Before the Rev. Dr. Robert Turner relocates to Baltimore, he will host a special event at the Historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church: On Tuesday, he and members of his church will join PETA supporters as they dish up free vegan burgers for members of the community and invite them to join PETA’s new food justice campaign, which calls on the government to redirect meat, egg, and dairy industry subsidies as incentives for grocers in food deserts to stock fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy, humane vegan foods. At the event, PETA will also give away its new vegan meal starter kits—environmentally friendly grocery bags stuffed with tofu, fresh fruits and vegetables, recipes, and more.
When: Tuesday, October 19, 12 noon
Where: Historic Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church, 311 N. Greenwood Ave., Tulsa
“From Tulsa to Baltimore, Black families deserve to have the same access to fresh, healthy food that families in wealthy white neighborhoods already enjoy,” says Rev. Turner. “Food justice is racial justice, and I’m pleased to see PETA addressing this issue nationwide.”
The U.S. government spends about $38 billion in tax money each year to subsidize the meat, egg, and dairy industries—the vast majority of which goes to big corporations, not American farmers—while only about $17 million is used to subsidize the fruit and vegetable industries. According to The Case for Reparations in Tulsa, Oklahoma: A Human Rights Argument, 19% of Tulsa county residents live in food deserts and 45% of Tulsa’s population has inadequate access to nutritious food.
“Many families in food deserts have few grocery options beyond unhealthy processed meats and packaged snacks,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on local, state, and government agencies to stop propping up the cruel meat, dairy, and egg industries and instead redirect those funds to provide underserved communities with healthy vegan food.”
Stocking stores in food deserts with healthy vegan food would save animals’ lives; help vulnerable communities reduce their rates of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, and help the environment, given that animal agriculture is responsible for nearly one-fifth of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions.
PETA launched the food justice campaign in Atlanta with Pinky Cole of Slutty Vegan, and additional events are planned for Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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