Clueless actress Alicia Silverstone was honored with the Hope Award at the “Hidden Heroes Gala” this weekend in Los Angeles. The annual event is organized by animal-rights group Mercy For Animals (MFA) to honor individuals working to end the exploitation of farmed animals, such as MFA’s own undercover investigators. Prior to accepting the award, Silverstone was presented with a tribute video that featured celebrities such as award-winning actress Kathleen Turner, comedian Tig Notaro, and Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson, who praised the actress for her work in animal advocacy. In addition to Silverstone, the event—which raised more than $1.2 million to support MFA’s ongoing advocacy—was hosted by actress Daniella Monet and welcomed vegan celebrities such as Harry Potter’s Evanna Lynch, Bones’ Emily Deschanel, and beauty mogul Kat Von D. “I’ve been to many galas in the past, but this one represented a true shift: veganism is in the zeitgeist like never before, and farmed animal suffering is no longer a fringe concern,” VegNews Senior Editor Jasmin Singer, who reported live from the event for VegNews, said. “MFA amplified the voices of brave undercover investigators, and thus brought much-needed mainstream awareness to farmed animal issues.” All guests, including Singer, were treated to an array of vegan food such as a cheese plate from Kite Hill, tomato-based “ahimi” sushi by Ocean Hugger Foods, and a Beyond Meat-based meatloaf that Singer is still dreaming about. “Providing outstanding vegan food is the most effective way to create change for animals, and MFA delivered,” Singer said. “This star-studded event was the talk of the town.”
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