Angela Yvonne (Vegan Pop Eats)

Angela Yvonne

Tue, 11/9 1:24PM • 1:07:09

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

vegan, people, eat, veganism, new york, chickpeas, space, angela, nature, life, concierge, uk, pop, week, meat, feel, food, moved, animal activists, authentic self

SPEAKERS

Jim Moore, Angela Yvonne

Jim Moore  00:05

This is a bloody vegans production... Hello, my name is Jim, this is my podcast of bloody vegans. You're very welcome to it each week are we travelling ever deeper into the world of veganism discovering along the way, a multitude of viewpoints from their political and ethical to the practical? Are we doing this through a series of conversations, each aiming to further illuminate my understanding, and hopefully yours, of all things plant centric, and this week is no different. Before we get started, a small piece of admin, this podcast is produced under the banner of bloody vegans productions. What bloody vegans productions do is help you as an individual, you as a business, marketing department, whatever it may be, we help you come up with a podcast, everything from how do I do it myself? How do I learn the skills whether it be the practical skills, the technical skills or functional skills, or how to actually come up with the idea we can help you with all that kind of stuff, or take all of the stress out of it, and ultimately do it for you just record you will edit, publish and put the podcast out for you. So if you'd like to get in touch with barley vegans productions, you'd like our assistance, do reach out at Jim at the bloody vegans podcast.co.uk And we can have a lovely chat about your needs. So let's get on to the episode in hand with the admin out of the way. This week I am delighted to have been joined by Angela Yvonne. Angela is the host of the incredible vegan pop eats which is a YouTube channel. Not just a YouTube channel though actually features on property V on taste on TV on Roku, Apple TV host of other places. I think in its fourth season Angela will correct me. And it's an incredible show that looks at all kinds of things vegan pop culture, food within a city the way Angela describes it and I love the way she describes it is vegan poppies and Angela herself are your kind of vegan concierge in this case to New York City. And I actually more recently beyond as well think she did an episode with a restaurant called plant burger out in Washington. So yeah is well worth checking out and Angela's style is fantastic. She's just such a wonderful presenter. And such a lovely, lovely person to chat to. We get into all kinds of different subjects here from vegan poppies. Angela's obviously journey into the world of veganism, vegan culture in New York versus London versus other cities versus the south where Angela Angela hails from. We talk about all kinds of different things. It's a lovely chat, a free ranging chat, and do enjoy it. And after you've enjoyed it, check out vegan poppies on tasty on TV. Without further ado, here's a conversation between me and Angela, Yvonne. Might be awesome to get started with a little bit of your journey into the world of veganism. What what's brought you here?

Angela Yvonne  03:39

Well, thank you so much for having me on here because this is this is exciting. But the reason why I became a vegan is when my journey started, my mother had breast cancer. And when she had breast cancer, I was just like, I know it's in the food. It has to be in the food. But I was in a smaller town, you know, Fayetteville, North Carolina, I went to college and university of North Carolina at Pembroke. And I had just moved to New York in 2012. I think that's what it was. And I was only here for like three months, I was getting ready to get started to do PR. And my mom called me and said the cancer returned. Because when I graduated from the University of North Carolina, I had stayed home for like a year and a half because, you know, the first I guess, glimpse of cancer had, you know, came into our body and I was just like, well, you know, let me just stay home for at least for a year. And also just to get some, you know, real life experience. I was the resource development director for Habitat for Humanity. So I've always had big dreams always wanted to live in New York. So when it was time to move soon as they you know, cleared her the first time I was I was out of there. You know, I've always travelled to work Ever I'm going to travel, you know. And I blame her because she was in the military. So, you know, I was born in Guam, live half my life in Germany. But you know, I've just always travelled, that's just what we did. But when the cancer came back this last time in 2012, it was serious. So I came home, and I went home for like, three years until she passed. And I just took care of her for three years. So sort of put everything on hold. But while I was there, I, um, you know, I was just trying to figure things out because in a small town, like a military town, they don't have veganism. No one is in the south, no one is really, at that time wasn't really concerned about, you know, how you're eating because in the south, we, you know, we cook with love, you know, so we're eating, you know, huge amounts of food and processed foods, and, you know, lots of meats and things of that nature. Like, I used to love chitterlings. And I don't know if you know what that is, but it's pig and I used to love that. I used to Black Eyed Peas, collard greens, cornbread, I use, I mean, eat pizza, I love pizza, burger king, McDonald's, I was her I was the poster child of anything fast food. I was I was with it. And I didn't really cook that much. And we, my mother would cook, but it would be more so we cook around the holidays. And then that's when we were really like eating and we eat until we were stuffed and things of that nature. So when she when she got cancer, and they started doing chemotherapy and things of that nature. You know, I was reading up on things on how like, vegetables are medicinal and things of that nature. So I was just, you know, I was just trying to figure it out. I didn't know. But I knew for me, I had to stop because, you know, I didn't know that the way that it was going to pan out. Unfortunately, she did pass, but it started me on my journey. So I was a vegetarian, for you know, about, I say I was a vegetarian probably like about five, ish, sort of five ish years, teetering, more closer to veganism. And then five years ago, because I moved back to New York, because I was pursuing you know, being on the red carpet pop cultures and welled up and well versed on pop culture. I've even, you know, done correspondent work over there in the UK. And, um,

