WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.840 A lot of you have been asking:  What's going on with Bite Size Vegan? 00:00:03.840 --> 00:00:06.552 Where have I been? What have I been up to? 00:00:06.552 --> 00:00:09.200 Did I die? 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:14.407 Am I coming back? Am I still vegan? 00:00:14.407 --> 00:00:17.067 (Sarcastic snort) Please... 00:00:17.305 --> 00:00:19.701 Well, it's time for some answers. 00:00:19.701 --> 00:00:28.575 (Music, the sound of a pen on paper, bird song, animals and insect noises) 00:00:30.636 --> 00:00:36.870 Hi, it's Emily from BiteSizeVegan.org, where you can find free resources, eCourses, kids' content, 00:00:36.870 --> 00:00:40.720 and a Guided Search to help you find just what  you need, even if you don't know what to ask! 00:00:41.360 --> 00:00:48.503 I have been wanting to update all of you for so very, very long about all the developments with Bite Size Vegan. 00:00:48.503 --> 00:00:51.440 While I've been doing my best to keep my patrons in the loop, 00:00:51.440 --> 00:00:56.720 I know that—for the most part—there's been  radio silence on my social media platforms. 00:00:56.720 --> 00:01:00.880 A lot has happened since I had to stop  regular content production in order 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:05.028 to focus on the foundational and internal  aspects of Bite Size Vegan. 00:01:05.028 --> 00:01:09.520 While there's no way for me to run through everything,  I wanted to touch on a few highlights. 00:01:09.520 --> 00:01:14.080 But first, I wanted to tell you what  to expect from me moving forward. 00:01:14.080 --> 00:01:18.531 I will be moving back into producing  new content on a regular basis. 00:01:18.531 --> 00:01:25.040 However, my video release frequency will not be the same as  it used to be because, in addition to the videos, 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:27.193 I'll be devoting time to: 00:01:27.193 --> 00:01:28.831 creating free eCourses; 00:01:28.831 --> 00:01:33.200 writing free comprehensive downloadable  guides for all stages of veganism; 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:40.656 enhancing the accessibility tools and resources for all  existing and new content on BiteSizeVegan.org; 00:01:40.656 --> 00:01:46.400 and ensuring that I can continue providing  quality content at a sustainable pace. 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.720 Plus, not to bore you with the details, 00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:53.280 but there is a lot that has to happen behind  the scenes—like accounting, data management, 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.179 website updates, social media management 00:01:55.179 --> 00:01:58.880 ...and I've lost most of you. 00:01:59.449 --> 00:02:00.969 Moving on... 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:04.320 If you want to be sure to hear about new Bite Size Vegan content, 00:02:04.320 --> 00:02:07.453 I'd encourage you to either sign up for the newsletter at 00:02:07.453 --> 00:02:09.812 BiteSizeVegan.org/Subscribe 00:02:09.812 --> 00:02:12.383 or follow Bite Size Vegan on Telegram 00:02:12.383 --> 00:02:15.635 at BiteSizeVegan.org/Telegram. 00:02:15.635 --> 00:02:20.861 If you haven't noticed, social media platforms  have continued to make it more and more difficult 00:02:20.861 --> 00:02:25.116 to have anyone notified of new content, even if you've subscribed, 00:02:25.116 --> 00:02:28.882 followed, clicked a bell, done a magic incantation and 00:02:28.882 --> 00:02:32.000 notification dance to the gods of GoogleInstaBookTube 00:02:33.040 --> 00:02:35.784 So the newsletter and, even more so, 00:02:35.784 --> 00:02:38.851 Telegram are the most reliable ways to ensure you're notified. 00:02:38.851 --> 00:02:41.786 So, what have I been up to this whole time? 00:02:41.786 --> 00:02:48.678 I have to say that I've struggled greatly with how to communicate the last handful of years in some abbreviated summary. 00:02:48.678 --> 00:02:52.686 I equally struggled with how much of the difficulties to share, 00:02:52.686 --> 00:02:55.600 as well as how to convey the progress and victories. 