I've been a vegan for a month now. 45 years I ate meat. I'm doing this for ethical reasons. There are many reasons why to become a vegan, I found mine; find yours.

Every human life is of importance, but every animal life is of importance too!!! Only animals have no voice, that is why they need us...

Thanks for standing up against animal cruelty.

"If not now, when? If not you, who?" Makes me cry.

I think I would like to be an animal rights activist and spokesman. I just don't know how to go about it. We all need to go vegan and treat animals with respect.

Heartbreaking, inspiring, passionate, amazing.... & for those unaware, enlightening. Thank you for this brilliant speech!

God! Feels so good seeing people talking what I've been talking and how we are/were "crazy", "stupid", "idiots", etc. The only way to save our self is to work with nature because we are a part of it. ANIMALS are very smart they help us everyday and still is so hard for us to make that connection... if we worked even harder trying to understand their senses, communication, etc. We would have been much more advanced as we are now because humans were always aspiring from something. Really happy to see people like her! WELLDONE! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Regardless of what people may say about PETA, I will always be grateful to them as they are definitely to credit for me going vegan (8 years ago this month BTW :)). And like Simone Reyes, I too first made the connection via a PETA anti fur leaflet. I was 17. I then went vegetarian 6 years later...for whatever that was worth (which was actually very little considering I still foolishly consumed dairy and eggs for the entire 15 years as a vegetarian). But, I digress...

I think that the lack of compassion towards animals itself is a poison, their bodies absorb the experiences they have of the ways they are treated and people in turn absorb that energy into their bodies, slaughter, neglect, cruelty.. animals are everyday suffering some of the worst of human behavior and when people partake of those animals they are eating not only an animal, but a lifetime of abusive experience. It makes sense to me now that people are so mean to each other... treating each other like the same animals as it were.

Congrats. I wish everyone could hear these words. The world would change so much. All I can do to give out this message is to post it on social media sites, knowing that nobody will give a shit. That's how fucked up we are.

I hate PETA, but everything this girl says make sense and I agree that animals are sentient beings and should not be experimented on and should not be murdered or abused, not for food or for any other reason!!! Animals have the same feelings we do they feel pain, fear, and anxiety and they cry over their dead loved ones just as we do. GO VEGAN everyone !! Save the animals !!

wonderful Simone ... ! You make me cry right now. Thank you thank you so much Love from France.

Thank you Simone for re-igniting my passion for this lifestyle and belief.

I legit became vegan over this YAY

This speech has inspired me to go vegan. I want to do my part to help stop the harming of animals.

It Pains me that there is so much ignorance amongst these comments. this woman has devoted her life to helping animals and some of you are so painfully rude. She has nothing to gain but freedom and salvation in her heart that she is helping our fellow beings. Every living being has the right to life. It is as simple as that. If there are eyes and a beating heart and a mind, then thoughts are happening. I find it so painful that just because we cannot understand their language we can so easily tune out. She compared the slavery of people to the current slave trade in animals because that is exactly what it is. To be born into captivity ... work all your life.and then end up in the slaughter house to be hung upside down and watch your own blood drain from your body .. then to be burned boiled and dismembered and served as a happy meal is just chronically wrong. That people can happily switch off and disconnect is what is fundamentally wrong with the us as a human race. I pray that we as a race start to recognise that we need the animals for our survival.. without so many of them our fragile eco system breaks down... and only then will people regard SIMONE REYES as a hero..I pray that people hear her message deep in their soul and our spiritual selves remember that we are all sentient beings with souls and are one. One Love.

Thank you. Inspiring and beautiful. Vegan all the way!!

What Simone is saying is the general attitude that allowed slavery is the exact same as that which allows mass animal torture. People turn a blind eye and justify it even though if they really thought about it they would know its wrong. But hey the system tells them its okay so it must be

Don't forget the male baby chicks that are slaughtered just because they don't lay eggs.

oh thank you simone for your insight... as an older womon - a vegan, animal liberationist and womyn's liberationist - it is refreshing and heartening to hear a young womon speak so passionately against the enslavement and brutality humans perpetrate against nonhumans... although i don't agree with peta or their 'naked activists on the corner' - the only point we disagree on because you can't subjugate one to free the other, and that's what peta's misogynistic campaigns do.. but please, don't stop fighting - don't stop giving voice to the voiceless...

You are so inspirational #thefutureisvegan 🌱💚.

