One day, I decided it was time for me to learn something new. So at 61 years old, I enrolled in my local community college and took Spanish lessons. I also decided that while I was educating myself, I would try to educate the teacher and the other students in the class as well.

The first few weeks were all about introductions. I learned to say “Soy vegana” (I am vegan) when asked about myself. (All you vegan guys out there would say “Soy vegano.”)

My compositions and presentations were all animal rights related. One of the chapters covered parties and holidays. We were to write a composition about a holiday that we celebrate. I wrote about the huge vegan Thanksgiving potluck that my husband and I attend every year.

Another chapter was all about food. My presentation for that chapter was about a fictional vegan restaurant, the chef who cooked there, and all the vegan dishes she prepared.

I baked dozens of vegan cookies to share with the class, proving that vegan foods were tastier than foods made with animal products. Needless to say, the class loved them and many asked for my recipes.

When discussing the chapter on ecology, I talked about the horrors of factory farming not only for the planet but also for animals and our health.

When the subject of local customs in Spain came up, I spoke about the cruelty of bullfighting and running with the bulls.

I wore my animal rights T-shirts to class, I carried my books in my PETA tote bags, and I wore my cute nonleather shoes. I talked with the students during breaks, learning that some of them were already vegan or vegetarian and some simply cared about animals and were curious to learn more about animal rights issues.

I made it through two intense semesters. I kept my mind active learning a new language while also finding ways to connect with the students and the teachers about my compassionate lifestyle.

This is just one example of using activism in nonconfrontational and educational ways. Many of us belong to some sort of group, take classes, volunteer, or simply meet people on a day-to-day basis. I have gotten into conversations at Trader Joe’s with the checkout person wanting to know how I cook that tofu or tempeh in my cart. You never know when that spark of compassion may just go off in someone you’ve connected with.

¡Soy vegana porque los animales son amigos, no comida! (I am vegan because animals are friends, not food!)

This illustration is in one of my Spanish books that uses memorable images and word associations to help learn vocabulary. I’ll never forget what “afuera” means!