07:45

I, my roommate and I, we were like, Okay, we're gonna do began you were because you know, that's a big holiday over there in the UK. And it's trickled down over here. So we were like, okay, January, we're in it to win it, we're gonna just give up because I was still eating. I was lacto ovo vegetarian. So that means I was still eating cheese. And I was still eating boiled eggs, I was still eating eggs, cheese and eggs, I was still eating but everything else I was, you know, done. Um, and I would sometimes eat seafood. Sometimes eat seafood. So when began you were hit, you know, we we went for it. So for 30 days, we, you know, dropped everything. There was no cheese, there were no eggs, there were no anything. Then after the 30 days, I just felt like, I could really do this. I really could do this. So living in New York, it was way different being able to embrace the vegan lifestyle. versus where I lived that where I had to pretty much piece things together. I got here and it was the land of aha. It was Aha, you know, we had vegan restaurants everywhere. There were you know, you know, I was meeting people who were just like, oh, no, you know, I don't, I don't do that, you know, I don't eat the carcass of a meat. I don't, you know, the certain, you know, different types of levels people were on and then, you know, I really got serious about it. And I was just like, Okay, I'm really going to, you know, get serious and start really paying attention to, you know, what my health was like, because not that I was unhealthy. But, you know, when someone dies and is died, and they die of something that may or may not have could have been prevented, you know, from the knowledge that I had, but, you know, from what I've read, you know, cancer survives in an acidic environment. So in order for you to keep the acidity down, you know, PLANT BASE veganism. You know, raw veganism, alkaline veganism is the way to go. So, you know, I was really gung ho when we crossed over, so I was just like, you know, all my groceries all, you know, just, you know, just different things. And what was the great thing about it was that, you know, veganism opened up my mind to a lot of different things like compassion, not that I wasn't compassionate before. But it just the behaviour and the people who are vegans, or plant based or alkaline or raw, it's just a different vibe, it's just a different vibe, you know, they're not, I feel like they're pretty chill, they're, they're really like, you know, I just want to live a good life, I just want to, you know, make sure my karma is good, you know, I want to make sure that I'm not harming anyone, in order for me to have a good quality of life, and then the blessings or, you know, karma, she might, you know, miss your door. You know, if you stop eating me, and, you know, start paying attention to how certain things affect certain people. So, then once I did that, and because I was a talk show host here in Brooklyn, New York, I was just like, oh, you know, we had the opportunity to have our own segments. So I was like, you know, what, I'm just gonna go for it, I'm just going to, you know, show show and talk to people about how I'm feeling about this new, you know, life that I had. So, my first segment on there, I was doing pop culture, so segments, but I was just like, you know, what, let's see how we can, you know, talk about veganism on here. So I created a segment. And it was vegan pop eats, because vegan pop meats came to me because I love being a vegan, I love pop culture, and I love to eat. But bigger pop. Being a bob eats is a lifestyle show. So it's the whole lifestyle of being vegan. And it's not just about eating, even though predominantly of my content is eating, you know, as this as the seasons go, you know, I've implemented you know, I've been able to talk to, you know, vegan designers, you know, especially in the food, innovative space, you know, tech space, you know, we're starting to

12:36

be able to talk to people who are in the vegan beauty space and things of that nature. And then that's how vegan pop eats was born just one segment each week, and the first segment was me trying to convert my producer of the show into being a vegan by, you know, going to urban vegan kitchen and letting her taste vegan mac and cheese. She couldn't believe that there was no dairy in it, because it was that good. And I was like, Yes, I'm onto something, you know, because I'm, I'm pretty creative person. So it was just like, Huh, you know, and then I started to look around, and there really isn't any commercial as vegan type shows or vegan ism, you know, like, you know, I guess platforms or segments, stuff like that, that's really showing you the beginner's Outlook to being vegan. And I was finding that, you know, the veganism of Hay Day, where, you know, they had the typical white woman, you know, telling you to eat your vegetables, or whatever the case may be, there wasn't any, anybody who was African American, or, you know, Asian American, or Native American, and, you know, all the Americans hyphenated, there wasn't someone that was commercialised and someone who was really showing you that this is not the veganism of, you know, back in the day, this is, you know, someone who really has a passion for it, someone who, you know, may not speak, you know, a, by the book dictionary wise, and, you know, showing you that veganism is life. And so with the compiler eats that's what I aim to show, I aim to educate you, I aim to show you where you need to go because once you cut off meat, the first thing people are talking about is, Well, where am I going to go? Where am I going to eat? What am I going to wear, you know, things of that nature. And so, you know, you're being concierge and we're learning together because I don't know everything, but I know enough that can that can get you over here because my conversion rate is 100% all Yeah, it was just Tell me, that's what you want to do. I'm like, I can rattle it off because every day, you know, veganism is teaching me how to cook better. Veganism is teaching me, you know, is teaching me discovery. Because every day I'm discovering a new thing, whether it's, you know, the new materials we're using to where, or, you know, new food, or new beauty and things of that nature. And, you know, people want to go where it's fun. And that's why I have, you know, being a palm eats, and I just, you know, I really want people to know that one is good over here, it's more of an asset than a liability in your life, and to, you need to come on and get on this bus. Because pretty soon you're not gonna have a choice, you're gonna be paying $5 million for that piece of meat. Because climate, climate change is real. We had a flood in New York, it was snowing in Houston. So yeah, that's what vegan pop eats is about. It's about a good time, but still wanting you to really understand the severity and the seriousness of it. And also, why wouldn't you want to show up as your best authentic self help?