LOve her passion. Animals don't deserve to be treated this way, and sometimes it takes getting peoples attention, for them to come to the 'gothca' moment and stop harming animals. Animals die horribly in terrible conditions, so are we as humans just suppose to be polite about that to the point of crying, instead of making passionate speeches to show people why this matters, and to poignantly make the case against violence to animals ? I think we need this approach for some people, just as others are taken in by the 'heart' approach as some say. Everyone is different.

@shaqattack56 The point she is trying to make is that people fight for whatever rights no matter what other people think. And if you think about it, animals are treated as slaves. They are tortured, abused, and killed in many labs, slaughter houses and in entertainment such as circuses. Except for them, they have no voice. All they can do is scream and hope that some people have a heart to speak up for them.

this was a MASSIVE wake-up call for me. i've always wanted to save animals, but never, in my ENTIRE LIFE, imagined how evil factory farms and slaughter-houses are. i always say "Adopt, don't shop" when it comes to getting a pet. Also, if a dog/cat is misbehaving, i say "blame the deed, NOT the breed". i literally could not comprehend how evil these acts were. the photos filled me with horror and fury. NO animal should suffer at the hands of a human. i will NEVER go to another zoo/circus again. Not even if my parents offer to pay me.

Amazing. Everyone should and must go vegan

Thank you so much . Since i'm vegan my body is happy about . And me... i may say without any doubt , I love all animals .

As an environmentalist I know the impacts upon the environment that the meat and dairy industry has. I know that the only solution is to go vegan. It's just going to be hard that's all.

I'm so lucky to have a supporting family. I'd love them to be vegan.. at least I cook vegan for them twice a week ^_^

Awesome speach thank you I will speak up now not scared anymore

Two years ago, this video made me go vegan. I didn't had any idea about veganism or animal rights. But I considered myself a great animal lover. Thank you Simone Reyes for opening my eyes and mind. Long way and really animal rights activist are from future.. so many changes. Future is vegan.

Watch movie Earthlings!! it says it all!!! EARTHLINGS DOCUMENTARY!

You can also look at the concept of being "startled". Animals and humans have the same conditioned reflex - the lifting of the head, the tightening of the neck muscles which allow rapid changes of head direction to be instigated without muscle damage. The opening wide and dilation of the eyes - all part of the conditioned reflex to allow information about what is going on in the immediate surrounding to be gathered quickly so the brain can make a fight or flight response.

Fantastic Speech.. anyone who wants to make a positive difference in this world or just do something worthwhile that you can be proud of, spread the vegan message. Educate those around you. For the animals, for their health, for the environment, for their grandkids. You have the power to influence and teach others about something amazingly positive, so do it. Don't be afraid.

Thank you Simone for a brilliant, powerful and motivating speech. Personally I think that eating cheese and eggs from genuinely well cared for animals (few as they are these days) is justifiable and meat too ,perhaps, in a survival situation but I agree with every word you said on the question of cruelty and factory farming (including miscalled free range enterprises). When the day comes that animals are free of the, "dread and fear", of humans, in that day we too will be free of the dread and fear of (other) humans and the guilt and fear of karmic reprisals. That's something a lot of people don't think of. In the mean time karma is working out anyway. People are knowingly eating meat poisoned with growth hormones, antibiotics and above all, I think, stress hormones, and are slowing dying of it and other contaminated foodstuffs. It's madness! Who was it said that, "whom the gods wish to destroy they first send mad"? Whoever that was,he was right.

the only flesh I eat is tomato skin.

Animal abusers and murderers should be punished harshly with long jail terms. They should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law! I am all for it.

Amazing! Thank you for this!

Animals do feel and care. I have anxiety panic disorder and whenever I cry my family members, two kitties, the first thing they do is check on me. They nuzzle me, they lick me, they do anything to comfort me. If I can't stop crying they meow with me rather loudly. When their son passed away and I was in mourning, they mourned with me, they didn't leave my side not a single minute, we would go hours without eating, depression and grief can affect everyone, even those who have fur, walk on four legs, or have tails, fins, it doesn't matter, what is on the outside cannot determine the ability to feel.

I was there! Great talk :)

I don't understand how we can support animals and support PETA. Madness!

I love simone!

I am SO glad I came across this today! Awesome speech, delivered in such an informative and intelligent way. I have just listened to a kindred spirit. Thank-you & Blessings from Australia! x

Thank you so much. My eyes have been opened

More people like you who have so much passion towards animal rights are needed in this world.

