TAKING
ACTION
Adam Henry
holds a
megaphone
and sign
Dec. 31, 2020,
in front of
Canada Goose
on Michigan
Avenue in
Chicago.
PHOTO BY CRISTIAN CASTELLANOS
a coworker told me she found a dog
locked in a car alone. The absence of
my usual uproar was jarring to her, and
she felt compelled to fill in for me. She
told me, “I asked myself, what would
Alicia do? And I called the police.”
I was so proud of her for taking the
mantle and speaking up for the dog.
Why is animal activism important?
At my university, there would be an
open-floor discussion after student
government meetings. Anyone could
bring up issues they wanted the board
to consider. One day, I came forward,
introduced myself and said, “I’m here
today, speaking on behalf of the mice
on campus.” The gallery vibrated
with laughter. Some board members
turned to look at each other, clearly
wondering if I was joking.
My school is diverse, and when
someone chose to speak on behalf
of LGBTQIA+, women or the Black
community, nobody laughed. There
was an understanding that all campus
members, no matter how few or marginalized,
had the right to be heard. The
laughter validated my suspicion that
animals were considered less-than-marginalized,
even relegated to a nonexistent
and non-issue status. An animal
rights activist must remind people that
animals have valid issues as well.
Mice were facing violence on campus.
Custodians placed glue traps —
which are indiscriminate mutilators —
in and around the buildings. I was there
to convince the board that this was a
violation of animals’ basic rights and
remind them that we should not tolerate
any campus violence. My university
now uses humane mouse traps.
What advice do you have for others
who want to be active for animals?
Use your talents. I have worked
with artists, accountants, IT workers,
bodybuilders and dancers. No matter
your abilities, there is a place for you in
animal rights activism. Animals have
no way of conveying their fear, needs or
worth to humans who don’t know it yet
— only you have that. Take a personal
inventory of your talents, and then find
all the ways you can benefit animals.
Planted | 45