For members of peta2’s Leadership Program, the past few months have been jam-packed with animal-saving actions, ranging from weekly leafleting and tabling to veganizing cafeterias and hosting PETA’s Animal Liberation Project. Since you’re probably dying of curiosity to find out how one person can single-handedly start a revolution on his or her campus, we’ve decided to let you live vicariously through one of our best and most determined college activists:
Name: Amber Gibson-Knowlden
School: DePaul University
Hometown: Elgin, Illinois
Major: Sociology and Women’s & Gender Studies
How did you first get involved with animal rights? What motivated you?
For the longest time, I was under the impression that the government prevented animal suffering and cruelty. I, like most people, left it up to government officials to take action against companies that treated animals inhumanely. Then, one day, when I was coming out of the circus with my family, I was handed a flier that detailed the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] violations against the circus and that described how the animals were treated. I had no idea that animals in circuses were still treated this way. I vowed never to attend any circus again. Shortly after that, I was watching the news and saw a story about the undercover video footage that PETA took inside a KFC slaughterhouse. I was appalled! I could not believe that people could be so cruel and get away with it. I immediately went to PETA’s Web site, became a PETA member, and added my info to the Activist Network, and the rest is history.
You’ve been quite active in protesting the circus when it comes to town. Can you tell me about your involvement with the protests and council meetings that led to the ban on the Kelly Miller Circus from returning?
It seemed like every time I turned around there was a new circus coming to town this summer. Practically every week, we were out protesting and leafleting in front of the circus. Most of the time, we had great success both in educating people and in turning them away from the circus. Just before the Carson & Barnes Circus was to make its annual trip to the Naper Settlement, a local animal rights group, For the Love of Animals, came up with the brilliant idea of speaking in front of the city council to address the history of cruelty behind animal circuses and to provide fundraising alternatives. We joined them at the meeting and proceeded to follow their lead. Just a few weeks later, the Kelly Miller Circus came to my town, and I addressed the city council in the same fashion. Shortly after, we received word from members of the City Council of Naperville that they cancelled the 2006 circus and were not planning to have a circus at the Naper Settlement again. Next year, we plan to petition and address the city councils of each city that the circuses visit.
You’ve helped PETA with the elephant ordinance in Chicago. Can you tell me a bit more about your involvement in that campaign?
After the last three remaining elephants died at the Lincoln Park Zoo last year, Alderman Mary Ann Smith proposed an ordinance that would require that any elephant brought into or housed in the city of Chicago be given three indoor and three outdoor acres of space. It would also outlaw the use of bullhooks and electric prods on elephants. If passed, this ordinance would be a huge step forward for the elephants. To help pass the ordinance, PETA started a campaign to get signatures from residents who supported the ordinance. These postcards will be presented to the alderman of each ward before they vote on the ordinance. To help, we have joined PETA in gathering postcards in front of grocery stores and at tabling sessions—and have even posted them on school bulletin boards. Next quarter, we have devoted the first two weeks to tabling at both DePaul campuses to get signatures.
What advice can you offer to college activists?
There are so many people as passionate about animal rights as you are. Never feel alone. If you can, start a group. It is great to be surrounded by people who share your same principles. It is also great to have a network of support in place to help change the things that you think are wrong. Activism can be daunting, and there have been a few times when I felt that no matter what I did, it was never enough. I just keep reminding myself that I am a voice for the voiceless.
What You Can Do
It’s not too late to sign up for the Leadership Program for the spring. Check it out, and submit your application today!
Want to be our next Star Activist? Sign up for the Street Team now, and tell us what you've done to help animals in your community.
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