Leading advocates unite at AVA Summit in Washington, D.C.

• At the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit this May, Animal Equality President Sharon Núñez, Vice President for Latin America Dulce Ramírez, and UK Executive Director Abigail Penny delivered noteworthy speeches. 
• Meanwhile, President Núñez discussed animal advocacy with hosts of the How I Learned to Love Shrimp podcast. 
• Animal Equality’s leadership shared stories about legislative progress for animals, information about the latest corporate campaigns, and insights into global investigations.

The Animal and Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit, held this May in Washington, D.C., gathered leading figures in the animal advocacy movement. Among this year’s speakers were Animal Equality President Sharon Núñez, Vice President for Latin America Dulce Ramírez, and UK Executive Director Abigail Penny. 

At the event, members of the Animal Equality team directed a booth that displayed its virtual reality project. Known as iAnimal, this 360-degree investigative footage takes viewers inside factory farms to witness animal cruelty firsthand. As they took turns wearing the virtual reality headset, two attendees were photographed holding hands to comfort each other. 

What is the AVA Summit? 

The AVA Summit is a gathering for global animal and plant-based advocates, featuring speeches, workshops, and networking activities. Its goal is to bring experts and organizations together to share the latest trends and strategies, learn from each other’s campaign efforts, and connect with a broader community. 

Building community within our movement is crucial…A united community can tackle challenges more effectively and inspire broader societal shifts towards compassion and respect for all animals.

Dulce Ramírez, Animal Equality’s Vice President for Latin America

Animal Equality’s leadership takes center stage

Amongst a crowd of fellow advocates, Vice President for Latin America Dulce Ramírez gave a speech about Latin America’s unique role in the animal protection movement. She discussed recent legislative changes–such as efforts to amend the Mexican Constitution–and stressed the importance of persistence and resilience.

This commitment is a reflection of the collective achievements we see globally, particularly in Latin American countries. These nations are making significant strides in favor of farm animals, with advancements evident in political agendas, legislation, and government actions. This should fill us all with pride and hope for the future.

Dulce Ramírez, Animal Equality’s Vice President for Latin America

Following Ramírez’s speech, President Sharon Núñez joined a podcast titled How I Learned to Love Shrimp. In this podcast, Núñez discussed how Animal Equality has become more organized and strategic over time, launching full-scale campaigns against cruelty in corporate supply chains. 

Little by little, [we were] just learning and becoming more sophisticated with our strategies…Now, we stand outside Denny’s with a banner, but as part of a campaign that has a specific objective to achieve on a specific timeline that brings us closer to eliminating gestation crates.

Sharon Núñez, President of Animal Equality

Finally, UK Executive Director Abigail Penny gave a speech regarding the implementation of animal protection laws in the UK. Drawing on Animal Equality’s investigations into factory farms in the country, she highlighted the need for urgent action by the government and law enforcement. 

Over the years, Animal Equality’s team has investigated over 800 facilities worldwide. And in every single one, we’ve uncovered abuse, neglect, and substandard practices taking place. 

Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality in the UK

Join the animal advocacy movement

Are you ready to join advocacy leaders from around the world? By choosing plant-based foods, you can reduce animal suffering and lead the way to a more compassionate world. Head over to Love Veg to download your digital copy of our plant-based cookbook and start making a difference with every meal.