She lost me with all the feminazi nonsense. The worst she can point to in so far as discrimination goes is *name calling*! As if that is done exclusively by men to women. It's not. It's primarily done by women and directed to other women. Sure though, men _do_ insult women. So what? It's not as if women don't call us names. We're okay with it though. We fight for our countries. We spill blood in the battlefield for our families, and for what? It's not a patriarchy you live in, you tool. If anything, our society is the closest thing to a matriarchy that it has ever been. Open your eyes. I commend you on being a vegan, but it's a pity that you're as naive as to think that feminism has a place in western society.

Wow! I agree on everything.... thanks . Great speech

What about other animals that eat animals? Why should we be the only animals held accountable?

I'm vegan and African American and I get making the comparison of slavery to becoming vegan BUT it needs to be better articulated than "slavery versus animal rights!" We, as a society differentiate between being human and being animals. My ancestors were not animals. Slavery was worse because we understood so much more, cognitively, what had happened, what is happening and what might happen. I'd respect the comparison much more IF speakers gave a more in-depth talk on slavery and how violent and vicious the perpetrators were/are and how African-Americans continue to "suffer" today and how other people benefited and continue to benefit from it. If we can understand that and come to terms with that THEN it would be a short step to people becoming vegan AND respect for ALL LIFE!

Concern for moral responsibility is good, but personally I cannot in good conscience protest for Animal Rights knowing there are homeless starving on the streets, our vets returning broken and needing help, that we as humans are so busy killing each other over ridiculous things as whose god said what. --- From a one time immigrant that lived at the poverty line to an entitled sheltered socialite: We are people too. We are important too, more important than a chicken, a dog, or livestock.

We must defend the animals against the slimy inhuman bastards who abuse them and murder them for sport. Those criminals are the real Vermin, not the poor animals. The animals need our help. Common decency demands that we do all we can to defend them against the insane animal abusers in our society. We must fight for them!

I only made it 3:15 in before I had to stop watching. Comparing animal rights to the emancipation of slaves, women's suffrage, and gay rights is absurd. I don't think anyone would suggest that animals deserve the right to vote, equal opportunity in education, the right to marry, etc... Human slaves were HUMAN BEINGS. Women are HUMAN BEINGS. Homosexuals.... well, some animals display homosexual behavior, but in this context she is talking about HUMAN BEINGS. Animals ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS. If termites were devouring your house would you call an exterminator, or would you let them destroy your home because they have the same rights as you and I to make their living? There are many valid reason to go vegan. "Animals are just like people" is not one of them.

Great speech Simone! Enjoyed every minute but bawled my eyes out. Brought back a lot of memories of videos I've seen in the past. Very powerful! Kisses to Hubbell Yoda!

Thank you so much for that speech. I wached this 9 years ago and it mooves me. I started to serch more informations. A week later I become a vegan and still am.

I’m a vegan for 20 years and being 51 years living in New York city’s we have everything to be vegan on 2019 !!

This moved me to tears! Thank you!!

Awesome speech! Unfortunately too many Americans don't really understand logical arguments and they immediately take these truths personal instead of examining their own actions. Hopefully, when Americans appreciate intellectualism as much as Europeans, then the US will have at a minimum the animal welfare consideration that Europeans have. But education is the key to change. Smart people are generally vegan.

Thank you!!! You are a wonderful woman!!

Well-organized, comprehensive. Really excellent. Delivered with a lot of heart and charisma. Thank you Simone. Will pass it on. xo Gernsey-Garbo.

TY SIMONE!!!This helps me and reenforces the right response to the typical questions I get as a vegan and activist!!My bigest problem is speaking but I am going to take a communications class is this a good idea? God bless you i have a small animal rights group//nj animal rights''and biggest problem too is getting advocates/activists to show up for stuff and i try not to get mad but in all honesty I do what suggestions do u have for this?xoxo This is truely one of the best speeches I have ever heard on animal rights simple and to the point

We are earthlings, make the connection ! Be Green ! @Greenalfy

Many people say "Animals don't deserve to vote" You're right..... We'll do it for THEM!

Her speech was the beginning of my vegan journey. Thank you

Eternal thanks and gratitude to you for speaking for all animals

If you can cut through all your prejudices regarding what she is wearing, the history she relates to in her speech etc etc, and simply listen to the message, it's simple... STOP ANIMAL CRUELTY. Who can argue with that? Simone is an inspiration and not afraid to speak out for those creatures who are unable to. Bless her.

Loved it. I really love how your passion exudes from you. You get gradually more passionate and loud and you ended the speech perfectly. Subscribing right now. Keep it up, much love to you!

