Main Street Vegan

What can the American Vegan Society teach us about living compassionately for a lifetime?
In this heartwarming conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes Anne Dinshah, CEO of the American Vegan Society, for a discussion about vegan living, community, and carrying forward a remarkable legacy. As the daughter of vegan pioneer Jay Dinshah, Anne has spent a lifetime showing that veganism is not about perfection. Instead, it's about living with kindness, curiosity, and joy.
This episode is especially personal for Victoria. She shares how Jay Dinshah and the American Vegan Society helped launch her own vegan journey decades ago. Together, Victoria and Anne reflect on the early days of the movement. They also discuss the friendships that have sustained it and why building a welcoming vegan community remains just as important today.
Anne also offers practical wisdom for anyone considering a plant-based lifestyle. She explains why many people overestimate the difficulty of going vegan. In addition, she shares simple ways to begin living more compassionately. Along the way, the conversation explores voluntary simplicity, healthy aging, and the value of lifelong curiosity.
Above all, this episode celebrates the American Vegan Society and its mission to make vegan living welcoming, accessible, and joyful for everyone.
✨ In This Episode
How Jay Dinshah influenced Victoria's own vegan journey
The history and mission of the American Vegan Society
Why veganism can be simpler than many people imagine
Building a compassionate vegan community
Living your values while maintaining strong relationships
The benefits of curiosity, movement, and lifelong learning
The American Vegan Center and upcoming educational retreats
👤 About Our Guest
Anne Dinshah is a lifelong vegan and the CEO of the American Vegan Society. As the daughter of U.S. vegan movement pioneer Jay Dinshah, she continues his legacy by helping people discover vegan living through education, community, and compassionate outreach. Anne is also the coauthor of Powerful Vegan Messages. Through her warm and approachable style, she has inspired countless people to embrace a more compassionate way of living.
🌱 About the American Vegan Society
Founded in 1960, the American Vegan Society has spent more than six decades promoting vegan living through education, advocacy, and community. Its long-running "Welcome to Veganism" program has introduced countless people to the vegan lifestyle. Likewise, its "Building National Vegan Community" initiative continues to connect and inspire people across the country.
Another highlight is the American Vegan Center in Philadelphia, where visitors can explore the history of veganism in the United States. This fall, the American Vegan Society will also reopen its headquarters for weekend and weeklong living-learning retreats. These experiences will include cooking workshops, ethical discussions, wellness activities, and opportunities to connect with fellow vegans.
🔗 Connect with Anne
Website: https://americanvegan.org
Facebook: American Vegan Society
Instagram: @AmericanVeganS
LinkedIn: American Vegan Society
Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.
Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.
Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:
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Can we transform the global food system without asking everyone to give up the foods they love?
In this thought-provoking conversation, I welcome Bruce Friedrich, founder and president of the Good Food Institute, to discuss his book Meat and the future of alternative proteins. Bruce explains why plant-based and cultivated meat could play a vital role in feeding a growing population while reducing the environmental and ethical costs of industrial animal agriculture.
Myself and Bruce also share a personal history that goes back nearly four decades. In 1988, Bruce got in touch after reading one of my articles on veganism. Calling from his college dorm, he told me that my writing had inspired him to go vegan. It's a full-circle moment that makes this conversation especially meaningful.
Together, they explore why humans love meat, what that means for the future of food, and why innovation, not blame, may be the fastest path toward meaningful change.
In This Episode
Why Bruce founded the Good Food Institute
The inspiration behind his new book, Meat
The future of plant-based and cultivated meat
Why "Big Meat" may become part of the solution
The environmental, public health, and ethical case for alternative proteins
What gives Bruce hope for the next agricultural revolution
About Our Guest
Bruce Friedrich is the founder and president of the Good Food Institute, a global network of nonprofit, science-focused think tanks accelerating the development of plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated proteins. The organization has been recognised by Giving Green as one of the world's most impactful climate charities for four consecutive years.
Bruce is also the author of Meat, a compelling look at how innovation can transform our food system to benefit animals, people, and the planet. A longtime vegan advocate, he has spent decades working at the intersection of food, policy, science, and sustainability.
Connect with Bruce
Website: https://meatbook.org
Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brucegfriedrich
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brucegfriedrich/
X: https://x.com/BruceGFriedrich
About the Good Food Institute
The Good Food Institute works globally to accelerate the development and adoption of alternative proteins through science, policy, and industry partnerships. Its work has earned recognition from organisations including Giving Green, the Bezos Earth Fund, and many leaders in food innovation and climate action.
Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.
Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.
Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049
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Can a story change hearts more effectively than an argument?

