Today, AR2009 winds down, and we start gearing up for TAFA! That's the Taking Action for Animals conference in Washington DC this coming weekend, starting Friday, July 24. And no, it isn't too late to register, and yes, there are still lots of cheap flights to DC. I just found return non-stops from Los Angeles for under $500 and from Florida for under $200! Go to kayak.com and make sure you click on "include nearby airports" when you enter your departure and arrival cities. And yes, the hotel is still giving out the special TAFA group rate!
TAFA is a relatively new conference -- three years old -- and it is taking off beautifully. It is an event at which we get the feeling of camaraderie that comes with spending a full weekend with hundreds of like-minded folks. What a pleasure! While of course all the meals are vegan (and delicious) and the advantages of plant-based diets are hardly ignored, at TAFA, organized by the Humane Society of the United States, the talks and workshops tend to focus on welfare issues -- examples would be combating pit-bull fighting, and exposing and ending factory farming. It is a fabulous conference for those new to the animal protection movement -- a place to learn about a wide variety of issues. And it is ideal for those with a mainstream approach to animal advocacy, who see change for the animals as more likely to come through progress than through revolution.
The quality of speakers is always fantastic. I can't wait to hear comedian Carol Leifer tell us about her personal "awakening" and journey into animal advocacy! You'll find the full speaker line-up on the TAFA website, http://www.takingactionforanimals.org/ .
I will be doing a workshop, with HSUS's public relations manager Kristin Eastman, on media skills. I'll be using lots of fun cartoons and stories from Thanking the Monkey to help get across some important communication messages. Kristin has some delicious videos and role-play ideas lined up. We would love to see you there!
I have been known to spend just a quick moment or two at the bar at the end of a long conference day. : ) Hope to see some of you there too! That is always loads of fun -- just hanging out with passionate and compassionate people who are getting together to see how we can work on the world. You'll form new friendships that will last a lifetime.
See you this weekend in DC?
Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn
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Date: Mon Jul 20 17:44:03 2009
