Writing letters is one of the easiest things a vegan can do to make change in the world.  Whether you’re writing to an activist who has been jailed for standing up for animals or the planet, or sending a scathing letter (or two, or five, or twenty) to a corporation engaged in animal-unfriendly practices, you can make a difference without even leaving your house.  (That said, NARN a monthly virtual vegan letter writing event, and we’d love for you to join us!). Check the NARN calendar for the next event.

Since the passage of the US Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, activists and vegans speaking out on behalf of animals, people, and the planet are often targeted and imprisoned for daring to challenge the systems of oppression on which our country blithely operates.  As vegans, we oppose the notion of people OR animals being locked into cages, and those of us on the outside can do a lot to support our comrades who have been jailed for their beliefs. The US prison system is a bleak, dehumanizing place, and writing letters of support to prisoners is one way to remind them that they matter, that we care, and that their sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.

Not sure what to write?  Most prisoners like to hear about what their fellow activists and community members are doing in their stead.  Tell stories, talk about the work you’re doing in your communities, share your favorite vegan recipes, etc. For some more suggestions and guidelines for sending letters to prisoners, check out NYC ABC’s “Write a Letter” guide.

If you’re not comfortable or interested in maintaining a pen pal relationship with a prisoner, you may also consider sending a letter in support of or opposition to a politician or a corporation.  This type of activism can also have a major impact: with enough community support, we can change a politician’s vote or a company’s animal-unfriendly practice.

Some examples of this type of letter include writing to a large university to protest its use of animal testing on campus; writing a letter to a local politician or city council to urge them to ban animal circuses from city limits; writing a letter to a local grocery store to ask them to stop carrying foie gras; or writing a letter to a national food producer asking them to stop using palm oil in their food products.

Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper or a magazine is kind of like staging a one-person protest without leaving your house.  You have the opportunity to express your opinion and influence the hundreds or thousands of people who read the editorial section of your paper.  Typically, you are writing in response to an article (i.e. if a magazine featured something about eating a vegan diet, you can write to thank them for their coverage and gently remind their readers that veganism isn’t just about what’s on your plate, but about advocating for the animals whose lives are so carelessly used for food, clothing, and entertainment) but if you’re feeling more ambitious (or just more wordy!) you can write a pitch, asking to write an animal- or vegan-related article for the publication.  Vegan and non-vegan blogs are a great place to offer your services, though local news outlets may also jump at the chance to feature the voice of a community member. You never know until you try! Make sure you keep your letters short, sweet, and to the point. Don’t forget to spell check!

You can find some tips and templates for editorial and political/corporate letter writing here. At a NARN letter writing event, we will bring some current campaigns as well as standard language you can use for these types of letters.