Hello ! Good job ! 18:00 do you have the source ? I heard of it before but I can't find back the source ! It's so fascinating I need to read it from the first source

Totally of the topic, but where can I get that dress from? It's fabulous!

Definitely a very effective and reasonable speech i have ever heard. So proud of the progress that has been made. I am planning on participating in those activities and hoping to FINALLY do something for that face at the end of the video. Really proud! x

Nice work Simone. Love your passion

kick ass speech!

Till every single animal is free and away from human harm.

Great speech Simone!

This speech is so awesome! It includes everything I wanted to speak about animal rights for my speech class and I wish I could speak in front of people just like her. I can't even tell a sad animal story to my boyfriend without crying so idk =(

Watched this in 5th grade, went vegetarian in second. My parents, friends, siblings, and the rest of my family all said I'd go a week and then go back to meat. It's been about two years so far and I'm going vegan rn!

You stand up for and speak on behalf of those without a voice. Unjustified, immeasurable suffering is not limited to human beings. This is something we can control, as individuals and as a part of our local communities and greater circles.

Man ! Nobody speaks like Gary Y, no offense, still a great speech.

How are people unliking this?!!

Animal Rights is Yoga, spiritual growth is happening in the world

bloody brilliant! well done....share this video with your non vegan friends...plant the seed. x

Thanks for posting!!

This was a Beautiful Speech!!! Thank you.

Instead of trying to ban meat, why not try to ban the abusive conditions the animals are put through? Ban factory farms, and have all animals raised on local farms. Not only will it be more humane for the animals, but more workers could be hired to help raise and feed the animals, thus nipping two problems: animal cruelty, and job scarcity.

Very nice speech.....great

I will be the hitman for the vegan mafia.

I totally respect her...support her cause....and down with animal rights and veganism. All of it. But 20 years in this? How old is this girl...not a slam...but she looks like she's about 25.

