Elisabeth Howard knows a thing or two about using her voice. She’s the founder of the Vocal Power Academy in Los Angeles; has taught voice at Pepperdine University, Indiana University, the University of Southern California, and Hunter College in New York City; and is the author of the Sing! book, DVD, and CDs. Lionel Richie and Priscilla Presley are among her many grateful clients.

When she was crowned Ms. Senior America in 2012, Elisabeth realized that her already-powerful voice had just gotten even stronger, and she is using it to speak up for those whose voices are often ignored: animals. We chatted with Elisabeth—a proud PETA supporter—about her vegan journey, her weakness for ice cream, and how she’s singing out for animals.

Tell us a bit about how you came to be Ms. Senior America 2012.

Three years ago, I entered the Ms. Senior California Pageant and won! I then went on to win the title of Ms. Senior America 2012. The categories for that pageant were talent, interview, modeling, and philosophy of life. For talent, I sang “Sempre Libera,” from the opera La traviata. I worked very hard at preparing to be the best I could be in each category.

The pageant experience changed my life. I realized that with my title and wearing my crown and sash, I could have a louder voice for animals.

What made you decide to go vegetarian and, eventually, vegan?

Twenty-five years ago, I was at a New Year’s Eve party where there were several dishes being served for one friend who was a vegetarian. This piqued my interest. I subsequently read PETA’s Animal Times magazine and, to my amazement, discovered the horrific treatment of animals for human consumption. I immediately went what I thought was vegetarian but soon found out that I was actually a pescatarian, thinking I was a vegetarian! So, eventually, I went vegetarian for real.

This past October, I decided to go vegan. After seeing articles on PETA’s website and on Facebook, there really was no choice.

Have you noticed any differences in your health or energy levels since you went vegan?

My health has always been very good, and maybe being mostly meat-free those 25 years made a difference. I am medication-free. After going vegan, I lost more weight, but I’d like to gain back five pounds. My energy is fantastic. People call me the Energizer Bunny.

Elisabeth with her gorgeous senior husky, Blues.

Which other animal issues are close to your heart?

I have always had a soft spot for seals and whales. It started in the 1960s when my mother marched in the streets of New York City in defense of baby seals who were slaughtered for their white coats. I wrote many a letter to the governments of Japan, Russia, Iceland, and other countries objecting to this practice.

In 2012, I wore my sash and crown in a campaign to save the elephants that was organized by another animal rights group, and I sign every petition I can.

Close to my heart are the chimpanzees and beagles used for laboratory testing. Another concern is for calves who are taken away from their mothers and put in crates in order for their flesh to be tenderer for human consumption. Their mothers’ milk is used for humans instead of for its intended purpose—the calf.

Baby male chicks being tossed in a grinder still alive because they are of no use to the egg industry is horrific. Keeping chickens in cramped stalls and depriving them of food and light in order to make them lay more eggs is horrendous. Force-feeding geese for foie gras is atrocious.

Pigs are extremely close to my heart, as they are so intelligent. I’m also appalled by baby lambs being killed for lamb chops and (pardon the phrase) “rack of lamb.”

I’m also concerned about sharks who are killed for their fins, dogs and horses who are killed for meat, and tigers, leopards, and other animals who are killed for their fur—including dogs and cats who are killed in China so their fur can be used for trim on clothing.

And of course, I care deeply about elephants and other animals used in circuses. Many people don’t have a clue what goes on behind the scenes—the cruelty, the beatings, chains, cages, etc. Animals need us to speak for them.

You’ve said your weakness is ice cream. Do you have a favorite vegan brand and flavor?

I have a weakness for Hӓagen-Dazs ice cream, and I thought, “How will I ever do without it?” But the good news is I found a fantastic substitute. I love Coconut Almond Bar Minis from So Delicious, which are vanilla almond ice cream covered with chocolate and coconut. Another great vegan ice cream is Simply Strawberry Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert by So Delicious. I also love Almond Dream Bars.

Any other favorite foods, recipes, or vegan cookbooks?

I eat So Delicious yogurt almost every day for breakfast. They have many flavors. And I won’t lie—I love my bagel with Earth Balance Buttery Spread, which tastes as good as or better than butter. I just found out that So Delicious makes a coffee creamer consisting of coconut milk, slightly sweetened.

Other favorite foods are Pictsweet Steam’ables Edamame Soy Beans in the Pod and Seapoint Farms Lightly Salted Edamame Soybeans in Pods—they’re better than potato chips! Vegenaise is better than mayonnaise. Gardein is a great company for vegan foods. I also like Amy’s, Sunshine, Boca, Candle Cafe, and Hillary’s. There are more vegan offerings coming out every day as the demand for vegan food grows. I also very much like Whole Foods’ soups that come in a variety of flavors in a plastic bag.

I make a lot of salads with a variety of veggies such as kale, Persian cucumbers, Italian-style green and black olives, Kalamata olives, sweet tomatoes, fennel, red onion, etc. I like steamed cabbage, white and sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, and risotto. Pasta, of course, can be made like the Italians do, using a variety of vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, or peas and onions with olive oil and garlic. I also put unsalted almonds, blueberries, dried cranberries, and raspberries in my salad and in my flax cereal.

What advice would you give to PETA Prime readers who want to get active for animals?

Go on Facebook and spread the word. It starts with one person. I started a page called Vegans for the Voiceless. I collect names of people who comment on my vegan Facebook friends’ posts. I tell them there is strength in numbers. We can win this fight!

The vegan movement is growing on Facebook because caring people can, in a simple way, share posts with friends, who then share them with their friends. Sometimes it takes only one article to convince someone who is on the fence, struggling, to come over and go vegan. And now, with all the food substitutes out there and more and more restaurants catering to vegans, it’s easier than ever.

I even had a dialog with a meat-eater from Texas whom I “friended” simply because he said that when he watched videos of animals, he craved burgers even more. He’s sitting on the fence now. It’s quite remarkable. It’s one thing to “friend” fellow vegans, but it’s quite another to “friend” those who are against animal rights. I find the ones that are the most dramatic are the ones who are actually sitting on the fence, waiting to be convinced to go vegan.

Also, you can sign petitions for animal rights. It’s a matter of supply and demand. If there is no demand for fur, ivory, meat, dairy, etc., the senseless killing and torture will stop. That’s the goal! If you approach the subject in a positive way and don’t antagonize or criticize, you will get much farther in your quest. Let it shine!