The Race Is On as 18-Year-Old Beats Out More Than 1,200 Contenders
For Immediate Release:
May 19, 2011
Contact:
Kristin Richards 202-483-7382
Weslaco, Texas — What does 18-year-old Weslaco resident Suzeii Sierra have in common with actor Olivia Wilde? Wilde was a winner of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Alive contest, and Sierra is one of the female finalists in the spin-off Cutest Vegetarian Alive contest sponsored by peta2, PETA's youth division. Sierra beat out more than 1,200 contestants from across the U.S. Supporters can check out finalists by visiting peta2.com and can click here to find out how to vote via text message to help peta2 select the winners. Two winners (one male and one female) will be announced on June 6, and each will win a professional photo shoot and star in a peta2 ad.
"More and more Americans are going vegetarian every day, and young people are leading the charge," says peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg. "It's no wonder: On average, vegetarians are slimmer, trimmer, and generally healthier than meat-eaters, so they're bound to be a lot cuter too!"
Sierra, who's a college sophomore, went vegan at the tender age of 12 after visiting Mexico and hearing the haunting cries of a pig coming from a nearby slaughterhouse. She says that she's in peak health and that she feels even better knowing that her diet also helps animals and the environment. Sierra's mother prepares great vegan meals—including meat- and dairy-free enchiladas, tostadas, and other popular Mexican dishes—and while Sierra never passes up an opportunity to let others know about the suffering of animals raised and killed for food, her commitment to justice for animals goes beyond the kitchen. She volunteers for a group called Food Not Bombs, which shares vegan and vegetarian meals with the hungry. She has also written several papers on the waste, irrelevance, and cruelty involved in animal testing.
To view photos and bios of all the finalists and to cast your vote to help peta2 decide the winners, please click here. To vote for Sierra, text "Suzeii" to 73822.
