Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris Challenged to Go Vegan for One Month

VP-Elect Kamala Harris made history this fall after being elected as the United State’s first woman, first Black woman, and first Indian-American to serve as Vice President. Now, a recently created petition has challenged her to make history again and become the first vegan vice president. A coalition of evidence-based nutrition, medical science, public health, social justice, and anti-hunger organizations authored the petition, challenging Harris to try a plant-based diet for 31 days to increase awareness of the critical role a plant-based diet has in mitigating the consequences of the pandemic.

Nivi Jaswal, one of the creators of the petition, explained the significance of nominating Harris to take the vegan challenge, saying, “Kamala Harris is a role model for millions of people, especially women, and women of color. By taking a position on healthy, whole-food plant-based eating, she can help drive a fundamental transformation in the way America produces, processes, and eats food.”

COVID-19 shed light on both the risks associated with factory farming and the importance of access to education about public health. The authors of the petition believe that a transition away from relying on factory farming to a “plant-based food production” system could restore the economic and personal health of those hardest hit by the pandemic, women of color. The petition cites reports conducted by the National Women’s Law Center that found that 57% of Latinx women and 53% of Black women reported losing income, and 1 in 6 Black and Latinx women reported not having enough food in the past week.

Harris has previously expressed her commitment to “overhauling” the American Food system to make the environment and US citizens healthier. If Harris decides to take the challenge, she’ll certainly be living up to her word, setting an example for anyone trying to live a healthier lifestyle this next year. Find out more about some of Harris' plant-forward healthy habits here.