48 VegNews HOLIDAYS 2019
to tighten the meat industry’s standards
surrounding contamination of meat,
and in June, uncovered evidence of
the egg industry’s influence over the
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
(the body tasked with helping to form
America’s dietary guidelines for the
next five years). In an era where the
fight for truth supported by science
faces fierce, vocal opposition, Barnard
is a much-needed voice of reason in
both politics and medicine.
THE DISNEY PRINCE
Mena Massoud
³Taking on a beloved Disney classic is
a daunting task. But newcomer Mena
Massoud rose to the occasion, and
his starring performance in Aladdin
launched the fresh-faced vegan actor
into stardom. Following his breakout
success, the 28-year-old Egyptian-
born actor has amassed a social
media following surging past the 2
million mark, and he’s showing his
audience a whole new vegan world,
with veganism squarely at the center.
Massoud is the founder and voice
of Evolving Vegan, which includes
a must-follow Instagram account
packed with drool-worthy shots of
globally inspired dishes, a travel series
showcasing veg restaurants around
the country, a riveting podcast, and
a forthcoming lifestyle and recipe
book. When Disney hands you a
contract, they also hand you the keys
to a deeply influential platform, and
Massoud using his to stand up for
animals is better than any three wishes
you could ask for.THE ORATOR
Ed Winters
³“Earthling Ed” Winters is in it for the
animals. The 28-year-old Londoner rose
to prominence last year with a viral
YouTube video entitled “You Will Never
Look at Your Life in the Same Way
Again” in which he gives a university
lecture about his path to and the³When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico
two years ago, US elected officials
did virtually nothing. Beloved barrios
were destroyed, the vibrant spirit of the
island was broken, and the people of
Puerto Rico were saddled with an uphill
battle to rebuild. Enter Michelle Carerra,
founder of Brooklyn-based nonprofit
Chilis on Wheels. The organization was
born after Carerra searched for a soup
kitchen where she could serve a vegan
Thanksgiving meal for those in need,
but came up empty handed. She thendecided to take the ladle into her own
hands. Three years later, Carerra was
on the ground in San Juan, setting up
a permanent community center and
serving 15,000 plant-based meals to
displaced Puerto Ricans. This year, the
global campaign Million Dollar Vegan
applauded Carerra and awarded
Chilis on Wheels $100,000 to continue
its efforts to rehabilitate Puerto Rico.
Carerra reminds us of a simple yet
profound truth: never underestimate the
healing power of a warm vegan meal.MICHELLE
CARERRA
THE GRASSROOTS POWERHOUSE
MENA
MASSOUD
Mena^Massoud:AnthonyNoguera