00:02:56.320 --> 00:03:00.400 I've had to accept that it's simply  not possible to encapsulate everything. 00:03:01.600 --> 00:03:05.308 Until mind-meld technology  becomes a thing. 00:03:08.664 --> 00:03:10.101 Nope...still not there... 00:03:11.920 --> 00:03:16.000 I'd like to start with the biggest  announcement that I'm the most excited about. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.840 I'll then share other activities  from the last few years, and finally, 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:23.680 address why I've been largely  absent from social media platforms. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.640 One of the main projects I've been pouring my  heart and soul into is the complete rebuild of 00:03:28.640 --> 00:03:34.160 BiteSizeVegan.org from the ground up. To serve as the epicenter of Bite Size Vegan content 00:03:34.160 --> 00:03:37.360 and provide free resources and tools to the community. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:42.800 Non-vegans, new vegans, and activists  alike can utilize new feature such as: 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.225 an advanced guided search for finding just what you need 00:03:46.225 --> 00:03:51.680 allowing you to create living curated results pages  for yourself, generate vegan cheat-sheets, 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:56.560 or send specific resources to non-vegan friends  and family, with a custom note and everything; 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:59.840 “Get Started” guides for every phase of your vegan journey; 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:04.183 free eCourses that combine Bite Size Vegan videos with new course content 00:04:04.183 --> 00:04:07.738 and quiz questions for a complete educational experience; 00:04:07.738 --> 00:04:13.440 and ways to search for content by topic, or  browse all content using powerful filters. 00:04:13.440 --> 00:04:18.720 I've always intended for Bite Size Vegan to be  a living library of information about veganism, 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:23.280 bringing together the accessibility  of engaging digital and social media content 00:04:23.280 --> 00:04:29.454 with the integrity and depth of research-backed, transparently-cited educational content. 00:04:29.454 --> 00:04:32.960 However, before rebuilding the site, trying to find what you needed was 00:04:32.960 --> 00:04:36.640 like walking into a library with a big pile of books in the middle of the room. 00:04:37.520 --> 00:04:39.039 Good luck! 00:04:39.039 --> 00:04:42.830 Information is only as effective as one's ability to find it. 00:04:42.830 --> 00:04:48.721 I founded Bite Size Vegan on the belief  that everyone deserves access to solid, factual information 00:04:48.721 --> 00:04:54.054 on issues impacting their health, our planet, society, and the lives of other sentient beings. 00:04:54.054 --> 00:05:00.080 With this belief at heart, I poured countless hours and taught myself a few computer programming languages 00:05:00.080 --> 00:05:03.360 to make it easier than ever to find exactly what you're looking for. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:08.640 I'm so excited to give you an overview of the  new features in a dedicated video. 00:05:08.640 --> 00:05:10.777 Of course, you can check them out for yourself  now at 00:05:10.777 --> 00:05:14.534 BiteSizeVegan.org/NewSiteTour 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:20.720 Another significant change is that Bite Size Vegan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:23.728 In my mind, Bite Size Vegan has always been intended as a public service, 00:05:23.728 --> 00:05:27.220 so shifting to a nonprofit made the most sense. 00:05:27.220 --> 00:05:31.167 Though the process was far more extensive than I’d realized 00:05:31.167 --> 00:05:35.205 and I cannot ever get back the mind-numbing, soul-sucking 00:05:35.205 --> 00:05:39.214 time of reading dense governmental regulatory documentation 00:05:39.520 --> 00:05:43.680 I felt it was important to align Bite Size Vegan's structure with its mission. