Volunteer Spotlight: Claire
Our February volunteer of the month is Claire! Although she is relatively new to both veganism and activism, she’s an amazing example and her story is truly inspiring. She spends a LOT of time fostering kittens and volunteering for local animal shelters, which is what led her to veganism. So many self-proclaimed animal lovers have a knee-jerk reaction and get defensive when someone/something makes them question their eating habits. I think we can all agree that if more people were honest with themselves and open-minded like Claire, the world would be a much better place. Thanks so much for your devotion to helping ALL kinds of animals, Claire! We are very happy that you found us and are so involved in our group.
My name is Claire Gemmer and I’m a senior at IUPUI studying communication. I have been vegan for a little over a year now. All my life I loved animals but it wasn’t until I started fostering kittens and volunteering with local animal shelters that I started to make the connection–the connection that all animals deserve respect and value life. I realized how unfair it was for me to care so deeply for kittens while still putting meat on my plate every day. At that point I became vegetarian and dove into research about animal agriculture. I quickly became vegan after learning more about the horrors of the dairy industry.
I sought out activism groups because I truly wanted to do more than just eating vegan. I wanted to live the vegan lifestyle and help others make the connection I had made. I found Indiana Animal Rights Alliance and immediately felt at home with other like-minded and compassionate people. I have been a part of numerous events and protests with the IARA, I have made lifelong friends, I have learned how important it is to speak up for animals, and I believe I have really changed the way others think about eating animals. I love being vegan and I love standing up and using my voice for the innocent. It’s up to us to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