Jim Moore  16:20

I love this idea of being the vegan concierge. I love that description that you've given. And I love what you've created. I think you're absolutely right. There is a certainly when I came into it four and a half years ago, and there is absolutely a stereotype or kind of what's kind of held up as what veganism is, you know, this, this is the kind of identification of how you should think what you should look like, you know, all these kinds of things. And I love this idea that actually that that isn't helpful at all to bring people in, you know, we need to bring everybody from every walk of life into veganism, if if it's ever going to be something that we all will take on in this kind of, you know, a genuine lifestyle change shift across the globe. When you started, you know, big your journey into into veganism, and then thinking about what you've created now. Was this something that you kind of felt it was missing that there was there just wasn't anybody like you there wasn't the kind of voices that you wanted to hear talking about veganism?

17:33

Well, for me, we, for me, I didn't see anybody like right now the vegan is Tabitha Brown, like she has taken over and the blessings that are pouring down on her is amazing, and it is well deserved. But it shouldn't be just one, you know, and when I would see different I guess, when production companies or TV shows would would, you know, try to see what they could put together. It was very dry. Like I was watching one show. And you know, they had all the, you know, older esque type, you know, white women or whoever, who really didn't feel like they were bringing like passion to it, it was more so like, you know. So we're going to add two cups of chickpeas. And then of course, you're going to simmer that. So yum. Isn't that that just sounds so good. You know, and I'm just like, if someone was talking to me like that, I wouldn't. That would not entice me to one GP versus with me or versus like Tabitha makes you you know, you feel it? You know, she's she's making you feel like, you know, that mushroom is going to change my whole life. So that's what give me some mushrooms. I'm gonna get some Lion's Mane, I'm gonna get me some oyster mushrooms. And you know what? A carrot never been like a dog with cuz to set it up to eat this good dog. You know, and, and that's what I want. Because, for me in order to draw my attention, I have to be excited about it. And I feel that with veganism, so many is the I guess, the so called gatekeepers because I was talking to someone and they were talking about how veganism seemed like an elitist type of, you know, situation when it's not because there's a stigmatism that veganism is super expensive. It's not it's the information that they're putting out there about veganism or the so called Faces They're not giving you like, you know, the real because for me, I don't care how you get over to the green side, I just want you over here. So if if coming to veganism means that, okay, Mondays, you know, I'm not going to eat any meat, that's still a step towards it. Because after you do that for a month, it'll be Monday and Tuesday, you do that a whole month. It'll be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, you do that on Monday, etc, etc, etc. I don't want you to feel like, Oh, I can't do it. I want you to, I want you to have excitement of the fact that you didn't eat chicken today. Yeah, you know, I want you to have excitement. Oh, well, dang, you know, I went a whole month without chicken. Let me see what I can do. If I don't eat chicken and read me. You know, I want it to feel like that. Because, you know, with people, I understand that, you know, change is hard, especially, you know, I don't know how it is over in the UK. But, you know, we have the north, south, east and west. And Southern cooking is known for heavy cooking. Like I don't, I don't if if the south becomes vegan, like a vegan space, I will be absolutely shocked. Because in the south, that was where a lot of people who live there operate out of survival mode. You know, what I'm saying? Because it's, you know, is slowly becoming wealthy spaces, because of the cost of living, you know, the wealthy, or the middle class are moving, you know, in that area, because you can buy a whole lot of house versus in New York, you got to sell your firstborn, and your second grandkid in order to buy something up here, you know, so, you know, of course, with the way that people travel and decide to move, you know, they start, you know, traditions or start trends in that space. Because now, you know, in the south, or you know, in North Carolina, you know, vegan spaces are starting to pop up now. So, um, with that being said, it's like, it's like, um, you really have to be aware of how, you know, things are going to transpire and things of that nature. Yeah,

Jim Moore  22:27

yeah, I definitely think there's parallels in the UK you know, I think, you know, when you talk about the, the South, the Northeast and the West, I think, you know, in the UK it's quite veganism was quite London centric, is quite considered it's considered a bit of like the liberal mehleb Metropolitan elites kind of pursuit you know, that you can, if you're if white middle class and you live in London, you wealthy you can afford to do it, you know, it's yoga studios. And, and this is kind of vibe, you know?

23:01

Yeah, it is a vibe, because if you come to New York, you see all the mothers Upper West Side and live in their cute little, whatever they got going on, and their designer bags dropping off the baby at the nanny, and they're just like, oh my god, I just got to go to yoga today. My body is just so tight, and edited to die. And yes. Are you guys? Are you hungry? Do you know is that whole situation? Why while the people who are sitting here like, I gotta go to work, of course, they're happy. They're yoga and hot yoga, double in it back then able to sit around and talk about my chart all day. And, you know, just situations like that, but much is for everyone. Eating is for everyone. You know, and like, the biggest thing with veganism, people are just like, Oh, it's so expensive. It's not expensive. It's only expensive if you're wanting to eat the processed meats. And if you're going out to eat all the time, and I tell people my grocery bill is no more if I don't eat if I don't have to get any condiments if I don't have to get any processed foods. My bill is no more than $50 a week. And that's me popping into Trader Joe's that's me pop in, you know, to our open food markets, which we are very upset, which is very accessible. Like if I walked down my street right now I hit like 12345 There's about six open markets where and they're open 24 hours where I can go and get fresh vegetables and fresh, you know, fruits and things of that nature. So with vegan palm eats, I want to show them that there's a set accessibility. And then on top of that, it's not as it's not that expensive. You have to just want to value your your body and your health. versus me buying those $400 Jordans or that $1,500 Gucci belt or things of that nature. And I'm not saying you don't deserve those things. And I'm not saying that, but just make it more of a priority to make it make sense. Because $500 shoes versus your health, if you're in the grave, you can't wear them, you know, and, of course, everyone is going to die. Like, I'm not saying that you won't die as a vegan, but you should want to put your best self forward. And there are unhealthy vegans like, let's, let's be clear on that. Because, you know, veganism is not the end all be all to, you know, great health success, but it is a tool, it is a tool. And as soon as people realise that, and really start to make it make sense, the cost of it would be the cost of it would be more making make making it make sense versus you feeling like, Oh, I'm going to do without, if I pay this amount, your house should not have a price on it. It should be, I'm going to do whatever I need to do in order to get Yeah. And that's that should