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:47.792 Bite Size Vegan being a nonprofit doesn't  mean it's now a large organization. 00:05:47.792 --> 00:05:53.472 It's still just me. I’ll explain why that’s the  case later in this announcement. 00:05:53.588 --> 00:05:58.800 As always, any support goes directly into the creation  of more educational content and resources, 00:05:58.880 --> 00:06:04.973 but now, your donations are tax-deductible to  the fullest extent allowable by law. 00:06:04.973 --> 00:06:05.840 (Yay). 00:06:06.400 --> 00:06:11.920 Not everything during this time was  mind-numbing admin and dense computer coding. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:16.560 I also delivered speeches around the United  States to primarily non-vegan audiences; 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:20.328 spoke on three panels at the National Animal  Rights Conference: 00:06:20.328 --> 00:06:21.754 Veganism as Social Deviance, 00:06:21.754 --> 00:06:23.803 The Power of Language and Rhetoric, 00:06:23.803 --> 00:06:26.480 and The Power of Videos in Advocating for Animal Rights; 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:34.720 and had the honor of speaking, via Skype, to vegan activists in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia at the Animal Activists Forum. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:40.514 I published the Sydney speech, entitled "How to Speak Non-Vegan: Effective Activism Through Mindful Language," 00:06:40.514 --> 00:06:47.248 so if you happened to miss it, be sure to check it out at BiteSizeVegan.org/UseYourWords. 00:06:47.248 --> 00:06:52.118 If you've ever struggled with how to effectively speak to non-vegans about veganism 00:06:52.118 --> 00:06:58.274 and especially how to communicate your message without sacrificing your integrity, that's the speech for you. 00:06:58.274 --> 00:07:03.056 A completely unplanned project during this time was the Alive by Accident documentary. 00:07:03.056 --> 00:07:09.816 On my first visit to Iowa Farm Sanctuary, our state’s  first and only vegan farmed animal sanctuary 00:07:09.816 --> 00:07:15.040 IFS co-founder Shawn, received a call from her  husband, alerting us that a semi truck 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.440 carrying cows to slaughter had flipped  on a highway about 45 minutes away. 00:07:19.440 --> 00:07:28.079 In the two-part documentary, I chronicled that fatal livestock trailer accident, which granted eight cows bound for slaughter a chance at life 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:29.771 and their subsequent rescue. 00:07:29.771 --> 00:07:37.280 In part one of Alive by Accident, you join Shawn and me as we visit the crash site, begin the long search for survivors, 00:07:37.280 --> 00:07:41.861 and finally bring the eight surviving  boys to their new forever home. 00:07:41.861 --> 00:07:46.880 In part two, you get to meet the survivors—each an individual in their own right. 00:07:46.880 --> 00:07:49.760 For those of you who have  yet to watch the documentary, 00:07:49.760 --> 00:07:54.234 check it out at BiteSizeVegan.org/AliveByAccident 00:07:54.234 --> 00:07:57.296 The final project I want to highlight is the new book: 00:07:57.296 --> 00:08:00.443 "Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers." 00:08:00.678 --> 00:08:04.960 It is a comprehensive collection of compelling essays from a diverse group of vegan voices. 00:08:04.960 --> 00:08:12.746 I had the honor of contributing to the book with my essay "The Harm of 'Humane,'" which delves into the reality behind 00:08:12.746 --> 00:08:14.967 humane labels and animal welfare legislation. 00:08:14.967 --> 00:08:22.480 If you missed the announcement about Vegan Voices, you can learn more at BiteSizeVegan.org/VeganVoicesRelease. