12 Plant-based Women Making History
Happy #InternationalWomensDay!
To celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth we’re highlighting 12 of the most powerful women in the plant-based world. These women are shining examples of how beneficial the plant-based lifestyle is for individuals and our planet.
Miyoko Schinner
When Miyoko isn’t busy building one of the most successful (and delicious) dairy-free artisanal cheese companies in the World, she’s hanging out on her sanctuary Rancho Compasion in Northern California, providing the best life for animals that were born into the animal agriculture industry and once destined for slaughter.
Miyoko quite literally wrote the book on gourmet vegan cuisine along with several others, pioneering the way for the exponentially growing plant-based product market. Miyoko also serves on the board of the Plant Based Foods Association, changing the entire food industry through education and eliminating policies and practices hindering plant-based product industry growth.
Chloe Coscarelli
This super star chef made her mark on the hit TV show Cupcake Wars as the first vegan to win a culinary competition on television at the age of 23. Chloe has since published four best-selling cookbooks, and was featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her part in developing the rapidly expanding by CHLOE restaurants worldwide.
Today she owns Miami eatery Chef Chloe and the Vegan Cafe, makes regular appearances on The Today Show and showcases her creative cuisine at nearly every vegan event in the country. She is never not promoting the infinite ways that plant-based food can be prepared to satisfy anyone.
Haile Thomas
At just 12 years young, Haile founded HAPPY (Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth) to help youth and families, particualrly in underserved and at-risk communities, understand and utilize the power of a plant-based lifestyle. Through fun and engaging programs in schools and summer camps, kids are empowered with resources, education, and skills to enjoy plant-based foods— encouraging them to continue with the plant-based lifestyle for life.
This year she turned 18 and became the youngest Certified Integrative Health Coach in the US. Without a doubt, there’s a bright future in store for this ambitious leader.
Suzy Amis Cameron
Suzy Amis Cameron began her career as a model in the 80s, but her true passion for the environment prompted her to switch to a plant-based diet in 2012 and develop a number of philanthropic ventures including the US’s first 100% plant-based, solar powered zero-waste K-12 school, MUSE in Calabasas, CA.
As the wife of one of Hollywood’s most prominent directors, James Cameron, Suzy noticed a lack of sustainability in the fashion industry and created the initiative Red Carpet Green Dress to collaborate with world renowned fashion designers and celebrities showcasing sustainably sourced gowns and tuxedos at Hollywood’s hottest award shows and events.
She and her husband also created the Plant Power Task Force in 2014, an organization raising awareness of the impact animal agriculture has on the climate and our environment, while promoting plant-based foods as a viable solution to solve complex problems in the food industry.
Most recently Suzy published OMD: The Simple, Plant-Based Program to Save Your Health, Save Your Waistline, and Save The Planet. The acronym OMD stands for One Meal a Day, proving through science that by simply switching one meat and dairy based meal with one plant-based meal a day, one can improve personal health and decrease their environmental impact.
Taryn Rasgon
Taryn of Vegetaryn has cornered the plant-based fashion market offering ethically sourced apparel & accessories made in her home town of Los Angeles featuring clever [see also: cute] designs like “Not Milk.”, “I Come In Peas”, and “I Think Therefore I Yam”. She’s also the proud owner of BizBabes, a co-working community space exclusively for women in Downtown LA.
Taryn travels all over the country promoting her brand and sharing all of her favorite food finds along the way. We can’t wait to see what this badass babe has up her organic sleeves next!
Angela Davis
The epitome of progress, Angela Davis has been at the forefront of both the human rights and animal rights revolutions as a social scholar and counterculture activist since the 60s.
“I think there is a connection between, and I can’t go further than this, the way we treat animals and the way we treat people who are at the bottom of the hierarchy. Look at the ways in which people who commit such violence on other human beings have often learned how to enjoy that by enacting violence on animals. So there are a lot of ways we can talk about this.”
Aria
Aria breathes positivity and passion into everything she does. She captivates her audience with gorgeous, simple recipes and adds in daily mindfulness reminders — all while being a total boss at her hectic corporate job in one of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley. Grab your copy of her free eBook, or purchase her Mealprep Is Your Superpower eBook featuring mealprep tips, an organized shopping list, and recipes.
I feel so fortunate to personally know this beautiful ray of sunshine and can’t wait to see how she continues to use her influence to promote the many advantages of a plant-based lifestyle.
Lauren Von Der Pool
This absolute bombshell fills the World with vibrance and virtue through her plant-based cuisine cookbooks and prepares for two of the most fierce female athletes of our time, Serena and Venus Williams. Lauren also served as an executive chef for Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign promoting healthy food and preventing childhood obesity.
Lisa Helfman
Inspired by her children’s love for fresh fruit and the transformation she experienced when consuming more fresh foods, Lisa founded Brighter Bites to bring fresh produce and nutrition education to food banks and schools in underserved communities.
“By giving kids access to fresh, nutritious food and showing them how to make the most of it, we help turn healthy habits into something even better: healthy lifestyles.”
Christina Rees
Christina Rees is one of several plant-based members of parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom. As a teenager Christina watched a documentary on slaughterhouses, the horrific reality of what goes on in the meat industry made her instantly become vegan. She has never looked back.
An insightful leader, she has used her position to encourage vegan business, stating that it is a “huge opportunity for our economy” as “[t]he vegan market is experiencing exponential growth. . .” Additionally, she has worked to bring vegan and vegetarian options to retirement facilities, schools, hospitals, and jails; in the hopes of creating a kinder and more environmentally sustainable society.
Babette Davis
Babette Davis transformed her health at the age of 40 when she discovered the healing powers of food and fitness. At 67 (!!!!) this beauty shares her wisdom and experience with the World through fitness videos and feeds her community wholesome, plant-based soul food at her restaurant Stuff I Eat in Inglewood, CA.
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is best known as one of the original supermodels and has been plant-based since the age of 12. At the age of 65 she is proving how effective a plant-based diet and exercise can be in maintaining a healthy, happy lifestyle.
Each and every one of these powerful plant-based women have made their mark for future generations to learn from and become inspired to make the World a better place. This list was made with the help of my plant-based friends Connie, Kendall, and John.
Who are the plant-based women you admire? I’d love to discover more role models in this ever-changing World.