Jim Moore  26:28

say, yeah. I mean, his quality of life, you know, not just the avoidance of the avoidance of dying young or whatever, but the, but the actual quality was what we know, whilst we are here, the you know, I think, personally for me, since since going vegan, you know, everyone says it all the things about energy and so on so forth. I genuinely have felt all of those, but I absolutely, I'm with you on insofar as I and I worry about this actually sometimes is that there is there is a lot of excitement over some pro over the kind of the invention of kind of almost technology in food, like the, you know, the processed meats, the beyond meats, the impossible burgers almost caught up. And I do think that, you know, they have a place, absolutely, they have a place. But I worry a little bit that they they kind of don't necessarily teach people about like practical cooking, if you like they and they they make people feel like it's expensive and therefore not accessible to them. When as I think about you know, I, I grew up my mom's side of the family was was Indian, she was one of six and came over to the UK in the 50s. Early 60s, late 50s. And, you know, and obviously I came along a lot later, but when I came along, I remember my grandmother was you know, a an Indian, Indian woman cooking, you know, lentil dolls and things like this, like that were low cost, you know, the hole, there wasn't a bad expense. And actually looking back was super tasty, super healthy, that she wouldn't have ever described herself as vegan. Because, you know, the the word wasn't necessarily like, you know, in the zeitgeist rely, but But absolutely, like I do sort of hark back a little bit to those kind of those times. And not only that, but think about those cultures and think actually, some of those cultures that wouldn't describe themselves as vegan are absolutely they're kind of like the benchmarks or go twos if you like for either other information or kind of examples of how to live low cost healthy, great diets and so on.

28:45

Absolutely, chickpeas are not expensive, even if you got it in the can even if you got in the bag, every week that I go, because we stockpile chickpeas to a certain degree. We're not like, all over the place. But, you know, there's all the chickpeas are always like four for $1 or there'll be like four for like $2 or something like that something it depends on when we catch a sale and it'll be a can of chickpeas and which fields you can put them in your salads, you can put them in your soups, you can make chickpea tuna, you know there's just so many things that you can do with chickpeas and China SOG is like my favourite Indian dish like South Asians have it on lock as far as flavour it's I can eat China sock every day, like every day and I tell them to put my do my non without butter or anything like that but it's the most flavorful thing and it's chickpeas and spinach and it's do down like it's it's phenomenal like being vegan has changed my palate so much. Because once you've got assume so because like I said McDonald's used to know my name pretty King used to know my name cookout. I used to love a good, you know, shake fries and things of that nature. But when I became vegan, I used to Constand brussels sprouts. Yeah, love sprouts now. And what and I was telling someone the other day, I was like, the only reason why you like meat seasoning. It's not that we put the same seasoning on vegetables. And it's always the people. For me, who say that they can't come vegan. They're, they're on medications. They're like, Oh, I just came back from a doctor's appointment. But I could never be vegan. Like I'm like, oh, ma'am. You know what, I think that we need to reevaluate what we got going on. Because you just came from just came from the doctor's office, and they told you you had diabetes. And you're telling me that you can't eat vegetables, and that you don't like vegetables? Make it make sense. I need you to make it make sense. Because now if you're born with diabetes, I get it. But diabetes, if you get diabetes, because you did something to your body. That doesn't make sense to me. And that's my opinion, but, you know, it's always the people who, you know, are like, Oh, veganism, I could I could never give up me. Don't say you could never say you don't want to. And just, you know, keep it a buck. You don't want to because you're afraid of change, you're afraid of things that you may not be used to. But in order for you to grow, you have to be open minded to different things. And that's why I was so fortunate with my mom being military, you know, I was able to live in spaces and be around different cultures. Opposite of my own, for me to be able to have an open mind. So I always tell people, I'll eat anything as long as it don't smell bad. Because, you know, living overseas, I ate German food I ate you know, Korean food, I Japanese food I ate more other culture foods than I did Americanized foods. So my palate was always you know, I guess I'm eclectic. I guess if that could be, you know, how I can describe it. But vegan food is so flavorful and the way that the the chefs nowadays are being innovative, turning zucchini into, you know, a hamburger or turning it into you know, ice cream. We have a space here. I think it's called coilette qualia qualia. I might be saying it wrong, but she makes plantain plantin Oh screen makes plantain burgers she makes like different things. Like being a vegan just is just one of those things where you'll be surprised what you can do with the vegetables, if only you would have an open mind to it. And I think that people, you know,

