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 Sally Ames, left, and Beth Ropski dish up at the Vegan Potluck Wednesday night in the SUB Silver Room. Jake Barber/Argonaut
Students at a campus vegan potluck chattered excitedly about everything from weekend plans and homework to environmental issues and vegan food substitutes Wednesday.
The event, held in the Silver Room of the Student Union Building, was hosted by the student animal rights organization Compassion Speaks.
On one side of the room there was a table covered in food. It had everything from roasted sweet potatoes to Oreos — all foods made without animal products, referred to as “vegan.”
The potlucks are nothing new. They’ve been advertised all year and are a monthly happening around campus.
Not everyone who attends is vegan either. On Wednesday, most weren’t. Many were vegetarian and some even admitted to being omnivores.
Each of them had personal reasons for giving up meat.
For most, it was an issue of conscience. They felt sympathetic to animals. For others, it was for health reasons.
Ben Corté and Matthew Brookhart are co-presidents of Compassion Speaks. They hope to attract students to, among other things, experience food created without animal products with their potlucks.
“We’re not preachy,” Corté said. “This is really about having a good time and enjoying some food that might be different than what people normally eat.”
Many of the attendees are there to be around other people who share their beliefs.
“People think that ‘vegan’ is the creepiest word,” said student Bryn Ohlgren, who is now a vegan. “When I was vegetarian, people would be like, ‘at least you’re not vegan. Vegan people are weird.’”
One of the many topics discussed was how often vegan issues present themselves in daily life.
Many foods contain commonly overlooked animal products like whey or gelatin. Many household chemicals are tested on animals to check for toxicity.
Because animal products can be so omnipresent, it’s problematic for vegans who are trying to completely remove animal products from their diet. There are left to “do the best they can.”
“It’s not about perfection,” Corté said, “it’s about passion.”
The next potluck will be held for Thanksgiving (without turkey) on Nov. 19 in the Silver Room of the SUB.
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