Writer/producer/director Shaun Monson began work on a series of PSAs about spaying and neutering pets in 1999. The footage he shot at animal shelters around Los Angeles affected him so profoundly that the project soon evolved into EARTHLINGS, a feature-length documentary about how dependent human beings are on animals, primarily in five key areas: pets, food, clothing, entertainment and science. The film is narrated by Academy Award® nominee Joaquin Phoenix and features music by platinum-selling recording artist Moby.

EARTHLINGS would take Shaun another six years to complete because of the difficulty in obtaining footage within these profitable industries. Though the film was initially ignored by distributors, who told Monson that the film would "never see the light of day and should be swept under the rug," today EARTHLINGS is considered "the definitive animal rights film of all time" by animal welfare organizations around the world. It is one of the top 50 most downloaded films on Google Video, and has been called "the Vegan maker" and "one of the most persuasive documentaries ever made." Shaun is currently at work on another documentary, UNITY, which will explore the unifying force of consciousness found in nature, animals and humankind.

Shaun's other credits include the comedy BAD ACTORS, a certified Dogme 95 film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. After 9/11 he directed a one-hour documentary on the Taliban called HOLY WAR, UNHOLY VICTORY, hosted and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor George Kennedy (COOL HAND LUKE). Shaun has also written several screenplays, including a biopic on legendary filmmaker Orson Welles.

Milton R. Mills, M.D., serves as associate director of preventive medicine for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nationwide organization of physicians and laypersons that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition, and addresses controversies in modern medicine, including ethical issues in research.

Dr. Mills practices outpatient, clinic-based medicine in Northern Virginia and works as a critical care physician with Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. His varied experience specializing in internal medicine and HIV has made him extensively knowledgeable about the unique health care needs of minorities, the challenges of practicing medicine in inner cities, and the special medical and nutritional requirements of HIV-positive and AIDS patients.

As an African-American physician focusing on preventive medicine, Dr. Mills has delved into some of the environmental and societal influences affecting the health of African-Americans and other racial minorities. Dr. Mills has lectured and given research seminars across the United States and in Mexico and Canada on such topics as the negative effects of meat and dairy consumption on human health; nutrition and HIV/AIDS; nutrition and cancer; and the dietary needs of various ethnic groups.

Dr. Mills, who graduated in 1991 from Stanford University School of Medicine, began working with AIDS patients while still in school. He also served as student body president of the medical school, founded the Minority Students’ Alliance, and worked as editor-in-chief and managing editor of the Stanford Medical School newspaper. He later interned at the University of California, San Francisco, and performed his residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington.

Dr. Mills is a video nutrition spokesperson for the Discovery Health Channel, and he is featured in one of PCRM’s public service announcements on childhood obesity. Dr. Mills’ papers on race and diet have appeared in the Journal of the National Medical Association.

Jarid Manos, an environmental advocate for more than sixteen years, is a frequent contributor to the Fort Worth Weekly and has been published or written about in the New York Times, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, USA Today, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Denver Post, Congressional Quarterly, Houston Chronicle, Albuquerque Journal, Grist and many others. He is founder and CEO of Great Plains Restoration Council (GPRC), based in Fort Worth, TX, Denver, CO, and Thunder Valley, SD. He is also a health advocate and youth worker. Through his guidance, GPRC has helped found the new Ecological Health movement. A vegan athlete, he also serves on the Board of Directors of the Black Vegetarian Society of Texas. Mr. Manos resides in Fort Worth, TX, and he and Karla are parents to 9 year old Kaiden. He is author of Ghetto Plainsman, his first book.

 

 

Keith Akers has been speaking and writing about vegetarianism for three decades.  He is the author of A Vegetarian Sourcebook: The Nutrition, Ecology, and Ethics of a Natural Foods Diet (first published 1983), and The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early Christianity (2000).   He has been active in numerous vegetarian groups, such as the Vegetarian Society of Colorado, as well as environmental and energy groups such as Denver Energy Awareness and Transition Denver.

Keith will speak on Common Sense about Vegetarianism, the Environment, and the Financial Crisis.  Our economy, based on debt and perpetual growth, faces fundamental limits due to resource shortages and global warming.  The financial crisis is fundamentally about the environment; we have hit the limits to growth which environmentalists have been talking about for decades.  A transition to a more sustainable lifestyle is necessary not just for a few activists, but for our entire culture.  Food is the fundamental cornerstone of this transition.

Kate Lawrence is the author of a new book, The Practical Peacemaker; How Simple Living Makes Peace Possible.  She is a past president of the Vegetarian Society of Colorado, editing its bimonthly newsletter Vegetarian Living for nearly ten years.  She was the primary organizer for the Vegetarian Frontiers conference, the first large national vegetarian conference to be held in Denver.  Currently a Zen student, she has explored both Christian and Buddhist meditation practice for over thirty years.  She may be the only female vegan Buddhist clawhammer banjo player in the world.  Visit her online at practicalpeacemaker.com.