33:31

get a bad rap because they don't have enough information. And that's why I felt like the compound eats was important. Because when you're new, you need someone to show you the ropes. And that's why I say beaten concierge because when you go to a hotel, when you go to the concierge, they know everything in the city. If you say oh my god, I you know, I need a massage. Oh, well, John Luke down the street is that it edited it up. You know, they tell you they don't leave any stone unturned for what you need to get done. And for me, you know, um, if you say, well, Angela, I'm coming to New York. Where can I eat? Oh, what are you trying to do? What are you trying to do? Because, you know, with vegan palm eats we're going into our fourth season. And I haven't even broke the iceberg of how many, you know, vegan spaces that are here, because we're opening up new ones and ones that are popular in other spaces are now finding spaces here like plant burger from DC with Chef spike Mendelsohn. He's coming here. He's opening up one in a couple, I guess in a couple months or something like that. And I've already, you know, had him on the show. Um, planta is here, and that I think it comes from don't get me to Lyon. I think it might be California or Arizona, something in that in those spaces out, you know, out west or whatever the case may be, but I can tell you like the best fried chicken here, hands down that I know of it's heartbreakers. When I had that vegan fried chicken I almost lost my whole mind. Because it was that good and it was freshly made Satan and Chef Erica is is phenomenal. Like like their stuff was so good. I think veg news didn't have them on the list and people were like, Yo, you must heartbreakers like their stuff is so bomb, and, you know, just different types of dishes that you would want to try. I can pretty much give you a small summary. I might not be able to give you everything. But I can give you I can give you what you need for what you you're doing here in New York. And the goal of vegan pop eats is to be able to say that in every, you know, state or country that we go to because people I think people would cross over easier if they had like, yeah, what to do next. So if I throw out all my meat, what am I supposed to eat? That's that's the answer that people want to know. Okay, you want me to do all these things, show me how it's better, or show me, you know, show me how I'm supposed to do this. And that's why I'm here. And we're learning together because, like I said, I am learning new things. Every day. I'm finding new spaces every day, I'm getting more involved in the vegan community. So I'm knowing you know, the movers and shakers and the, you know, the celebs and entrepreneurs in this space. So that's also helping me learn more about operating in this space. Like, there's different levels of veganism. Some people are animal activists. I am not dead. I love animals. But I'm not about to be out in the street. Telling you don't kill a dog or don't kill this, because that's not my ministry. We all come to veganism different ways. I came for health reasons. Some people come from environmental, some people come for the animals, some come for all three. But eventually, I know that when you grow into this lifestyle, you can't help for the trickle down effect. But I'll never be that girl who has a dog in a stroller. And I tell people, because it freaks me out. It freaks me out to know that people are walking around here with strollers and dogs. It freaks me out. It does not tell you why is because when I first came to New York, because I didn't see that stuff. And in North Carolina, or in the south, they just let their dogs you know, run or they'll have a leash on it or whatever. But in New York, they really, and I don't know what they do in UK, but they really do the most with their pets, like. And I get the whole thing. Like, I don't want any animal activists to be like Angela, what are you talking about? What are you doing? I get it, you know, because they're just they are.

38:16

They're your babies. They're your, you know, an extension of your family. But for me, and this is where I'm growing for me to have them. I would never want to harm an animal. Our animals do not deserve to be harmed. Things of that nature. They deserve to have the best licence possible. I get that. But when I first moved to New York, I was waiting tables. You know, because I always wait, you know, wait tables part time somewhere, you know, it was extra monies quick, fast hurry. And I was just like, oh, you know, I saw this, this stroller. And I love a cute baby. Like I love like babies and they're so cute when they're little but then when they get about five you can go and um, I was just like, oh my god stroller was tricked out. Like it was a stroller I had. I was just like, Oh, wow. Cuz you know, I've heard about, you know, we the women with the $1,500 $2,000 strollers and this one was tricked out. So I'm walking over there. Oh my god. She's over there like oh, you know how they do with the babies like Oh, baby mama. Mama hungry baby hungry? I go there and I look in there and there is a Chihuahua. What is going on? What is going on? Like? This? This stroller I know for sure is about $1,500 and there is a chihuahua sitting here in the end appearing is like, Mama baby want to treat. I'm a baby. And I was just like, it sent me over, because I never saw anything like that. And I told one of my guests that I was like, you know, I'm here for the animals, but I will never, I could never see myself with a $1,500 stroller, and, uh, chihuahuas inside of it, I just, but I'm also the person who's not going to spend, you know, $1,500 on a pair of sneakers, you know what I'm saying? Because it just needs to make sense. It needs to make sense. And I'm not saying once again, I'm not saying that dog doesn't deserve a stroller, but a $1,500 stroller, that's not my ministry. It's just,

Jim Moore  40:44

I'm not sure that folks folks are into strollers, really, I think I think that's more about the owner than it is about the dog's well being