Buddhist Blues is an intriguing feature film that tackles life and family with a by-the-way-he's vegan protagonist. Writer/director Glen Merzer takes us into his process and celebrates "accidental activism."
In this engaging conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes bestselling author, screenwriter, and filmmaker Glen Merzer to discuss Buddhist Blues, the first feature film he has written and directed. Set in St. Louis in 1993, the film follows a young vegan living outside the law. As family tensions rise, he must confront difficult choices and the fragile bonds that connect us.
Together, Victoria and Glen explore storytelling as a form of advocacy. Glen explains why he believes in "soft vegan messaging." Rather than preaching, he creates compelling characters and authentic stories that encourage audiences to reflect. They also discuss the challenges of producing an independent film and the unique ability of cinema to inspire empathy.
Beyond the film, Glen reflects on his decades as a writer and his lifelong commitment to vegetarianism and veganism. He also shares why creativity can help build a more compassionate world.
Whether you're passionate about filmmaking, vegan advocacy, or simply love a good story, this episode offers an inspiring look at the intersection of art, compassion, and social change.
In This Episode
Glen's journey as a writer and filmmaker
The inspiration behind Buddhist Blues
Why storytelling can be a powerful form of advocacy
The philosophy behind "soft vegan messaging"
The challenges of producing and directing an independent film
How creativity can inspire compassion and change
About Our Guest
Glen Merzer is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, and longtime vegan advocate. He is the writer and director of Buddhist Blues, a feature film that explores family, identity, and compassion through a distinctly vegan lens. Glen also co-authored Moving Medicine Forward with Dr. Michael Klaper and wrote Food Is Climate. A vegetarian for more than five decades and a vegan for over 35 years, he hosts The Glen Merzer Show, where he explores food, health, ethics, and the environment.
More from Glen
Learn more about Glen's latest projects, including Buddhist Blues, his books, and The Glen Merzer Show.
Website: https://buddhistblues.com
YouTube: The Glen Merzer Show
https://www.youtube.com/@theglenmerzershow
Also Mentioned
Moving Medicine Forward (co-authored with Dr. Michael Klaper) - https://www.movingmedforward.org
Food Is Climate - https://www.amazon.com/Food-Climate-Response-Conventional-Narrative/dp/B09CGL854K
Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.
Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.
Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Can the legal system become one of the most powerful tools for protecting animals?
In this compelling conversation, Victoria Moran speaks with attorney and animal law advocate Vanessa Shakib about the growing movement to secure meaningful legal protections for animals. Through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy, Vanessa is helping reshape the legal landscape for farmed animals and challenging long-standing systems that treat sentient beings as commodities rather than individuals worthy of protection.
Together, Victoria and Vanessa explore the evolving field of animal law, the challenges of creating systemic change through the courts, and why legal advocacy is an essential companion to education, grassroots activism, and compassionate living. Vanessa also shares her own journey to veganism and explains how it inspired her to dedicate her legal career to advancing justice for animals.
Thoughtful, inspiring, and deeply hopeful, this episode offers listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the legal strategies helping to build a more compassionate future.
✨ In This Episode
How Vanessa found her calling in animal law
How compassion can shape public policy
Reasons for hope in the growing animal protection movement
👤 About Our Guest
Vanessa Shakib is an attorney, animal law advocate, and founder of Advancing Law for Animals, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting animals through strategic litigation and public-interest advocacy. After becoming vegan, she redirected her legal career toward advancing legal protections for animals and challenging institutional cruelty through the courts. Her work spans issues including factory farming, animal research, and government accountability, and she has become a respected voice in the rapidly growing field of animal law.
🔗 Connect with Vanessa
Website: https://advancinglawforanimals.org
Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.
Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.
And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049
**Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check out their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter 'MAINSTREET' in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Why do people who care deeply about compassion sometimes struggle to extend that compassion to one another?
In this thoughtful and timely conversation, I speak with psychologist, author and founder Dr. Melanie Joy about one of the most challenging issues facing advocacy movements today: infighting. Drawing on decades of research into psychology, communication, and social change, Melanie explores why passionate people can become divided and what we can do to foster greater understanding, effectiveness, and unity.
Together, myself and Melanie discuss the role of moral outrage in activism, the limits of shame as a tool for change, and the importance of creating what she calls a more "relational" world. While every justice movement has its own mission, Melanie argues that lasting progress depends on our ability to build healthy relationships, communicate across differences, and work toward shared goals.
This episode offers practical insights for vegans, activists, and anyone seeking to create positive change without sacrificing connection, kindness, or integrity.
✨ In This Episode
What infighting is and why it happens
Why passionate advocates sometimes become divided
The difference between righteous anger and effective advocacy
Why shame rarely creates lasting positive change
What it means to build a more relational world
How justice movements can work together while honoring their unique missions
Simple steps anyone can take to reduce conflict and strengthen community
Creating meaningful change through compassion and communication
👤 About Our Guest
Melanie is a Harvard-educated psychologist and author of 8 books, including Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. She is a recipient of the Institute of Jainology's Ahimsa Award, joining honorees that includes Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. She is the founding president of Beyond Carnism, dedicated to exposing and transforming the belief systems that shape our choices and relationships.
🔗 Connect with Melanie
Website: https://infighting.org/ &  https://carnism.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondcarnism
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondcarnism
📚 Also Mentioned
Melanie recently published A Half-Hearted Death Wish, a darkly humorous psychological mystery about a psychologist whose desire to live suddenly vanishes, sending her on a quest to solve the mystery before it's too late.
Subscribe, rate, and review the Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.
Sign up for the newsletter at www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive a FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.
Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049
 
Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora and enter 'MAINSTREET' in the discount box to save yourself 10%.