About a year ago, I decided to put more time into this blog. I knew that the previous years or so (or longer!) I was rarely publishing posts, and I had taken time to think about whether I wanted to keep The Gay Vegans going.

In the past several months, I have published more blog posts than I probably have in the last couple of years, and I’ve loved it. I’m grateful to all of you who have been reading, those who have been reading for years and those who have just discovered us.

In the summer of 2010, I was working at a small HIV/AIDS nonprofit in fundraising. I had a fundraising blog that I loved and, as a new blogger, I was enjoying the feedback and the growth of it.

As Mike and I prepared for a summer trip, I made the decision to add a post on the fundraising blog about our trip. It would be the first personal post. Before I wrote the post, I considered a whole new blog. What did a personal blog look like? The Gay Vegans was born.

At the beginning, I wasn’t totally clear about what I would write on The Gay Vegans.  I started with vegan food ideas, restaurant adventures, activism, and some posts about what Mike and I were up to.

Sixteen years later, I still love this blog. I love the community we have created and the people I have met. It’s been constant growth for me, growth as a writer, as a blogger, and as an activist.

The motive for the blog has remained consistent: What can I do to make the world a better and safer place, while sharing bits and pieces of my life? How can I add to the world? And how can I build communities of people who want to do the same? The focus was on animals, and, like a lot of my activism, it spills into human rights as well.

The Gay Vegans is a blog that hopefully gives readers something to think about, an action to take, a food to try, or a restaurant to support. I often write about delicious food!

The world seems a little darker than it was when The Gay Vegans was born. As an activist, as someone who gives a shit about the world, there seems to be so much more to do. I have found that our communities and our relationships are even more important now.

If you are new to The Gay Vegans, welcome. If you’ve been reading for years, thank you!

On to the next post!

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Go vegan. Vote. Be kind.