When a new KFC restaurant opened at a nearby shopping mall in Finland, Benjamin camped outside to be the first customer. Except, he wasn’t exactly a “customer.” Instead of claiming his free bucket of chicken, Benjamin’s plan was to decline it — an act of protest that quickly earned him attention, support, and momentum for a steadily-growing movement. This year, Benjamin received Ashoka Nordic’s Changemaker of the Year Award 2022 for his initiative: Viral Vegans.
Benjamin’s initiative began before the KFC demonstration, when a documentary on animal agriculture changed his world. He learned about the ideology of “speciesism” — the assumption of human superiority — which has led to us “justifying the killing of billions of innocent animals each year.”
Speciesism is a silent obstacle that leads to the exploitation of animals. Through activism, Benjamin aims to show that the value of beings extends beyond humans — and how veganism plays an important role in recognizing that value. Benjamin and his brother started with weekly vegan street activism.
“Without new and radical ideas such as veganism, we will not be able to grow. We, young people, can often see beyond traditions and not be cynical. [Questions like] ‘Do my actions matter?’ and similar doubts stop action and put us down,” he says. “Therefore, we need energy and the passion to believe that things will change once we start doing.”
“I am an enthusiastic vegan activist with the goal to end speciesism as soon as possible. I believe that together we are more robust and can achieve much more than alone.”
Veganism isn’t tied to any ethnicity, age or culture, Benjamin explains, but he noticed that many vegans are young people. Young people, he points out, are often more adept at questioning the way things have been done in the past. “Being young is most of all a curious mindset that I want to cultivate in my life.”
Viral Vegans initiated a shift, helping to mainstream animal rights. The organization’s impact demonstrates how persistence is key, mobilizing over time. For example, Viral Vegans’ activism put a stop to the “Pig Fest” hosted by industrial engineering students. In November, over 20 members from Viral Vegans community hosted an event and learned that their work had persuaded many attendees to go fully vegan.
With a clear message and shared purpose, the Viral Vegan activists are showing that powerful change can begin with what’s on your plate.
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About Ashoka Nordic’s Changemaker of the Year award 2022:
The jury members of this award included Ulla Nord, managing director at Arvoliitto, Matti Jänkälä, founding member of You Tell Me Collective, Kamilla Sultanova, TEDx speaker, diversity and inclusion expert Arto Sivonen, Founder of creative agency Måndag.
Connecting with experienced mentors from Ashoka’s network, the team behind Viral Vegans will continue developing their effort to make veganism mainstream. Read about RAHY, our other 2022 Award recipient, here.
*Photo courtesy of Viral Vegans.