Photo credits: #2, 4, 5, 6 by Lesley Marino for Farm Sanctuary; #3 (feat. Leanne Mai-Ly) by Bridget Laudien.
This past Saturday night, I was lucky enough to attend Farm Sanctuary’s 25th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani’s grandiose ballroom in downtown Manhattan. It was an evening filled with eye candy and star power (in both vegan-famous and general terms), as we showed the world that it’s possible — indeed, quite glamorous — to live well while living right.
Even more than endless generously poured cocktails or a delicious three-course vegan dinner or a pitch-perfect performance by Nellie McKay or elbow-rubbing with celebrities like Jesse Eisenberg (star of The Social Network, ZombieLand, AdventureLand, and Rio) or an incredible dessert buffet courtesy of Vegan Treats (which was filmed for Animal Planet’s reality series Sweet Avenger) or an extensive iPad-enabled silent auction featuring everything from artwork to vacations to a gentleman’s attire package from (you guessed it) The Ethical Man, the ceremonial piece of the evening’s program was in fact the most enthralling.
Speeches by Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Baur and Humane Legal Progress award recipient David Wolfson were particularly memorable. Baur was in trademark form, elucidating Farm Sanctuary’s unflinching position with humility and grace, renewing both our sense of purpose and our determination to act on behalf of farmed animals. Meanwhile, Wolfson lived up to his biography as a talented lawyer and star professor who has taught courses at little old law schools like Yale, Harvard, NYU, and Columbia. His direct, erudite, and often quite humorous remarks challenged and inspired a crowd of vegan movement heavies who thought they’d heard it all before.
Speaking of which, the list of notable attendees is as long as it is humbling (that I had the privilege of being in their company). From the world of vegan fashion: Leanne Mai-Ly (Vaute Couture), Elizabeth Olsen (OlsenHaus), Annabella Åsvik (Anabella.tv, EthicalBella), Joshua Katcher (The Discerning Brute), and Chloe Jo Davis (Girlie Girl Army). Actors and authors: Jesse Eisenberg, Fred Willard, Wendy Malick, Rory Freedman (Skinny Bitch, Skinny Bastard), Kathy Freston (The Veganist), Corey Feldman, Ally Sheedy, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Carol Liefer, Eric Roberts, and Simone Reyes. Movement rockstars I ran into: Nell Alk (reporter for UsWeekly, NBC, etc.); Nathan Runkle and Matt Rice (Mercy For Animals); Tammy Borchert and Calla Wright (Farm Sanctuary); Jason Das (SuperVegan); Jesse Oldham (ASPCA); Jasmin Singer and Mari-Ann Sullivan (Our Hen House); Marisa Miller Wolfson (Kind At Heart, Vegucated); Alyson Berman (Ecorazzi, HEART); Daphne Cheng and Cassie Karopkin (Verité Catering); and David Benzaquen (formerly of Farm Sanctuary).
In short, it was an incredible evening of cruelty-free glitz, food, and — most of all, as Gene Baur emphasized — community. And while the organization no doubt raised a good deal of money on the night, Farm Sanctuary’s mission is ever-expensive and ever-expansive. If you can donate to help them continue and advance their vital work, please do so here. Finally, be sure to keep an eye out for announcements regarding next year’s gala in NYC — hopefully, I’ll see you there!
