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Sitting at the dining table eating chicken nuggets one day, 3-year-old Genesis asked her mother, ‘Where do these come from?’ When she found out an animal had been killed to make chicken nuggets, Genesis decided she would never eat them again. In fact, that day, Genesis decided she would never eat meat again.
Passionate about the cause and determined to make a difference, Genesis gathered the rest of her family and announced the reasons they should follow her in going vegetarian. This was not easy since their favourite family meal was chicken nuggets! But Genesis succeeded.
A year later, Genesis sat with her mother as she breastfed her younger sister and another thought came into her head. She asked, ‘Mum, where does the milk I drink come from?’ Her mother explained that milk comes from cows. Suddenly Genesis realised that taking milk from a cow would be like taking her mum’s milk and feeding it to other humans instead of her little sister. That day, Genesis decided she would stop eating and drinking dairy products. Genesis persuaded her family to join her again!
Genesis felt proud to be making a difference in the wellbeing of animals and the planet. She wanted to inspire others to do the same. So she set up an Instagram account and shared her life as a vegan child. She also attended vegan rights protests and was a subject in the documentary called ‘Vegan: Everyday Stories.’ Her Instagram account grew and attracted lots of attention.
When she was 10 years old, she was invited to deliver a TED talk. Whilst preparing for her TED talk, Genesis learnt that following a vegan diet was not only good for animals, but it was better for the environment too! Genesis has since founded her own charity called Genesis for Animals. The money raised goes towards sanctuaries that provide animals with a permanent home. This includes paying for food, shelter, transport and vet visits.
Genesis wants to make sure that no young animal rights activists get put off by critical people. She says, ‘Some people think extending kindness to all species is a weakness, but it’s actually a superpower. So don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad or crazy for having empathy for animals.’