While I do agree that animals deserve rights and deserve far better treatment than they have ever received from people, I do not for a second believe we are herbivores. I love animals, somewhat more than I care for other people, but to say that we weren't meant to eat meat is pretty false. If we were true herbivores we would have no desire for meat at all. Our brains would not even process the thought of killing another animal for food. I mean cows don't up and decide one day that they want to eat chicken and then set forth to hunting, killing, and consuming them. We are absolutely omnivores, we are "opportunistic" in our food choice, and stating that because we don't jump at the chance to eat roadkill when we see it is an "obvious" inclination we are herbivores is also a very bold statement. Coyotes don't usually eat roadkill. They are very scared of the traffic and much prefer live prey. They will eat it if they are starving though. But humans don't eat roadkill, not because we are herbivores at heart, but because we are very intelligent and know that roadkill is not a very "healthy" choice for dinner. Animals, in my opinion, are the only truly innocent creatures on the planet. They do not know evil. They only know instinct, and that is why I love them so much. But we are definitely the top of the food chain. I do believe the way we have stayed at the top is nothing short of complete disregard for life due to how we breed, torture, keep animals in horrid living conditions, and slaughter them for constant food supply for our overly gluttonous living style. I do, however, believe that humans deserve to be at the top because we are extremely intelligent. So much so that we can literally hunt absolutely anything. Animals kill other animals, it is a simple fact. Some do it for food, others for mating, some to protect themselves or offspring, and some to protect their territory. We are also animals. Very intelligent animals, but animals. So in order to survive we must feed just like every single other animal on the planet, and because we are "opportunistic" eaters that means eating both plant and animal life. So we hunt other animals or kills other animals for food just like any other animal that hunts and kills would. Like I said before, if we were true herbivores then why would we have the desire for meat in the first place? I believe as creatures of thought and of instinct we have earned the right to be the top of the food chain since we have almost no limitation on what we can hunt. Plus, I'm sure that we would be on another animals grocery list if we weren't so intelligent in the first place. I do not think we are more important than any other animal though. I mean let's be honest, if humans were wiped off the planet and everything else remained besides us, the planet would absolutely thrive. Humans are like a virus. Infecting one area until it's natural resources have been depleted then moving onto another. We do absolutely nothing but destroy. Don't get me wrong we have made enormous advancements in creation such as technology, medicine, and economic growth. But the simple fact is for everything we create we destroy ten times more. But I digress, we are omnivores. Plain and simple. We have very ridged teeth that are absolutely perfect for the consumption of both meat and plants. I have absolutely no issue with anyone deciding against eating meat. If anything I'm very proud that someone could make such a life changing decision for the sake of another living creature. But I also have absolutely no issue with anyone eating meat. It is an instinct of human nature to desire meat as a food option, and the fact that you have to try so hard and argue so much to convince someone to stop is a clear sign that we were meant to eat meat as well. I apologize if this offends people, which of course it will, but I just think forcing your views and opinions on other people is completely wrong. Everything I have said has not been to push any sort of agenda, Just to kind of hopefully send maybe some sort of message. Whichever you choose, whether it be vegan or to eat meat and everything in between, make sure it's in your best interest. If you want to stop hamburgers because you can't stand the thought of cows being treated so inhumanely then that's amazing and I definitely applaud you. Maybe you want to stop because to just think that being vegan or vegetarian is healthier and will make it easier for you to sustain a much healthier life style then also amazing. Maybe you hate the thought of how inhumanely cows are treated but absolutely can't live without steak, then I also think that's a great way to think. And if somehow you don't care about the way animals are treated just as long as you get your dinner, then you aren't watching this video most likely so that's not something I would need to address in this. I love meat. It is very delicious if cooked properly and is definitely good when accompanied by veggies, but I still have a great deal of respect for the animal that that meat came from. People that treat animals horribly I believe are complete garbage. I do not condone the way the meat industry keeps up with the demand and the way they treat the animals, it absolutely breaks my heart. And I absolutely believe in trying to bring an end to it so that we can at least give them much better living conditions with a fuller, happier life. I don't believe screaming "shame" at someone in the street for wearing fur or leather is the correct way to go about getting these changes done. I believe that openly admitting that even though we are omnivores that doesn't mean we have to treat the animals that we decide to eat with such cruelty. And while I do not believe it is extremely healthy to survive on one or the other as far as meat vs vegan is concerned is very healthy, as intelligent beings we can definitely make that decision ourselves for ourselves. Hopefully you've read this comment in it's entirety and didn't stop halfway and decide to "rip me a new one", because you won't. Just read it and think on it a bit or share it or whatever you see fit. I don't think anyone should have to have someone else's opinion and views be pushed on them so as you read this I hope that is not the conclusion you came to. Just got tired of seeing a bunch of videos of people comparing certain things and saying things that didn't really make any sort of sense. I couldn't tackle everything and I definitely repeated myself constantly, but if you watch this video or any other video similar to this and are thinking about where you might stand or what you believe just make sure that it's because it's what you believe and feel is right and not because it's what someone else told you is right. If you eat meat or if you're solely vegan, either way I don't believe you're in the wrong. It's human nature to desire both because we were meant to eat both, but in no way should what you eat be decided by someone else. You are you and they are not. I do believe in supporting the movement to help give these animals much better lives though. They haven't done anything wrong and really do not deserve to be treated as if they had.

I'm already vegetarian but now I want to go all the way and become vegan! :) Very very VERY good work on the speech!

Love you, thank you!

At school I told a group of friends about a couple years ago I accidentally boiled a beta fish while changing his water when I was 12. One person called me an animal abuser and I asked him if he was a vegan, his answer NO. I told him I ACCIDENTALLY boiled a little fish, he however, ate chickens, pigs, and cows on purpose. *he frowns* :-)

wonderful. Thank you. Very intelligent lady.

Amazing!

As You miss Reyes mentioned in the speech two adorable dogs of yours, please tell me what do you feed them with? Are they vegans as well? But, before even getting them the food, I would also really like to know if the parents of your pets gave you permission to own their children.

Could you share a link to the UN quote about global warming?

so what I have been saying about how fish DO have feelings they DO NOT! and I am stupid for ever thinking that way? (if anyone could, please comment, b/c I am confused)

Awesome video!! Thanks so much for making it!

Darwin taught us that the strong survive and the weak die off. Since the very first life forms on this planet the strong have eaten the weak. 3.5 billion years of the strong eating the weak. This is the way of Darwin. This is the way of Mother Earth. Every life form on this planet has the right to eat the weak. By the authority of Darwin and Mother Earth.

Great speech!

I'm a vegetarian and I plan on being a animal activist when I grow up

another example that vegans are intelligent, caring and beautiful inside and out

Great speech. One thing that drives me crazy is when Vegans put Vegan and Vegetarian in the same category. Please don't. Vegetarian diets are no different than Omnivore diets. Same, if not more, cruelty. The Dalai Lama isn't Vegan.