Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
BlackVegansRock.com
October 2017
Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma is a 24 year old international athlete coming up
on year seven as a vegan.
1. Why did you decide to go vegan?
When I was 15 I went vegetarian after becoming enamored with the cartoon
"Avatar: The Last Airbender." I resonated with the culture of the
protagonist's native land "Air Nomads" whom were strict vegetarians and
emphasized spirituality, peace, intuition, and freedom. So as childish as it
may seem, my inspiration for vegetarianism came from a cartoon. I should
note my transition to vegetarianism was driven by externally oriented
concerns; the environment, animal cruelty, etc. As I progressed through my
15th, 16th, and 17th years I increased my study of nutrition, as well as
other holistic health practices, and started making connections between the
specific substances I put in my body and my well-being.
I started refining my diet and lifestyle practices more with my athletic
aspirations in mind, which lead me to a fruit-based diet. I never liked eggs
or dairy and when I removed whey protein from my diet I noticed that I was,
by definition, vegan. Unlike my transition from omnivorism to vegetarianism,
my transition from vegetarianism to veganism was for internally focused
reasons, mainly my athleticism and long-term health. I soon realized that
what's best for myself and what's best for the greater good of man aren't
mutually exclusive.
2. How did your friends and family react when you went vegan?
There wasn't much kick-back when I initially went vegetarian when I was 15,
most just thought, "Okay man, but I couldn't ever do that." Additionally, my
friends and family haven't, at least to my face, made any qualms about me
being vegan. I've always been a "picky-eater" and I haven't been too public
about my veganism so my friends and family just consider it a part of my
idiosyncratic nature.
I did have one National Team Coach who cussed me out in front of my
teammates when I started my first international tournament off poorly
exclaiming, "Start f***ing eating right," which is probably the harshest
response I've received, but that's just the territory of being a unique
athlete. You play well and everyone wants to know your secret; you aren't
playing well and any peculiarities you have become a scapegoat for the
team's failure. It's not something I used to tell people as to avoid the
stereotypes associated with being vegan, nor did I want people to say things
along the lines of "he's a good athlete, for a vegan."
3. You stated that you haven't been too public with your
veganism, but now you're ready to be public. What was the shift?
I personally don't like being defined by the things I don't do, in this case
being defined by not eating animal products. I don't spend my days fighting
the urge to eat eggs or dairy, nor do I spend them arguing with people who
do, I just live my life and it just happens to be one where I don't consume
animal products. I'm a firm believer of keeping my consciousness on the
things I do as opposed to the things I don't. Although that mindset has
served me well the past seven years while I was still pursuing some of what
I've accomplished, I now feel veganism isn't as ostracized as it was back in
2010 and I am now at a point in my life where I want to share my
accomplishments and the lessons learned along my journey with a more global
audience.
I won a Harlem Globetrotters' Talent Search when I was 19, started for the
US Olympic Handball Team when I was 20, and lead USA Beach Handball to it's
first ever Pan-American Title when I was 22, all while being vegan. I also
starred in a sports commercial. As someone who has had quite a unique
journey, I think vegans and non-vegans alike could benefit from reading a
story like mine.
4. What advice do you have for other folks who want to go vegan, but
they think it's 'too extreme' or it's a 'white person's' thing?
As far as how "extreme" it is, there is some truth that being vegan is quite
removed from the norm of eating animals and animal products so you probably
won't resonate as strongly with your current personality. I would say be
willing to change your lifestyle and your approach to life, but have faith
that whatever changes are in store are for the best. As for it being a white
person's thing, I would say look toward black vegan role models who are
letting their light shine, many of which you can find on
Black Vegans Rock.
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