Meet the Girls Leaders Behind Animal Equality’s Mission

Sharon Núñez and Dulce Ramírez have a connection that extends far previous a typical friendship. These activists cast their friendship on the premise of a mutual, private mission to guard farmed animals. As two members of Animal Equaliy’s Senior Management group, President & Co-founder, Sharon, and Vice President for Latin America, Dulce, information our worldwide group {of professional} advocates to be as efficient and impactful as attainable as we work to finish farmed animal cruelty.

This Worldwide Girls’s Day, we wish to offer you an inside look into the decided and compassionate girls behind our mission:

How did you meet?

Sharon (0:14-1:03): In 2011, there was an try by the Spanish [agriculture] trade, due to the investigations, to place me away, and to place away one other eleven individuals who have been doing investigations in Spain. And that’s all we have been doing: we have been doing investigations and exhibiting cruelty. So, I used to be arrested in Madrid, and I used to be pushed as much as the North of Spain, and I used to be in a cell for five days – a darkish cell, I’ll always remember – and the guards would are available within the morning. And they might be like, “Are you okay?” or no matter, and I’m like, “No, I’m not okay, however no matter,” and they might say to me, “Nicely, you recognize, we’re getting these calls from people who find themselves, they’re identical to, ‘Get them out of there,’” and I used to be like, “Who’re these individuals?” And that’s the place Dulce is available in. 

Sharon (1:39-2:12): Yeah, we didn’t meet [right away] as a result of we didn’t have many sources, and we have been coping with the trial. So Dulce – I known as her as a result of they stated there have been individuals from Mexico – so I known as Dulce, and I stated, “Nicely, thanks for making an attempt to get us out of jail.” And he or she was like “Yeah, yeah, properly, how can we do that?” And I stated, “Nicely, let’s do Animal Equality collectively. Let’s begin Animal Igualdad Mexico – Animal Equality in Mexico.” And that’s the way it began. And we’ve been activists – and, greater than that, sisters – for the final ten years. 

Dulce (2:57-3:03): We’ve got this connection, a powerful connection, and we’re part of one thing larger, in a motion. And we have to present solidarity, we have to present empathy, we have to present power. And Animal Equality gave us this chance, not just for my group in Mexico, however for animals in Mexico. 

Dulce (4:03-4:30): I keep in mind as a result of [helping get Sharon out of jail] was the primary time we coordinated totally different teams in numerous cities. As a result of we went to the embassy in Spain [and] in every nation. It wasn’t solely Guadalajara; it was Mexico Metropolis [and] Monterey. We’ve got totally different teams actively [working] collectively to cease repression: “Cease repression. We’re activists, we’re right here, and we aren’t going [anywhere], so free these activists.”

2. Why are investigations on the coronary heart of Animal Equality’s work?

Sharon (5:04-5:22): I really feel that Animal Equality has…been doing investigations since our basis, and investigations are actually the software to realize altering minds, altering hearts, altering establishments, and altering corporations.

Sharon (9:42-11:01): For me, a number of the heroes of our motion are these…undercover investigators who spend simply weeks and months filming horrific footage to verify it will get out and that it’s utilized in the simplest method attainable. And that’s our dedication to them and to animals. However the coaching, the spending hours in these amenities while you’re an animal activist, filming after which going again to your hostel room and writing down every thing and talking…with the director of investigations and documenting every thing, it’s difficult. The trade, as you recognize, has been pushing again within the U.S., for instance, with “ag gag” legal guidelines and making an attempt to make undercover investigations unlawful. And this isn’t one thing that’s solely occurring within the U.S. We talked about my case in Spain, nevertheless it occurred in Austria, and it’s starting to begin in different nations. There was an article that got here out a number of days in the past. It was an article by a pork trade journal, and it solely had one level to make concerning the animal rights motion, and it was associated to undercover investigations. They understand how a lot undercover investigations injury their popularity[s] and alter what corporations and legislators and other people wish to do. So, it’s very difficult, nevertheless it’s the work that must be completed. 

Sharon (13:01-13:16): It’s limitless, I feel, what we will obtain. Investigations within the U.S. are tougher for positive. They’re difficult in every single place. They’re tougher within the U.S., and that’s the reason we should proceed doing them and getting the assist to be able to carry them out. 

Dulce (8:51-9:13): You see a video for 2 minutes. It takes months typically to go there and file that. They [require] numerous logistics, taking dangers, and [scheduling to] discover one of the best ways. I imply, one video for 2 minutes is admittedly highly effective, however behind that’s numerous work. 

