LOS ANGELES– As part of the organization’s commitment to racial equity and inclusion, Mercy For Animals is pleased to announce the launch of The People’s Fund, a pilot grant program for Black activists working to build a compassionate plant-based food system.
Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 (USD) will be awarded to Black activists working in the U.S. farmed animal protection movement or related movements. Grantees may also be eligible for other support from Mercy For Animals, such as social media promotion or pro bono video work.
“I’m excited that Mercy For Animals can make a significant investment in our commitment to being a more antiracist organization,” said Leah Garcés, president of Mercy For Animals. “Through The People’s Fund, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to Black animal advocates, their communities, and our movement.”
Applications for The People’s Fund program are due on November 10, 2020, and applicants will receive notification of acceptance or denial by December 10, 2020. Funds will be distributed by December 31, 2020.
Creation of The People’s Fund is one of nine commitments in support of racial justice that Mercy For Animals announced in June of this year. In addition to providing support for activists from marginalized communities, the organization committed to increasing its efforts to recruit for diversity.
As part of this commitment, Mercy For Animals is proud to announce the addition of four new board members: TL Gray, Sid Hariharan, Liza Heavener, and Ashley Bugeja Vuu. In expanding its board, Mercy For Animals sought candidates who possessed not only a drive to advance its mission but also a commitment to antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion and the capacity to help the organization put these concepts into practice.
“We have four stellar new board members who reflect not just who Mercy For Animals is today but the more effective, equitable, and inclusive organization we aspire to be,” said Leah Garcés, president of Mercy For Animals.
Tyson-Lord Gray
Tyson-Lord (“TL”) Gray is a research associate at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and an adjunct assistant professor at NYU Stern School of Business. His research lies at the intersections of environmental ethics, critical race theory, and public policy. He is specifically interested in the influence of society and culture on environmental history and policy. Dr. Gray has taught courses on animals and public policy at NYU, as well as presented numerous papers on animal rights at academic conferences. He is a member of the New York State Bar, a minister with the National Baptist Convention, and a board member at Green the Church.
Siddharth Hariharan
Siddharth (“Sid”) Hariharan is a managing director at Rothschild & Co, a leading global advisory firm. Sid advises clients across industries on mergers and acquisitions, as well as fundraising. He is especially focused on plant-based businesses and helping them access funding and monetization opportunities. Sid is a passionate vegan and hopes to engender a kind and compassionate planet.
Liza Heavener
Liza Heavener serves as the chief operating officer of NEXUS. After being a NEXUS member for many years, Liza was tapped to chair the NEXUS Working Group on Animal Welfare and Biodiversity Conservation. She had spent the previous decade on Capitol Hill, running campaign strategy and grassroots outreach.
As a founding member of DeforestACTION, Liza coordinated the launch of a new orangutan rehabilitation center in the Bornean rainforests. Her work is featured in Rise of the Eco-Warrior, an internationally acclaimed documentary and TV series. Liza serves as an advisor to the Millennial Action Project, Well Beings charity, Eastern Mennonite University, and White Coat Waste. She has spoken at conferences and events around the world.
Ashley Bugeja Vuu
Ashley Bugeja Vuu is an HR executive with deep experience in change management and diversity. Originally from Detroit, Ashley was the first person in her family to earn master’s and bachelor’s degrees. For more than 10 years she has advocated for the environment and underprivileged people of color, citing a lifestyle of “kindness to the vulnerable,” which includes being vegan.
Ashley has held HR leadership positions at some of the largest tech firms, including Infosys, Unisys, and Computer Science Corporation. She also holds a Global Professional in Human Resources certification and is fluent in Spanish and English. When she is not working or volunteering, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family and pursuing her passion for long-distance running fueled entirely by plants.
They join Mercy For Animals’ existing board members: Milo Runkle, founder; Derek Coons, founding board member; Lisa Feria, CEO of Stray Dog Capital; Alexis Fox, CEO of Lighter; Michael Pellman Rowland, impact investor and food writer; and Jaime Surenkamp, a restaurant industry veteran.
Mercy For Animals is a leading global nonprofit working to end the exploitation of animals for food and construct a compassionate food system. Active in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and India, the organization has conducted more than 80 investigations of factory farms and slaughterhouses, moved more than 300 food companies to adopt animal welfare policies, and helped pass historic legislation to ban cages for farmed animals. Join us at MercyForAnimals.org.
