Genesis Butler

Genesis Butler is an inspiring American teen animal rights and environmental activist.

Animal-loving Genesis went vegetarian at the age of three when she learnt that chicken nuggets are indeed from chickens. Three years later, when she learnt that milk is stolen from cows and their calves, she went vegan.¹Enjoli, A. 2021. Why Teenage Activist Genesis Butler Is a Hero to Animals. LiveKindly. Available: https://www.livekindly.co/teenage-activist-genesis-butler-hero-animals/ [Accessed 5 November 2021].

As soon as she went vegan she started advocating for animals and by the age of 10 she had already given a TEDx talk called A 10-year old’s vision for healing the planet. She also founded a non-profit called Genesis for Animals which provides funding to sanctuaries and rescues who provide animals with a permanent home.²Genesisforanimals.org. 2018. Who we are. Available: http://genesisforanimals.org/whoarewe.htm [Accessed 5 November 2021]. She has given many talks at animal rights events and appeared on a number of vegan podcasts.

Genesis has earned numerous awards for her activism including Animal Hero Kids’ Sir Paul McCartney Young Veg Advocate award, Vegan Kid of the Year award from Vegans Are Cool, PETA’s Youth Activist of the Year, and the Lisa Shapiro Youth Activist award. She is featured in Vegan: Everyday Stories, a documentary about the lives of everyday vegans, Cesar Chavez: Respect for All about the life and activism of her great uncle Cesar Chavez, and The Invisible Vegan about the lives of vegan people of colour.

Some people think extending kindness to all species is a weakness but it’s actually a superpower so don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad or crazy for having empathy for animals. I know people have tried to do that to me but it just makes me stronger and want to speak up for animals even more.

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