40:52

oh my gosh, like, I had never saw it in my life. I was, I talked to I swore, after I saw that I talked about it for two months, like, like, are you serious, but then you know, you know, you have to find your passion. Like, they're really people who are really passionate about animals. And I had animals when I was growing up, love my dog, love this, but I never, like I never thought to be like, well, let me bring my dog into the grocery store, or let me bring, you know different things. So again, you have to find your passion, you have to find out what really makes you tick in this space. And for me, is the health aspect of it. For me, I think it's going to be lean towards the climate because, you know, without the climate, and without the planet, where are we going? I know that, you know, the wealthy are quickly finding their way to find, because that's why we're trying so hard to Mars and New Zealand. I'm saying we're trying so hard to get to Mars, because they know, they don't. They then had a whole full on Coachella concert down here and messed up the environment. So they're just like, you know, what, let me go move somewhere else. And, oh, Mars seemed like a good idea. And we're able to have life on there, the wealth is going, that's just what it's going to be. So we as the people who may not get to that level of wealthiness, like billionaires, because it is possible for everyone. It's possible for everyone to be wealthy, and you just have to depend, it just depends on how, you know, how you're wanting to work, how you're wanting to, you know, be involved with different people. But the ones who already have it, the generational wealth, that's what they're doing. So it's not just like, oh, this is a new, you know, trip, you know, because we got money, and we just want to floss on everybody. I know, that's what they're doing. But there won't say anything until they really have, you know, got it together up there. There's probably a full blown like, city up there. And we don't know about it, because we don't have the keys. But I honestly think that that's what's gonna happen. But the people who have to stay here, we do we really need to get mindful about, you know, it, because we had a flood here killed 40 people. And of course, we're surrounded by water in New York, but it killed 40 People like the water when a friend of mine friend got trapped in his car. The flood went, he drowned in his car. How is that possible? Is climate change? So I think that that would be more of an interest of mine. And every day, you know, I'm learning a little bit more about about it. But, you know, I don't I don't know if animal activism would be mine, especially the way that they treat an animal activist. I'm just No, he doesn't play.

Jim Moore  44:03

From what you've you've seen in your time being being vegan, particularly in New York. Do you think that the the message is the connection between climate change animal agriculture, and therefore veganism? Do you? Do you see that line being drawn more clearly over the years? Do you think that it's getting into the mainstream culture? Or do you still think that there's a bit of a danger that that that message exists within our sort of vegan bubble within the vegan community? And it's not necessarily on the mainstream kind of news channels?

44:40

I think is getting there. I honestly do because even if you aren't vegan, I feel that people with common sense are starting to be like, Wait a minute. How, how, how do we have a snowstorm in Houston, Texas, like Oh, and I remember a couple years ago, and I could be wrong about five, six years ago, maybe even 10 years ago, they had a snowstorm in Atlanta, Georgia. People were stuck on the highway stuck on the highway in your car. Like, because the mayor didn't believe that the snow was coming to Atlanta. So he didn't, he didn't do the precautions he didn't do. You know what the city does to set up like New York. They have trucks they have, you know, they make sure that y'all are going to work that they making sure of it, like they're not able to play with you. They're making sure of it. But in Atlanta, that's just not what happens. Because I lived in Atlanta for five years. And the most of you will get is a is a strong, a strong rainstorm. That's the most you're going to get you're not, you're not dressed in parkas in the wintertime, you're not wrapped all the way up, of course, you get a slight chill, you might get it, you know, you might do a scarf or leather action, but to be bundled up like we bundle like in, you know, Canada, or maybe Chicago or in New York. The five years that I lived there, it didn't happen. But then for that to happen, it was great. It was crazy. So I think that with all the things that are happening, I don't think that is just, you know, the people who are vegans or plant based or alkaline or raw whatever, I think it is definitely going to be something that people with common sense, or people who are just like, Wait a minute. That is, you know, that's not that's not how it's supposed to go. That's, that's not a so I think that slowly but surely is doing it. But I think, you know, as we get closer, because there have been reports and, and just information, telling people that, Oh, y'all need to wrap this up. Yeah, meat consumption, this admission, y'all got y'all got five, y'all got five years tops, we're gonna have to wrap this up. And the more that people, um, especially with, like diseases and stuff that are starting to come light with COVID, shut down the whole city. And, you know, the the verdict is out on whether it was manmade, or whether it was, you know, just something of whatever the case would be. I'm not a I'm not an expert on that, you know, you know, everyone has their thoughts. Everyone, you know, says that it, you know, comes out came out of a lab, and it was something that the US did, you know, I don't know, quality control portion, you know, people control who knows what the government does, and I try not to get into that. But, um, I think that with those types of instances happening, and then, you know, they're letting people know that, oh, the reason why certain people were more affected than others is their immune system, and how do you build your immune system, you're eating your vitamins, your vegetables, your things of that nature. So I think that is slowly coming to, but I don't know how much time that we have in order for everyone to get on the bus. And I, you know, I I tell people, you know, whenever I do speak with them, because I try not to be that vegan that's like, Oh, you're still eating me? Oh, you know, I'm, that's, um, not her. But what I will tell you is stuff that I have, you know, read about or researched about, or thought about, and I, you know, I tell people I'm like, Yeah, you know, you don't have to stop eating meat now, but eventually, you're going to have to, so it's easier for you to come from choice than being forced to do it. Because when you're forced to do it, I think it closes your mind. Um, versus you having a full open mind this like, Okay, this is really good for me. And instead of thinking of veganism being a life of you no lack, you think of it more of an asset when it's more of an open mind?

