This fall, millions of commuters saw impossible-to-miss signs that they should go vegan, via eight strategically placed billboards throughout the Midwest featuring individual farmed animals urging passersby to “See Me, Not Meat. Try Vegan.” 

This billboard campaign, named the “Eat Consciously” campaign, sprang from PETA’s partnership with Vanguard Society member Michelle Paul, who worked with our team to develop the campaign and funded it. Michelle, an attorney originally from the Washington, D.C., area, has spent more than 30 years taking action for animals. We sat down with her to discuss her journey as an animal activist, the “Eat Consciously” campaign, and the secret to her radiant optimism.

‘Aha’ Moments That Directed Her Path

Michelle became vegetarian at age 19 after having discovered the cruel reality of factory farming while conducting research for a paper. Although she went vegetarian overnight, she had no intention of ever going fully vegan. Like many other vegetarians, she blocked out the cruelty of the egg and dairy industries. Over time, however, largely as a result of reading through her PETA magazine subscriptions, she had what she calls an awakening and was no longer able to turn away from the suffering of cows in the dairy industry and hens exploited for their eggs.

About a month after she started eating only vegan food, an unexpected “aha” moment occurred as she was routinely pulling her car into her driveway. She looked down at her hands and realized that her steering wheel was covered with the skin of tortured animals—and her car seats, too. Even though she always knew where leather came from, her consciousness of the cruelty behind it didn’t really come home to her until that moment. Michelle says, “Something just clicked, and I said, ‘I don’t know much about life—I don’t know the purpose of life, but I don’t believe the purpose of that cow’s life was to be covering for my luxury vehicle. This is not luxurious—this is not right.” That night, she gathered everything in her house that was made from animals—leather, suede, wool, silk, pearls, feathers—and donated it all to Goodwill. She also got rid of her car and bought one with an animal-free interior.

Michelle notes that the unexpected benefits that followed were profound. “It’s been really beautiful for me, because after I became vegan, my heart opened. At first, I just thought, ‘I have to be vegan—it’s the right thing, but it’s going to require a lot of sacrifice.’ But ironically, what happened is it changed my life for the better because I became a softer, kinder person.” Physically, she also noticed a major difference. “I will tell you, there was really no difference [in my health] between me eating animal flesh and going vegetarian. But when I went from vegetarian to vegan, that’s when everything changed.”

Taking Action for Animals

Those “aha” moments sparked a journey and a career committed to helping animals. While enrolled in law school at American University, she founded the school’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. She completed her law internship with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, with a focus on ending medical schools’ use of live beagles in their training. Sadly, more than 60,000 dogs will suffer in cruel and archaic experiments in the U.S. this year. 

Throughout her legal career, Michelle has generously provided pro bono legal services to numerous animal organizations, addressing a wide range of issues. She also made taking action a regular part of her life—from having vegan Thanksgiving food drives to working with restaurants to help create animal-friendly options and educating people about vegan options for clothes, beauty products, and decor.

Over the years, Michelle has extended her support to various farm sanctuaries, most recently Kindred Spirits Care Farm in Los Angeles, which holds a special place in her heart. It’s a wonderful place that Noah—a lamb she rescued from slaughter in 2020—now calls home. Michelle’s eyes light up when she witnesses visitors interacting with the rescued cows, chickens, and pigs. She says, “I love seeing visitors discover that these animals have the same capacity to love and play and bond as our family companion animals.”

Recent Projects

Most recently, Michelle has been working on exciting projects with her partner, Jim Irsay, the owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts football team. Earlier this year, animal activists celebrated his unprecedented announcement that he was leading the effort to move the orca Lolita, who had spent decades in captivity, to a seaside sanctuary. Jim’s diligence and generosity brought much-needed hope to Lolita’s cause. So Michelle and Jim make a perfect pair, given their shared passion for creating a kinder future. In addition to helping animals, Jim has long been an advocate for ending the stigma around mental health disorders and has made major strides in this area.

Last year, Jim tasked Michelle with designing the interior of a plane he had purchased, so she did it in vegan style. She had all animal-derived products removed, such as the wool carpets and leather seat covers, and replaced them with sustainable, animal-friendly materials. In PETA’s recent interview with Jim, he spoke about the plane—aptly named the Blue Vegan—saying, “It’s exciting because people see this beautiful aircraft, and it’s, ‘Wow, that’s so cool.’ But then it raises awareness toward such a good cause.” Under Jim’s watch, new delicious vegan options have come to Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts’ home stadium, earning it a place in PETA’s Top 5 Vegan-Friendly NFL Stadiums.

Michelle says, “Jim and I both choose to dedicate our lives to selfless service to others. But Jim takes the cake for being the most thoughtful, generous, and caring person on the planet. He is not just an NFL owner—he is the biggest and yet most humble philanthropist there is, making the world a better place every single day with great acts of kindness going out from him in every direction. Everyone who knows him will tell you the same thing. He is remarkable. His heart is gigantic.” 

Raising Consciousness: Seeing the Individual Animal 

Earlier this year, Michelle embarked on an exciting journey with the PETA team, collaborating on what she affectionately describes as a “dream come true”—the “Eat Consciously” campaign. Together, PETA and Michelle developed the artwork, which features a cow, a chicken, and a pig with the words “See Me, Not Meat.” The eight billboards were spread across five Midwestern cities with emerging vegan markets. 

The campaign’s mission is to encourage millions of viewers to think of the individuals who suffer and die as a result of our food choices. Michelle says, “One issue with the breeding of these animals is that they lose their individual nature. I want to remind people that they’re all individuals. This is their one life on Earth that they’ve been given.” She adds, “Some people say eating meat is a personal choice, but I don’t think any choice is personal if it takes another’s life. That was someone’s one life.”

Michelle wants to empower people to lead the change animals need. “It starts with consumer demand. If more people in the Midwest knew how delicious vegan food can be and how animals’ lives are changed, more people would start asking stores and restaurants to carry vegan items, and then more people would see the items on the menu and maybe try them.”

Staying Hopeful and Positive About the Road Ahead

Michelle’s bright light and enthusiasm serve as an inspiration to those she meets. Going on more than 30 years as an activist, she finds strength and hope from positive changes in the world and from the goodness she witnesses in others. 

We asked her how she maintains her exuberant glow and what advice she has for fellow activists. She says, “Try not to get down about the way things are. Read about all the successes that are accomplished on behalf of animals every year. All movements take time. Remember that the animals need us, so don’t be afraid to speak up for them. Try not to get into heated arguments with friends and family. Stay humble and remember that most of us ate and wore animal products prior to going vegan. The lightbulb turns on whenever it does, if it does. Anything to get people thinking about the impact of their actions on others is a good thing.”

Last but not least, she also encourages self-kindness. She says, “Every day that you eat vegan, you make a big difference. Every time you speak up for animals, you plant a seed. Be proud of yourself—it’s not easy to swim against the tide every day.”
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Join Michelle in helping others eat consciously! Order an exclusive bumper sticker featuring the artwork from the “See Me, Not Meat” billboards, while supplies last, by contacting us at [email protected].

Learn how you, too, can sponsor a billboard at PETA.org/Billboard.