3. Who’re the animals which have impacted you most?

Sharon (13:50-15:01): So, Gracie is the primary one which involves thoughts, and that’s the reason I wished everybody to take a photograph of her. I’ll by no means [forget] the day I bought the decision that she died, and I used to be completely satisfied. You’re completely satisfied as a result of you recognize that that animal had the life she deserved. Once more, speaking about potential…you consider potential typically as, like, people [having] potential. Animals have potential too. They’ve the potential to be completely satisfied. They’ve the potential to like their households. They’ve the potential to like. What’s extra essential than that? And I used to be completely satisfied as a result of I felt that she had had a full life, stuffed with different animals [and] individuals who’d taken care of her. And I wished everybody to have that photograph and produce it residence…At work, I’ve a photograph of her on my desk as a result of she jogs my memory of the world that we wish to construct. And it was additionally transformational for me as a result of it was the primary open rescue I used to be [a] a part of, the primary open rescue to be carried out in Europe, and it meant a lot, proper? It actually was that future that we wish for animals in motion. 

Dulce (15:08-16:20): For me, it’s the animals we go away behind. If you’re doing an investigation, you don’t take [those animals with you]. That, for me… is the [biggest] battle, [the most] essential for me…on a regular basis. For me, you possibly can see that child calf. Jose and I took this. I imply, I took this image, however with Jose doing the investigation in 2018 in Mexico, within the first investigation within the milk trade. We [spent] virtually fourteen hours ready for her. I imply, [it was] so [tiring], so painful, however [we] solely [cared] about this child. And my promise to her was [that] I [will] present this image to…the [whole] world. “All of the world will see your face and your screaming and your ache.” And that was my promise. And that is the way in which I feel… [about] one particular person. One particular person [can] make [an] affect for tens of millions of animals, however that image…I do know you recognize that image. 

Dulce (17:03-17:18): The explanation we’re right here is animals. I’m a facilitator for one thing, however the animals [are] a very powerful for us. That is the way in which we take this concern. We select [to fight], and we win. 

4. What’s subsequent for Animal Equality?

Sharon (17:54-19:31): I actually wish to stress this concept [that] 2022 was groundbreaking. We achieved issues…that impacted tens of millions of animals: banning male chick killing in Italy, getting the primary chapter of the legislation handed in Hidalgo that acknowledge[d] farmed animals, getting fifty corporations to decide to animal welfare insurance policies, placing a cease – because of one among our investigations – to that self-regulation invoice in Brazil, the place, mainly, slaughterhouses have been saying, “Don’t fear, we’ll care for regulating ourselves and [make] positive that animals are handled appropriately.” We’re using on that success. 2023 is the 12 months after we can obtain a lot for animals. We will change the Structure in Mexico, we will ban cages…like, it’s there. We will attain it. And what we want is dedication. We’ve got that dedication. Dulce and I and Ollie and everybody at Animal Equality…get up each morning with that mission in our minds, and we want all the assist that we will get. So anybody, when you’ve got a connection, you can also make a donation, you possibly can develop into an Animal Protector. Simply do it as a result of I’m telling you [that] 2023 will go down within the historical past books for every thing that we will obtain for animals globally. So I ask you to please assist us.

Dulce (19:40-20:13): Subsequent 12 months is my first journey to Brazil. I’m very excited to go to Brazil and work with the superb group and assist extra. We [made] contact with different…Latin American nations –  Columbia and Peru – and we empower these activists. Animal Equality could be a part of this and assist them and empower these native activists and do nice issues for animals. Like a group, a powerful motion. For me, it’s the 12 months. It’s the 12 months for Animal Equality.

Sharon (20:13-20:27): And we’re stronger than ever…we’re stronger than ever as individuals, as a corporation, as…activist[s], and that’s what we’re: activists. 

We’d additionally like to acknowledge the opposite robust & devoted feminine members of our group: Abigail Penny (Government Director, UK), Amruta Ubal (Senior Director of Public Affairs, India), Carla Lettieri (Government Director, Brazil), Vanessa Raith (Government Director, Germany), and all of our compassionate girls colleagues throughout the US, UK, Brazil, India, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Italy.

CHOOSE COMPASSION

Meat, dairy & eggs are by no means cruelty-free. The final word method to assist farmed animals is to depart their struggling off your plate.