I hang out with friends, I ensure we visit fully vegan restaurants so that no one consumes animal bodies or their products, and we support vegan businesses. These small actions create ripples that contribute to a larger wave of change. As a future psychiatrist, I plan to integrate my passion for veganism into my career. Diet plays a crucial role in mental and physical health, and I will advocate for a plant-based diet as part of my patients' treatment plans, offering them resources and references to plant-based healthcare providers. This approach benefits not only my future patients but also the animals and the planet. I am committed to advancing the development of psychiatric medications without the use of animal testing. I will advocate for and utilize alternative research methods, such as in vitro testing and computational models, collaborating with organizations dedicated to reducing animal testing. Policy advocacy to promote non-animal methods and educating others about the importance of human-based studies will be integral to my work, ensuring that my practice aligns with my values. My goal is to create a future where animal exploitation is a dark history. By merging my education, activism, and career, I aim to inspire change, promote respect for all beings, and end systemic oppression.

Serendipitously discovering a documentary on plant-based nutrition during the COVID-19 quarantine catalyzed a radical change in my lifestyle and the trajectory of my future. As my father and I sat together, captivated by emotional stories and compelling evidence, we embarked upon our transition to a plant-based lifestyle. I had discovered my life’s purpose: to harness my love for science and food to help others. As I reflect upon my life, it now seems inevitable that I would pursue this path. As a child, I found joy in watching BrainPop’s science videos, sketching the DNA helices as the animated robot brought them to life on screen. Food was always a familial source of joy; I fondly remember my siblings and I sneaking bread dough from our dad, delighting in the creation of miniature loaves. Finally, for years I witnessed my grandfather’s ongoing battle with type 2 diabetes. Until my plant-based diet epiphany, I had no idea that there might be something I could do to help. A few months later, I conducted a week-long, plant-based experiment, and it became a defining moment in my journey. Cooking strictly plant-based meals for my grandparents, father, and siblings, I tested their vitals and blood markers (heart rate, oxygen, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL cholesterol) before and after, and compared the data. The results only strengthened my resolve to research and promote medical nutrition. My activism took many other forms, including bringing nutritious meals to my high school class to destigmatize plant-based foods, creating a website cataloging the best resources on relationships between plant-based foods and specific conditions (e.g. autoimmune disease, cancer, etc.), and engaging in small-scale activism–sparking relevant conversation with individuals, often leaving both parties inspired. These mark the beginning of my journey, which I hope to whole-heartedly continue in college. I hope to, if possible, major in nutrition or biomedical sciences, supplemented by minors in environmental studies, public health, or medical anthropology. This interdisciplinary education will allow me to deepen my knowledge of the health science of food while delving into environmental impacts and sociological and political complexities that underlie the change that I strive to make. Further, I am excited by the possibility of participating in cutting-edge research, whether that be on diet’s effects on the microbiome, specific implications of plant-based living for chronic disease, or otherwise. With all I would learn from the interdisciplinary education, I strive to contribute as well. After my undergraduate education, I will pursue a PhD and, later, visualize teaching as a post-secondary professor. By doing so, I will contribute to the vibrant world of academia, advancing research on the relationship between a plant-based diet and chronic disease while also passionately educating future generations. These years of research and further exploration of plant-based nutrition science will prepare my activist self for my ultimate dream, the culmination of my education and unbridled passion. Armed with my personal and others’ research on plant-based nutrition, I aspire to demonstrate to healthcare systems and insurance companies that it is truly in their, and their insureds’, interest to meaningfully integrate plant-based nutrition into the healthcare system as prevention and treatment of our leading killers. This is the lasting change I actively pursue and how I hope to help improve, and potentially save, the lives of many struggling with chronic disease. Maximizing my personal growth, intellectual innovation, and interpersonal relationships from my college years, I intend to chase my dreams and foster an improved healthcare system that is more sustainable, effective, and affordable. I am inspired further by hope that my contributions will evoke lasting change and healthier lives.