Vegan Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams was featured on a recent episode of “Thriver Thursday,” a weekly series hosted by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. The segment—which spotlights people who have overcome difficult circumstances to find success—highlighted Adams’ personal childhood experience with police brutality which led him to a life of public service, including serving with the New York City Police department for 22 years (as an effort to affect change from within) before becoming the first person of color to be elected as the Brooklyn borough president. The segment also spotlights Adams’ struggle with type 2 diabetes—which led him to partially lose his sight and mobility and receive a prognosis from his doctor that he would likely lose fingers and toes due to nerve damage—and his incredible success in overcoming the illness through a whole foods plant-based diet. 

“A thriver is a person who steps beyond their comfort zone,” Adams said. “We’re much more than we were told we are. The first step of going from just surviving to thriving is to believe you don’t just have to survive; you can thrive. Thanks, Robin Roberts, for sharing my Thriver Thursday story.” 

Adams, who follows the motto of turning pain into purpose, was elected as Brooklyn’s president in 2014 and transitioned to a plant-based diet in 2016. During his career, he has used his platform to help his constituents and fellow New Yorkers gain control of their health through several initiatives, including spearheading a plant-based medicine program within the city’s largest medical system NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Adams has continued his commitment to public service by helping to hand out plant-based meals to those in need and creating a public service announcement—with the help of 40 medical professionals—to encourage New Yorkers of color (who are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic) to go vegan.  

Adams is currently running for mayor of NYC in the 2021 election and, if elected, would become the city’s first vegan mayor.

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