Jim Moore  49:18

Title? 100% 100% agree, you look, you can look at that in terms of the way people have reacted to COVID measures, you know, whether, like you say whether you your view on it is, is what it is, but if you think about like some people see it as this massive imposition on their freedoms, other people see it as in, you know, I'm trying to help my community, I'm trying to protect those around me. And it's really interesting to see that it like you say, it's that mindset of when somebody or particularly a government or a mayor or whoever, imposes something on people, they they go into one of those two camps, they kind of think, massive resistance, or they think actually this This is probably for the good of everybody. And you can see that, you know, if you play it forward, like you've said, you play it forward with veganism and thing, you know, you get 345 years down the line, and there's a sort of almost a government mandate that says, right, no one, no one can eat me, you know, like, imagine that was the world what how people would react as opposed to, you know, if you get on that, that kind of bus, that journey now and it becomes just your life. And that's just what you do. And you feel all the benefits. You know, people are willingly doing that right now. But it would be interesting, if it was an imposition, or how people would react.

50:39

Yeah, because when COVID hit, and for me, I know, and rest in peace to all the people and the families that, you know, was affected by it. But me personally, I feel that COVID was the universe his way of telling you to reset. And for you to find out what was really important to you. Because we were, I don't know how it went in UK, because overseas seemingly had a better, you know, transition. As far as how we were, you know, like the bad step kids out here, just while we

Jim Moore  51:19

do. We were really we, we were spectacularly bad.

51:24

I mean, they will, like Atlanta never shut down like, people when they told us that we had to be shut down in New York, people were like, Oh, we're going, you know, there. And then what people didn't make, it didn't make sense to them to say, Oh, if I go to where COVID is really doing Coachella, I would be bringing it back to where we, you know, what I'm saying people didn't think about that, because everyone was thinking about how they will be doing without, versus how is this a time that I can really refocus on what I'm really trying to do. And I'm not saying I'm an advocate for COVID, because it did destroy a lot of lives. And it really destroyed, um, people that I know, like, my best friend's dad died from COVID, just like two weeks ago, but he had a compromised immune system. Um, and, you know, I can go back and forth on you know, the vaccine, I didn't want to take that vaccine. But I'm, I was sort of scared into it. Because for what I do, I have to go into different spaces. And, you know, in New York, now, if you're not vaccinated, they're not let you come in, you can't go to the gym, you can't do nothing, until you get that little white card. But for me, for COVID. For me, that's when my brand really sort of took off. Because they sat us when they first told us that they were shutting everything down. We went to the grocery store, and we packed up, then they later they were like, Oh, the grocery store is gonna be open. And we're sitting up here. We have stockpiles of snacks. We were just, we were just ready for the apocalypse. We were ready. You know, they said we go to the grocery stores. And then we were tight. Because we spent like, two to $300 worth of like food like we you would have thought, yeah, this is this was it. And but for COVID, for me, it reevaluated how I wanted to do life forward. And with vegan pot eats, it gave me a year and a half to just concentrate on that. So COVID was a blessing for me and for others that I know because they were able to

53:43

dive into their creativity, they were able to start their businesses that you know, when they were going to work every day they weren't able to do they were able to really realise that, oh, I'm doing this nine to five, I'm doing this every day. But when COVID hit my boss basically gave me his asticus You know what I'm saying? Because all the all the people who own these companies and things, they didn't say, Oh, this is what's going on. Here's a severance package because I know it's about to get tight. They hit that, you know, they hit their faces. They hit their hands, they made sure that their families were good. But they told all of us to hit up unemployment. Yeah. And that didn't sit well with me because I felt like you know, the people are the reasons why you're able to be like, Oh, I don't have to stay in New York. I'll just go to my island somewhere until you guys get your lives together. You know what I'm saying? And I thought that it was very disrespectful to the people who made it made it so for you to be able to have the options to be able to get the service certain kinds of vitamin doses that help you, you know, get through COVID Because like, for instance, our ex president, you know, he said he had COVID. But all of a sudden he came, he had this matte miracle like, concoction that allowed him to just bounce back. But there were people in the hotel, the Haas hospitals who were stuffed with patients who didn't have that same kind of opportunity. So for COVID, for me, I thought that it was, I felt like the universe was saying, okay, you know, this is a time for the ones who were really trying to be about that life. And when I say about that life, as in a good quality of life, you know, um, generational wealth or generational success for, you know, for the the people who are coming after, you know, being able to recommit, to your families recommit, to, because the relationships that you have with your families were probably, you know, lacking because you had to be wherever you needed to be in order for you to provide food or provide whatever for your family. But for me, COVID made me get a little bit focused, as in realising what kind of asset I could bring to the table. It allowed me to make mistakes and trial and error with what I'm doing, but it also allowed me to thrive. So for this year and a half vegan pop eats has grown way more than what I always knew it's gonna be popping. But, but it just, it really grew and allowed me to connect with people like you and you know, other people, versus having to put it on a back burner. While I'm working and manoeuvring, I was able to, you know, drop merchandise, you know, I have my own T shirts and stuff like that. I'm revamping them now. But yeah, I was able to drop T shirts, I would have never been able, I wouldn't have said I would have never been able to but it wouldn't have happened as quickly as it did, because I was able to sit down. And fortunately, allowed. Fortunately, I had money coming in, where