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:26.960 This incredible book is all thanks  to author and editor Dr. Joanne Kong. 00:08:26.960 --> 00:08:29.840 Now that I’ve shared some highlights  of what I've done during this time, 00:08:29.840 --> 00:08:35.856 I'd like to do my best to explain why Bite  Size Vegan is still—for the most part—just me. 00:08:35.856 --> 00:08:37.753 When I had to stop regular content production, 00:08:37.753 --> 00:08:42.223 one of my primary focuses was to bring in other people through a combination of 00:08:42.223 --> 00:08:46.548 professional service providers, a central employee, and a team of volunteers. 00:08:46.548 --> 00:08:52.894 Delegation always appeared to be the most logical solution to  the ever-increasing demands of Bite Size Vegan. 00:08:53.110 --> 00:08:58.133 Coordinating volunteers, assistants, or  employees is a full time job in and of itself, 00:08:58.133 --> 00:09:02.273 so I'd never been able to do so while actively  producing content. 00:09:02.273 --> 00:09:07.982 I was cautiously optimistic that I'd be able to find and involve others with Bite Size Vegan 00:09:07.982 --> 00:09:11.138 such that I could focus on what I'm good at and leave the rest to them. 00:09:11.138 --> 00:09:16.033 However, despite many, many efforts, this simply hasn't been the case. 00:09:16.033 --> 00:09:19.624 It's difficult to explain why exactly. 00:09:19.624 --> 00:09:21.368 The reasons varied with each situation. 00:09:21.368 --> 00:09:27.890 Aside from financial considerations, a major factor complicating this entire area is the nature of my Autism. 00:09:27.890 --> 00:09:35.196 Despite what you see in my videos and speeches, communication is profoundly challenging for me 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:40.800 especially when it comes to logistical things I'm  uncertain about and emotionally close to. 00:09:40.800 --> 00:09:46.409 In order to communicate what, to many,  may be the most basic logistics 00:09:46.409 --> 00:09:53.200 for me requires such extreme time and mental energy that I'm left with neither to focus on my actual work. 00:09:53.201 --> 00:09:59.399 I've had to accept that I must find a way forward that works for me, with all my challenges and limitations. 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:04.101 This means, in part, that involving others will remain  much more limited than I’d like. 00:10:04.160 --> 00:10:07.280 I appreciate that this will  not make sense to many people. 00:10:07.280 --> 00:10:13.673 My inability to communicate the nature of  my difficulties with—well—communication, 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.372 is a source of great frustration. 00:10:16.372 --> 00:10:19.868 Accepting that is still very much a work in progress. 00:10:19.868 --> 00:10:24.099 Before wrapping up, I'd like to address my apparent absence from social media. 00:10:24.099 --> 00:10:28.901 My infrequent activity has not been due to  my walking away—far from it. 00:10:28.901 --> 00:10:34.178 The catch 22 of social media is that creating the "appearance" of activity 00:10:34.178 --> 00:10:42.197 meaning regular output on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, consumes so much time that it inhibits actual activity and work. 00:10:42.197 --> 00:10:49.822 This may not be the case for everyone, but for me, as an Autistic, I have to shut those doors to be able to focus on what's important. 00:10:49.822 --> 00:10:55.609 So, what may have appeared from the outside as  a period of inactivity was, in fact, quite the opposite 00:10:55.609 --> 00:11:00.372 I was working extremely hard on a number of fronts, some of which I've already covered. 00:11:00.372 --> 00:11:06.796 The nature of social media platform  algorithms has been—and remains—the primary barrier for me 00:11:06.796 --> 00:11:10.949 when it comes to finding a sustainable way to operate Bite Size Vegan. 00:11:10.949 --> 00:11:13.662 I chose to make Bite Size Vegan digitally-based— 00:11:13.662 --> 00:11:20.494 utilizing social media in order to increase access to solid information that's usually made inaccessible 00:11:20.494 --> 00:11:27.599 either through paywalls, educational requirements, or the sheer  lack of time most people have to conduct in-depth research. 00:11:27.599 --> 00:11:33.385 I wanted to reach people where they are, which— for better or worse—tends to be social media. 