Jaya Bhumitra is the Los Angeles campaigns director of the group Compassion Over Killing, which promotes vegetarianism and veganism. (Steve McCrank / Staff Photographer)
Jaya Bhumitra stopped eating meat when she was a young girl.
She was inspired by the sight of her family's pet chickens, which she realized felt fear and pain just like dog and cats - and people.
Today, the 30-year-old Torrance resident, who has a business degree, works as campaigns director for Compassion Over Killing, a national group that promotes vegan and vegetarian eating and encourages restaurants to include such diets in their menus.
What does your job entail?
I have two functions. The first one is to oversee the outreach department. We have two staff members, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast. They do outreach and education. I help them plan events and how to educate people on the ways and means of vegetarian eating.
What's the difference between vegetarians and vegans?
Vegetarians avoid meat products and vegans avoid any products that have any animal origin. Vegans also avoid any products like cleaning products that were tested on animals. We want to do the least harm and minimize the suffering. We don't wear leather or fur.
What's your second function?
The second thing I do is campaign work. We do corporate campaigns. For example, we have a campaign called WeLoveSubway.com. We're trying to get them to add a vegan option such as tofurky (a vegetarian turkey replacement).
Originally posted here:
At Work: Directing campaigns on behalf of vegan and vegetarian eating
