The Farm

2008 New York Country Hoe Down Speakers

CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON
Paul Watson was one of the founding members and directors of Greenpeace, and is the founder the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - dedicated to research, investigation and enforcement of laws, treaties, resolutions, and regulations established to protect marine wildlife worldwide. Paul Watson is also a prolific author whose titles include: Shepherds of the Sea (1979), Sea Shepherd: My Fight for Whales and Seals (1982), Cry Wolf (1985), Earthforce! (1993), Ocean Warrior (1994), and Seal Wars (2002). He was chosen by Time Magazine as one of the environmental heroes of the 20th Century in the year 2000.

BRUCE FRIEDRICH
Bruce Friedrich is vice-president for PETA. Before joining PETA more than 12 years ago, Bruce spent six years running a shelter for homeless families and the largest soup kitchen in Washington, D.C. He has been a progressive activist for more than 20 years.

SUE COE
Sue Coe is a keen observer of realities more often overlooked or avoided by our society. She is a journalist who uses images rather than words to express herself. For a quarter of a century she has explored topics, such as factory farming, meat packing, apartheid, sweat shops, prisons, AIDS, and, most recently, war through her art. Her commentary on political events and social injustice has been published in newspapers, magazines and books, and the results of her investigations are hung in museum and gallery exhibitions. Coe's paintings and prints are an essential part of the personal collections of artists and activists alike, and are also auctioned off as fund raisers for a variety of progressive causes. Currently, she sells work to benefit Farm Sanctuary and In Defense of Animals.

JOHN PHILLIPS
John Phillips was named executive director of the League of Humane Voters of New York City (LOHV-NYC) in 2004. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from a small volunteer-based organization into a staffed political machine that has helped to elect dozens of candidates to office at the city and state level.

During his time with LOHV-NYC, John has met with hundreds of elected officials regarding animal protection issues at City Hall and in Albany and D.C. He has testified before numerous government bodies, spoken at national animal protection conferences, appeared on television, and been quoted in every major newspaper in New York City.

JOSH HOOTEN
Josh Hooten lives, eats and bikes in Portland, Oregon. In 2002 he started the Herbivore Clothing Company with his lovely wife, Michelle, and in 2003 they launched Herbivore Magazine. Not busy enough, they opened a retail store in the vegan mini-mall with Food Fight Vegan Grocery, Sweetpea Baking Co. and Scapegoat Tattoo, and began publishing books. Josh was also one of several organizers orchestrating the first annual Let Live animal rights conferencein Portland Oregon, held in June 2008. When he isn't doing these things, Josh can be found hiking with Michelle and their awesome vegan 3 1/2-year-old, Ruby. If he isn't doing that, he is biking around, or getting “beat up from the feet up” trying to Thai box.

GEORGE EISMAN
George Eisman, R.D. has served as a faculty member in dietetics and nutrition at several universities and colleges, created the first accredited program in vegetarian studies, and founded The Association of Vegetarian Dietitians and Nutrition Educators. He has worked in a children's hospital and a nursing home, as well as for public health agencies in four states. On his own, or as part of Farm Sanctuary's Veg Speaking Tour, George has spoken at numerous events and conferences. He is also the author of "The Most Noble Diet" and "A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition."

JASMIN SINGER & MARISA MILLER WOLFSON
Jasmin Singer is the outreach coordinator for Farm Sanctuary in New York City. Before her activist career began, she wore many hats as a holistic health counselor specializing in vegan living, an actor/educator in an HIV-awareness theatre company, a sales associate at a vegan shoe store, and a musical theatre director. As a writer, Jasmin has been published in VegNews and Satya.

Marisa Miller Wolfson is the outreach coordinator for Kind Green Planet, a nonprofit dedicated to educating people about healthy, eco-friendly and humane living. She has facilitated workshops, lectures and screenings at community centers, churches, law schools, and colleges all across the country, including her alma mater, Smith College. She is in post-production of her first feature-length documentary about veganism entitled "Glass Walls."

Singer and Miller's past workshops include: Veganism 101 (named a Village Voice Choice), The Merry Vegan: A Holiday Survival Guide (featured in TimeOut New York), It's Easy Being Green: A Guide to Eco-friendly Eating, Not Your Typical Vegan Workshop, and Activism 101. Future workshops include: The Year America Went Vegan, How Global Hunger Was Conquered, and Remember When People Ate Animals?

Please check back soon for more special guests!