Tribe: SHE OBJECTS TO ANIMAL CRUELTY

You’ve probably seen Lisa Bloom on CNN or MSNBC advocating for her clients. Bloom is one of the toughest lawyers in the game, but I was excited to learn that she is just a passionate about her love for animals. That’s why she’s vegan. I managed to get this busy lady to slow down long enough for some details on her vegan life.

VSC: How long have you been Vegan?

Lisa: Vegetarian since 1977 and Vegan since 2009. And definitely vegan for life! 

VSC: When and why did you become vegan? 

Lisa: At 16, I looked into the eyes of my dog and thought, “if I would never eat you, why would I eat any other animal? Even if I don’t know them personally they want to live a life without pain and suffering. They are individuals just like my you.” So I stopped eating animals, but I did still eat dairy and eggs, because I thought, well, I have to work, so why shouldn’t animals? They at least get to live.  I lived that way for many years. 

Then I learned more. After reading Eating Animals and watching Earthlings, I realized I was kidding myself in thinking that being vegetarian was good enough. The milk and egg industries are horrifically cruel. I thought being vegan would be hard, but I decided to try it for a few days.

Presto! Not hard at all. Just a few substitutions, a few new recipes, and discovering the best vegan cafes in my neighborhood was all it took.

I’ve been all in since then. No animal products in my food, my clothing, my furniture, my car, or anywhere else.  

VSC:  What was your biggest challenge in the beginning? 

Lisa: Really it was so easy. The biggest challenge all the time is watching people eat animal products, knowing the harm it causes to their health, the animals and the planet, and just wishing they wouldn’t. 

VSC: Best piece of advice for a new vegan?

Lisa:  Hooray for you for going vegan! Treat yourself to something nice every day. I love fresh berries and figs, green juice, cold brew coffee with oat milk, fresh salsas . . . so much great stuff out there, reward yourself!

Make anything from Chloe Coscarelli’s cookbooks. That food is so delicious, and mostly easy! Read The China Study. Watch Cowspiracy. Read: Why We Love Dogs, Wear Cows and Eat Pigs. Watch What the Health? And share the books and films with your friends. And I got this from PETA’s Ingrid Newkirk: never be silent. Speak up about animal issues. Most people are very receptive and we all influence each other. We must be the voice for our animal friends. 

VSC: What’s your favorite breakfast dish?

Lisa: Vegan BLTs from Groundworks, a coffee place downtown LA where I stopped every morning before a recent sexual harassment trial. 

VSC: What’s your favorite lunch dish?

Lisa:  A big old salad for lunch, almost every day. With some good, fresh homemade dressing. The rest is whatever I have lying around.

VSC: What’s your favorite dinner dish?

Lisa: My seitan tacos with homemade chunky guacamole. 

VSC:  What vegan restaurant(s) would you recommend?

Lisa: In LA, Cafe Gratitude, or Sage Vegan Bistro, or a hole in the wall in Reseda called Vinh Loi, authentic, flavorful all vegan Vietnamese restaurant. Try the “double duck”!

Lisa an author and is the owner of The Bloom Firm.


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