00:11:33.385 --> 00:11:35.415 I still stand behind this mission; 00:11:35.415 --> 00:11:42.139 open-access to researched, non-biased information is a passion of mine that runs as deep as my veganism. 00:11:42.139 --> 00:11:48.107 However, the reality of social media algorithms is that, in order for my content to actually reach people 00:11:48.107 --> 00:11:53.629 for subscribers and followers to be notified, as well as for the content to be recommended to others 00:11:53.629 --> 00:11:57.022 the platforms demand constant output. 00:11:57.022 --> 00:11:59.042 While I believe in quality over quantity, 00:11:59.042 --> 00:12:05.236 less frequent social media posts means that the content I do create reaches less and less people. 00:12:05.236 --> 00:12:09.390 Yet, the logistics of writing and producing the kind of content I do 00:12:09.390 --> 00:12:15.644 at the pace demanded by social platforms was—and is—simply impossible in the end. 00:12:15.644 --> 00:12:17.891 So, I'm left with the options of either: 00:12:17.891 --> 00:12:24.056 1. producing less content and maintaining quality,  but sacrificing the reach of that content, or 00:12:24.056 --> 00:12:34.034 2. producing shorter, simpler, fluffier content more frequently, thus sacrificing the integrity of the content—though, perhaps increasing reach. 00:12:34.185 --> 00:12:40.507 One of my focuses during this period of limited content production has been finding how to balance the goals of Bite Size Vegan 00:12:40.507 --> 00:12:42.659 and the demands of social media. 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:49.784 Or, more so, how to reach people with Bite Size Vegan content and resources without compromising the integrity of the content 00:12:49.784 --> 00:12:52.034 or my own sanity. 00:12:52.034 --> 00:12:55.875 I have to admit, I'm still unsure of how to achieve this. 00:12:55.875 --> 00:13:01.683 This is one of the reasons I'm encouraging you to subscribe to the newsletter or follow the Bite Size Vegan Telegram channel. 00:13:01.683 --> 00:13:08.126 Telegram doesn't operate on an algorithm to decide for you if you really want to be notified of Bite Size Vegan content. 00:13:08.126 --> 00:13:09.280 You just are. 00:13:09.920 --> 00:13:17.506 Same with the newsletter, aside from spam  folder and Gmail Promotions tab issues. 00:13:17.506 --> 00:13:18.497 Google! 00:13:18.640 --> 00:13:21.600 I've always erred on the side of integrity over reach, 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:26.560 though it is frustrating as my goal is to  reach as many people as I can about veganism. 00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:32.383 But I also have to ensure that the message  I’m reaching them with isn't diluted. 00:13:32.383 --> 00:13:38.130 So, my mantra has become: quality over quantity; substance over social media. 00:13:38.130 --> 00:13:44.709 I want to thank everyone who has been so patient and supportive during this time of transition for me and Bite Size Vegan. 00:13:44.709 --> 00:13:50.316 To my family on Patreon, and independent supporters, whose steadfast encouragement has been a rock for me 00:13:50.316 --> 00:13:52.547 through uncertain and tumultuous times. 00:13:52.547 --> 00:13:56.401 To everyone who's not given up on Bite Size Vegan 00:13:56.401 --> 00:14:00.725 your belief in the importance of what I've set out to do has spurred me onwards. 00:14:00.725 --> 00:14:03.463 No matter what, I refuse to give up. 00:14:03.463 --> 00:14:09.384 Everyone deserves to know the truth. Our planet deserves our attention and care. 00:14:09.384 --> 00:14:16.453 More than anything, the sentient beings in our animal  products industries deserve freedom and safety. 00:14:16.453 --> 00:14:19.610 They deserve everything I have to give 00:14:19.610 --> 00:14:22.400 and I intend to give them my everything. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.793 I hope to have you along this journey with me. 00:14:25.793 --> 00:14:32.694 To stay in the loop about new Bite Size Vegan content and updates, remember to subscribe to the newsletter or follow the Telegram channel 00:14:32.694 --> 00:14:34.944 for the most reliable notifications. 00:14:34.944 --> 00:14:39.361 Now go live vegan, and I'll see you soon.