We asked Sexiest Vegan Over 50 contest finalist Shanti Urreta to tell us about her contest experience and her thoughts about being vegan.

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail about PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50 contest as a joke. I entered. Two weeks passed, and I didn’t think much more about it. Then I received an e-mail from PETA telling me I had been selected as one of the finalists! I spent the next two weeks asking all my friends to vote for me, e-mailing, and posting on Facebook. I even went around to stores with a sign saying, “I voted for Shanti in PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Over 50 contest,” took pictures with people, and asked them to vote for me. Such fun! Then the winner was announced, and I found out that Linda had won. For a few minutes, I was disappointed—until I read about Linda and how absolutely awesome she is. I felt honored to have been chosen as a finalist. I am 58 now. When I’m 71 like Linda, I will win!

The contest entry form asked what kind of advocacy I do for animals. It was satisfying to write about all the things I’ve done. From tabling to potlucks to handing out fliers—and more—I’ve done it! When I retired three years ago, I self-published the story of my vegan path as a book to promote veganism. I was thrilled when Vegan Publishers subsequently picked it up for a revised edition. I titled the book Dear World, See What I See. I know every vegan reading this understands that title. We all want people to see what we see—because then they will change. I love it when someone who has been “on the fence” reads the book, understands, and makes the commitment to go vegan.

I’ve been vegan for 11 years. A diagnosis of blood cancer turned my life around. Five weeks after the diagnosis, it was determined to be a misdiagnosis, but by then, there was no going back to the standard American diet. For five weeks, I was on a mission to survive by getting off meat and dairy foods, eating organic, and juicing my vegetables. A chiropractor friend of mine had recommended I take these steps. Why would I go back to a diet that was making me sick?

As I learned how to eat a plant-based diet, I discovered sites about the animals I had called food. I watched Earthlings, and I went vegan for animals’ sake. I vowed I would never eat another animal in my life.

Eleven years later, where is life leading me now? So many places! I just received an e-mail from a local TV station host on Good Morning Hudson Valley. She had seen an article about how I was a finalist and wants to interview me. I’m excited to speak about all the reasons to be vegan. Currently, I help groups of people transition to a plant-based diet through “Transition to Better Health” workshops that I host at the Mahopac, NewYork, library. People join to get healthy, and in the process, they discover the benefits to animals and the planet. I am also enrolled in a course through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a step toward becoming a health coach. With my speaking skills, teaching skills, leadership skills, and nutrition knowledge, my goal is to work in corporate settings to influence many people at once. As I continue to build my résumé, one day I, too, hope to be a 71-year-old voted the Sexiest Vegan Over 50! Congratulations, Linda! You’re my idol!

Shanti Urreta is an author, speaker, health coach, and animal rights activist. Find her on ShantiUrreta.com, e-mail her at [email protected], or find her on Facebook.