Are you concerned about violence, poverty, and environmental destruction, yet feel powerless to make a difference?  Kate will be sharing ideas from her book on how to transform your life into an effective statement for peace.  Peace-destroying obstacles may be personal, such as careless eating (especially meat-centered eating) and drinking, overbusy schedules, and anger; or societal, such as media saturation, prejudice, and overpopulation.  At both levels, you’ll be shown specific positive actions you can take to further the cause of peace in yourself and in the world.

Ryan Andrews trained and worked at Johns Hopkins, one of the most recognized and awarded research institutions in the world.  Throughout his time in university, Ryan was trained in Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, and Dietetics. He is a dietitian, strength/conditioning specialist, and works with the following groups: Rocky Mountain Animal Defense, Vegetarian Resource Group, Light Gives Heat, and The Healthy Food Bank. He has done numerous presentations and written hundreds of articles about nutrition, exercise and health. He currently serves as Director of Education for Precision Nutrition.

For the last 15 years, John Pierre, nutrition and fitness consultant, has been lecturing throughout the United States about the powers of a plant-based diet. He has been a presenter at the following conferences: NAVS (North American Vegetarian Society), Natural Hygiene, FARM, AVS (American Vegan Society) and the Raw Foods Sports Camp. He is a regular presenter at Wild Oats, a large natural foods chain, and lectures at various vegetarian and raw food groups, organizations, senior centers and retirement homes. He also conducts group fitness boot camps and works with individual clients. For the past two decades, John has also served as a dedicated advocate for women, animals and the environment. He incorporates the importance of living a loving and compassionate lifestyle into all the work that he does. Visit his website at www.practicecompassion.com.

Matt Bear grew up in southern Minnesota on his grandparents’ animal farm and later on an intensive pig factory farm. He credits his transition to vegetarianism for giving him the key to a world of empathy, understanding, and compassion he otherwise may never have known. Matt continued to expand his circle of compassion by going Vegan. He now researches, writes, and teaches others about Vegan choices and the positive far-reaching effects of living a life connected to one’s values.

Matt helped create NonviolenceUnited.org, the popular VEGAN shirt from VeganShirt.com, the inspiring ALifeConnected.org project, and the highly-praised VEGAN video (VeganVideo.org) a short, 12-minute video explaining in a positive way how Vegan choices can help build a better world. The video is currently being translated into eight languages around the world and continues to be seen by thousands of people every week.

Matt is a popular speaker and teacher drawing from his first-hand experience with farmed animals, his dedication to Social Justice issues, his continued advanced study of active Nonviolence, and his broad understanding of the interconnection and implications of our consumer choices on other people, on the planet, and on the animals. Visit his website at NonviolenceUnited.org.

Dan Shannon, assistant director of PETA’s youth outreach and campaigns manager, coordinates PETA’s efforts to reach young people with the animal rights message. He spearheaded PETA’s su ccessful campaigns to persuade trendy retailers Forever 21 and Wet Seal to stop selling fur and has overseen the growth of PETA’s youth activist network, or Street Team, to more than 300,000 members.

While in his previous position as PETA’s senior campaign coordinator, Dan organized protests at Wendy’s restaurants around the country, which helped PETA win its campaign to convince Wendy’s to meet animal welfare standards adopted by McDonald’s and Burger King. Shannon also launched and helped coordinate PETA’s ongoing campaign to convince fast-food giant KFC to improve welfare standards for the chickens raised and killed for its restaurants. The campaign has garnered the support of dozens of celebrities, including Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and The Rev. Al Sharpton, and generated headlines around the world. Shannon helped coordinate thousands of protests at KFC franchises—some of which have gone out of business.

Dan’s work with sports franchises, including his annual listing of the most “veg-friendly” ballparks, has garnered him interviews with Sports Illustrated and ESPN’s SportsCenter , Pardon the Interruption, and Cold Pizza. Shannon has also been a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, Scarborough Country, Anderson Cooper 360, and other national TV programs.

Nathan Runkle is the Executive Director of Mercy For Animals (MFA), a national non-profit animal advocacy organization he founded in 1999. Today MFA has over 12,000 members and offices in Ohio and Chicago. Nathan has played a leading role in the organizations groundbreaking undercover investigations at Ohio's four largest egg factory farms, rodeo events, and a North Carolina poultry slaughterhouse. Through his work with MFA, Nathan has appeared in stories by dozens of newspapers and radio programs, as well as on PBS, NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX affiliates. He has organized hundreds of demonstrations & educational outreach events and frequently speaks on animal rights issues at high schools and colleges. In 2006 VegNews magazine honored MFA with the title of "Non-Profit of the Year" and this year the publication named Nathan one of the "25 Most Fascinating Vegetarians."