Youth Gone Wild

Need a little inspiration as winter takes its final toll on your spirit? Let the creative, effective activism of these young superstars warm the cockles of your frozen heart! If your activism has been hibernating this winter, stories of these pint-sized (well, some of them) powerhouses will help you shake off your slumber!

Name: Hannah Kaminsky
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.
Age: 21
Why we’re watching: There are scads of ways to make the world a better place for animals, but none more delectable than Kaminsky’s approach. Kaminsky, whose first cookbook, My Sweet Vegan, was published when she was still a teenager, is turning the world toward compassionate living one dessert at a time. “While I don’t go to rallies or demonstrations specifically for animal rights, I do introduce people to the idea that it isn’t hard to go vegan, and there are many benefits,” she says. This kitchen alchemist is known for her habit-forming treats—we’re talking super-tasty fudge, cakes, cookies, and pies—but her talents aren’t limited to the culinary sphere; she’s also a prolific photographer, popular blogger, and crafter extraordinaire. “Veganism is all about preventing cruelty to animals, so I just want to get more people baking without using animal products,” says Kaminsky. “Every little bit helps.”
Year I went vegan: 2003
If I were president I’d: Tax animal products heavily, if not ban them altogether
Tofu or seitan: Die-hard tofu fan right here!

Name: Patrick Kwan
Hometown: New York, NY
Age: 28
Why we’re watching: In his fantasy alternate universe, Kwan is a vegan restaurateur and food critic. In real life, the New York City native is a kick-ass animal advocate and blogger who has worked to improve the lives of animals since high school, when he founded the Student Animal Rights Alliance (SARA). At SARA’s helm, Kwan organized a series of popular national animal-rights conferences and trained thousands of students in the art of activism. As New York State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, he uses his well-honed skills to raise awareness about important issues ranging from canned hunts to puppy mills. Oh yeah: He’s also known for his ability to whip up gourmet vegan feasts. Besides multi-course meals, Kwan stays motivated through humor, which he finds in small things. “Especially bad haircuts, which I get all the time,” he says. With so many successes already under his belt, there’s no telling what Kwan will accomplish next, but let’s just say we think the Big Apple could definitely handle one more vegan restaurant. Just sayin’.
Year I went vegan: 1995
Hidden talent: Classical clarinetist
Tofu or seitan: Tofu. You can’t make desserts with seitan

Name: Nicole Lapin
Age: 25
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
Why we’re watching: As a CNN Live Anchor, Lapin is the future. “There’s already bigger desire overall to get your news on demand. Anchoring commercial-free live news online caters to that ‘choose your own adventure’ newscast of the future.” Not only is Lapin herself an impressive example of what young people with drive can do—ie., the aforementioned anchoring—this longtime vegan’s also made it her work to highlight others with her weekly segment “Young People Who Rock.” Of her subjects she says, “[These] are young people who prove the world is in good hands. This generation is not only impressive, we are a group of talented, motivated, don’t-take-no-for-an-answer leaders in politics, business, entertainment, and social activism.” Recently, CNN hired Lapin to anchor its Worldwide Exchange news program.
Year I went vegan: 2002
Personal hero: Wonder Woman
What I hope to accomplish before I’m 30: Overcome my Blackberry addiction

Name: John Phillips
Hometown: New York, NY
Age: 24
Why we’re watching: How many 24-year-olds do you know who hold the title of Executive Director of, well, anything? Back in 2004 when he was just 19, Phillips landed the top spot at the New York League of Humane Voters (NYLHV), a non-profit that supports animal rights by getting animal-friendly politicians elected into office. Phillips’ bipartisan approach to getting the job done means he might work with Republican State Senator Frank Padavan one day, and Democratic Governor David Paterson the next. Always building alliances with grace and poise, Phillips never lets his focus lapse from the ultimate goal: bettering the lives of animals. “John is a very strong person,” says friend and colleague Daniel Elstein. “He knows that the stakes are too high to get distracted.” Any chance he’ll be pursuing politics himself? “No,” he says. “I have the best job ever.
Year I went vegan: 1999
What I hope to accomplish before I’m 30: To see NYC’s horse-drawn carriages banned and replaced with antique hybrid or electric cars
If I were president I’d: Turn the White House into a farmed-animal sanctuary

Name: Nathan Runkle
Age: 25
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Why we’re watching: It’s simple: before Runkle turns 30, he wants to have inspired a million people to go veg. Considering not only that by the time 2014 rolls around he will have been an activist for half of his life, and the incredible momentum his work through Mercy For Animals (MFA) generates, making a million vegetarians doesn’t seem quite so far-fetched for one person. As Runkle says, “All of history’s most famous social-justice leaders recognized just how powerful each of us truly is in changing the world.” Since founding MFA at age 15, Runkle’s been working non-stop, and plans are in the works to expand all of the group’s operations including grassroots outreach, pro-veg ad campaigns, and undercover investigations—like the one obtained at Norco Ranch, a California egg producer, which captured the horrific lives of egg-laying hens during the successful Proposition 2 campaign. Runkle’s advice for garnering media attention: “Be creative … and always speak the truth.”
Year I went vegan: 1999
Why activism: As Alice Walker wrote, “Activism is my rent for living on this planet”
If I were president I’d: Work to ensure that all animals, including farmed animals, are guaranteed the same protections under the law