Determined 16-Year-Old Uses Every Opportunity to Promote a Vegetarian Lifestyle
For Immediate Release:
May 25, 2011
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Plainfield, N.J. — When it comes to speaking up for animals who are killed for food, animal advocates around the world have a lot to learn from 16-year-old Plainfield resident Joel Mercado, whose passion for animal rights has now netted him a Star Street Teamer Award from peta2, PETA's youth division.
"Joel Mercado has used his compassion, energy, and dedication to make sure that his friends, family, and community all know about the benefits of a healthy, humane vegetarian diet," says peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg. "By taking every opportunity that he gets to stick up for animals, Joel is setting an example not only for his community but also for our more than 80,000 other peta2 youth activists who want to help animals."
A junior at Plainfield High School, Mercado regularly hands out stickers, buttons, and leaflets about animal issues to his friends and classmates. A vegetarian, he has gathered hundreds of petition signatures for peta2's "Meat's Not Green" environmental campaign, which promotes the environmental benefits of a vegetarian diet, and is currently working with his school to increase the number of vegan options in its cafeteria. On one memorable occasion, Mercado even organized a well-attended "McCruelty" protest with only seven hours to prepare. This month, he will begin campaigning for alternatives to animal dissection at his school. Photos of Mercado campaigning for animal rights are available.
Joel Mercado is available for interviews. For more information, please visit peta2.com or click here.
