The birth of Sistah Vegan was a defiant and courageous response to the exclusionary stance that inquiries into food justice, anti-racism, and gender equity had no place in the conversation about Veganism. At the time, the dominant voices in the movement rejected the idea that veganism, a lifestyle rooted in nonviolence and ethical treatment of animals, had any intersection with race, gender, or socioeconomic disparities. This rigid perspective framed veganism as a personal choice, detached from broader systems of oppression and inequity. But for Sistah Vegan, this was far from the truth.
Founded in 2004 by Dr. Amee Breeze, whose work on Equity and Inclusion has been pivotal in shaping DEI education in the country, Sistah Vegan has been a powerful voice in the vegan and plant-based movement. Through Sistah Vegan, Dr. Amee carved out a new path to an unwavering belief that the philosophies of veganism and plant-based diets could not be divorced from social justice. It was not enough to advocate for animal rights without simultaneously addressing the systemic inequities that marginalized Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities face. For Sistah Vegan, the principles of compassion, justice, and liberation applied not only to animals but also to oppressed human communities.
Through unwavering persistence and advocacy, Dr. Amee has been able to cut overcome the initial resistance that the Sistah Vegan project was met with. The project has been instrumental to the groundbreaking conversations about the links between race, environmental justice, access to healthy foods, and the legacies of colonization that still inform today’s dietary choices. Sistah Vegan exposed how food systems disproportionately affect marginalized communities, both in terms of access to nutritious plant-based foods and in the exploitative labor practices tied to animal agriculture and industrial farming.
Dr. Amee has given over 70 inspiring keynote talks and workshops thanks to the Sistah Vegan project. These talks weren’t just about theory; they addressed the tangible, lived experiences of people who have historically been sidelined in discussions about health, wellness, and ethical living. Sistah Vegan’s work showed how adopting a plant-based lifestyle can be an act of resistance against systemic inequalities—whether that’s addressing the food deserts that leave BIPOC communities without access to fresh produce or acknowledging the gendered labor often tied to agriculture.
Over the years, the Sistah Vegan movement evolved into a broader platform for intersectional advocacy, challenging not just the vegan community but also the wider world to rethink how we approach food and justice. The journey from those early days of being told that anti-racism and gender equity had no place in veganism to becoming a widely respected voice in the movement is a testament to the power of perseverance and the necessity of intersectional thinking.
As Sistah Vegan continued to gain momentum, the dialogue within the vegan community shifted. Conferences, books, and forums now regularly explore themes of social justice in food systems. Institutions that once ignored these critical topics have started integrating them into their frameworks. This transformation is, in no small part, due to the pioneering work of Sistah Vegan, who proved that to truly advocate for compassion, one must acknowledge all forms of injustice, whether it be against animals or marginalized human communities.
In many ways, the Sistah Vegan journey is still unfolding. New challenges arise, but so do new opportunities to deepen the movement’s impact. Today, more people than ever recognize that food justice is not just a side issue but a central concern in the quest for equity and liberation. The movement continues to inspire and evolve, as Sistah Vegan leads the charge, reminding the world that justice must be holistic if it is to be meaningful.
This work has forever changed the landscape of veganism and plant-based philosophies, creating a future where conversations about food cannot be separated from discussions about racial, gender, and economic equity. In proving them wrong, Sistah Vegan has made the world a more compassionate, inclusive place for all.