Last week the video “Veganism (a 7 Year Old’s Perspective)” was shared by many on Facebook. I tend to not be sucked in by cute children videos, yet I couldn’t resist that title. I was immediately impressed by Marielle’s grasp of veganism. Her video covered much more than just diet. Within two days, the video had been watched by over 3,500 people. A couple of days ago, she posted a brand new video (both are below). Please follow Marielle at her Facebook fan page. I just had to interview her!

Why did you decide to make the video “Veganism?” Did you expect the video to go viral?

I wanted to make a video because I wanted to teach people about veganism. I saw some of John Sakars’ videos and thought they were cool. I wanted to make my own video. I didn’t expect it to go viral.

How did you learn about milk and cows?

I learned about milk and cows on the internet. My mom thought it would be a good experience for me. After seeing a video on YouTube about dairy farms, I waited a few days and realized that I don’t have to drink or eat stuff with cow milk in it.

Do you have any pets? What do you think people can learn from their pets?

I have a dog named Shakti. I learned that when she gets scared or doesn’t know what’s going on next, her ears get pushed back. When she gets playful she puts her head to the floor and raises her back. She used to eat meat, but now she is vegan and much more active. We have 2 chinchillas who are brothers. Their parents came from a fur farm and got rescued. We used to have a bunny but he died. All animals have different feelings and ways to communicate.

What do your friends think about you being vegan? Are your friends open minded about it?

I have a friend named Quinn and she is open-minded about me being vegan. I am home schooled and I don’t have many friends, but I have one friend that is open-minded about it and that’s Quinn. But I’m really happy with just one.

What are your favorite foods right now?

My favorite foods are Rice Krispies treats, vanilla cake with icing, hot cereal with dried apples and cinnamon in it with soy milk and bananas and strawberries. I love blueberries and blackberries. I really like pears and apples and oranges and red and green peppers. I also like tomatoes, baby corn, chickpeas, pancakes with maple syrup, bagels with vegan cream cheese, and a round piece of bread called a Pita Snacker with vegan sour cream. I like Indian curries with lentils. I also love Mexican food, like tacos, and sunflower seeds.

What are your favorite books and movies about animals? What media would you recommend for people your age to learn more?

I like a bird movie called “Rio,” and I like “Scooby Doo, Curse of The Lake Monster.” I cannot think of any books about animals that I like. I think showing children videos about how the animals suffer is a good way to teach them.

You speak out not just about food, but clothing and scientific research. What actions can people take about those issues?

We should stop paying people to make things out of animal skin. We should stop testing stuff on animals and test it on ourselves. We should look at what is contained in everything we buy, and choose to buy stuff that says “not tested on animals.”

Your mom says you can eat anything you want when you are away from home, but you choose to be vegan. Can you talk about why you make this choice for yourself?

I chose to be a vegan because I thought I would be cruel to the world if I was not a vegan. After a few days of thinking, I became a vegan.

Courtesy of The Thinking Vegan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDwZwsmBiYI&feature=channel_video_title

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZeDKRl2ryw