Teen vegan activist Genesis Butler just became the newest board member of Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), a political animal advocacy group that aims to protect animals by changing legislation. The 14-year-old activist—who was recently immortalized as a Marvel superhero in an episode of the Disney+ series Marvel Hero Project—has spent several years advocating for animal rights, including actions such as urging Pope Francis to adopt a plant-based diet for Lent in 2019; launching nonprofit Genesis for Animals which supports animal sanctuaries; and delivering a moving TEDx lecture in 2017 about her choice to go vegan when she was three years old. “At a very young age, I realized that each animal was a unique individual and that I wanted to do everything I could to help them,” Butler said. “I’m excited to motivate my fan base to help further Social Compassion in Legislation’s mission, which is at the core the same as mine: to save every animal.”
Saving every animal
Butler joins other SCIL board members such as actresses Diane Keaton and Maggie Q and will use her position to advocate for legislative change through meetings with elected officials, speaking at committee hearings, and utilizing her social media channels. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Genesis to our board. We know her passion and influential voice will help continue to fulfill Social Compassion in Legislation’s mission in legislating protection for all animals,” SCIL Founder and CEO Judie Mancuso said. “We’ve worked together since she was a young girl on various campaigns and are thrilled to be expanding her role with our organization. Our youth is our future, and Genesis is a powerful role model who can help make that future a more compassionate one.”
Over the years, SCIL has been instrumental in getting many laws on the books to protect animals, including major victories in California, such as the wild circus ban and the Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act.
This post was originally published on VegNews.com.