57:32

because I was sitting down, I wasn't going out to restaurants, I wasn't buying a lot of this. And I was able to invest back into who I am and what I was trying to do. And it sort of came full circle for me, because I moved to I moved back to New York, because I felt like my story was incomplete, because I had to leave and be gone for so long. Um, but it also put me back in alignment with what I've always wanted to do. Because I went to school for public relations, and broadcasting, I was an anchor and a reporter, all through college, but then when it was time for graduation, and they told me how much I was going to be making coming out of a four year degree. And I would have to go to, you know, this small town making, you know, $18,000 just to get my foot in the door. If that wasn't my ministry, I wasn't, I wasn't here for it. So, you know, I stayed another semester and got my public relations, part of it because most of the classes are the same, because public relations are his communications. And I came out doing PR, but something always pulled me to, you know, being in front of the camera, being able to have meaningful conversations. And that's just where I felt comfortable that that's where I just felt my authentic self, where I could show up as myself. And, and when my mother was sick, and while I was taking care of her. I was just like, well, how, you know, when you're faced with someone who was dying, it's like, I only have this amount of time left. How do I want to spend this amount of time and for me, and it's always been is that I just want to be where I can show up as my authentic self. However, I'm coming and I just want to make my ancestors proud. That has always been something that has been, you know, very important to me. And I always knew like I'm obsessed with pop culture like I just know pop culture that's I just love it every day I'm you know, reading the blogs and reading listen at it. I can have a conversation about opinionated, non opinionated, you know, comedic whatever the case may be. And my goal was always that I always wanted to be A correspondent or an anchor on E News, I always want that, like, if that happened, you're gonna stick a pin in me, I'm done. Like, that's it. But when, um, while I was there, you know, I was given the opportunity from Elena Dixon off of the Vows daily. And she was also on the gossip table. It was on on VH one, and I had saw her I was sitting in Fayetteville, North Carolina is a small town, it's a military town. There's no like entertainment. It's nothing this, it's your eating. And we like to say you're eating and you're having sex. That's what you're doing in that small town. And you're going to target and you're going to Walmart to get you a rotisserie chicken for your husband named Craig with some Hawaiian rolls and collard greens. That's what you're doing in Fayetteville, North Carolina. And if you're doing something else, you know, you're doing that too, because that is, that's that's just what the lifestyle is there. And I saw her and I was just like, you know,

1:01:13

I'm gonna reach out to her, um, I have to keep a New York address, I'm reached out to her. So I reached out to her and she was the one who gave me my first, you know, try back into being an anchor, being a reporter and stuff like that. But I was doing reporting over the phone. So we would do conference calls, and I would, you know, interview people over that she took, she sent me on my first press tour, there was a show called sirens that used to be on USA. And she sent me to Chicago for that had me up in the hotels and just different things. And I knew that that's what I was supposed to do. So while I took care of my mom, I was, you know, building my resume where I was interviewing the who's who Jada picket. 50 cent, I was just, I was just really on a roll me and my little microphone recorder. And I was just, you know, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. So when I came to New York, you know, of course, is very competitive to be because everybody wants to be that reporter or that girl. And with those types of jobs, people don't leave those jobs. They don't leave them. Because, you know, it's so hard to get them like the ones who are Entertainment Tonight. They're there until the wheels fall off. They're not Sean's Shan Shan on x. I think she was on extra. Or I forgot what she was. I was shocked when she left. She was there for 20 something years. You know what I'm saying and Entertainment Tonight, Mary Hart. She was there for like, I think 30 plus years at that show. She wasn't going nowhere. So you so now in this day and age, you have to find your own opportunities. And that's what being pop eats turned out for me. Because now I'm able to interview people, I'm able to show up as my authentic self. I'm able to do it my way. And slowly but surely people are receptive to it. And they're receptive to it because of the way that I'm telling the story about being part east and receptive on how I'm giving them the facts on you know, this is what it is because on every show, I make sure that that is said at the beginning. So people know that yeah, I'm giggling and jigglin and eaten and Galavan and but the the the plot twist is you need to come on over to the green side because this is what's going on. So it becomes hot eats as has been and is my dream manifested and it's only going to go up from here. You know, it's just gonna go because plant based living veganism is the new it girl and when you're the new it girl is the hot spot. And you need a concierge and that's who I am. You need you need me to tell you

Jim Moore  1:04:08

what I think is incredible vegan puppies is a great resource. It really is and and and so much fun and so different. There just isn't anything like it. So I want to thank you for creating it. And let's just make sure folks before we wrap up because we're time is time is against us. But before we wrap up where to folks go and find it.

1:04:31

Well, you can find vegan pop eats on YouTube. You can also find it on taste on TV. If you have Roku, Apple TV or Android TV you can download it and it's on taste on TV. You can also follow me on vegan pop eats to on IG, and that's where you'll see all of the interviews that I've done on there and yeah, this type of vegan pop eats

Jim Moore  1:04:58

definitely do that as well. Definitely check out the lives they're brilliant the Instagram lives that you've been doing the the interviews with people I love them they're brilliant Oh thank you

1:05:08

so much and thank you for this because your your podcast is dope and when you allowed me to be on it

Jim Moore  1:05:15

oh no no not at all amazing for you to be on it yourself I was I was I was touched you said yes. So I really appreciate it. I'm going to pop everything we've just talked about there in terms of the links etc in the show notes for folks can can can go and check you out and I once again thoroughly recommend it and it's been an absolute pleasure chatting with you hopefully we'll do it again sometime and speak soon.

1:05:41

Anytime you want me on Jim you just let me know I can talk for days as you I love it

Jim Moore  1:05:46

on so thank you so much. Thank you so much. This is a bloody vegans production