Studies show that African Americans are the fastest growing vegan demographic. The vegan lifestyle, which is completely free of animal products, may be the secret to living a long and healthy life. Beyond that, it pacifies many environmental concerns, serving as a potential solution to climate change.
If you’re looking for some inspiration to jumpstart your own plant-based journey, here are nine Black female vegan celebrities who live as a testament to the lifestyle.
Serena and Venus Williams
Tennis extraordinaire Serena Williams made the switch to a plant-based diet in 2012 to support her sister Venus Williams, who was advised to try a raw vegan diet after being diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome. Since then, both of the sisters have remained healthy and animal-free, proving athletes can thrive with vegan lifestyles.
Tabitha Brown
It’s no surprise that Tabitha Brown has landed on this list. Speaking to her plant-based journey, she shared, “I love people and animals, so my mission is to get people healthier by not eating animals or animal products. The more people I get to try a vegan lifestyle, the more animal lives I save in the process!” In fact, PETA named her their Person of the Year in 2020 for showing her millions of followers how to create healthy vegan meals.
Cynthia Erivo
“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo is mesmerizingly beautiful, and she has her vegan diet to thank. “I don’t have dairy because I’m a singer and, quite frankly, I don’t want to mess around with my vocal cords,” she said “I was cutting so many things out of my diet for health reasons—my body was letting me know that it wasn’t right for me—it ended up that being vegan was the most correct way for me to treat my body.”
Ava Duverney
Trailblazing filmmaker Ava Duverney believes veganism is a social justice issue. “Like many food trends that seem new, black veganism has historical roots,” she said. “For a lot of black people, it’s also about social justice and food access. The food we’ve been eating has been killing us.”
Persia White
Countless people went vegan after watching the documentary “Earthlings,” which was actually co-produced by “Girlfriends” actress Persia White. Wanting to spread the word about her mission in hopes of getting more people to wake up and join, it was important she use her love of film to carry out her purpose.
Erykah Badu
Soul songstress Erykah Badu has been one of the longest vegans in the game. Jumping on way before it was a trend, it’s a major key to how she maintains her spiritual strength. She finds that it keeps her balanced and centered. “The lifestyle that vegetarians lead automatically draws people’s attention to the vitality of the person,” she said. “My vitality speaks for itself.”
Mya
Beyond her timeless contributions to R&B, singer Mya is praised for her radiance and how well she’s aged. She attributes this to her vegan diet, starring in several PETA campaigns about living vegan and animal-friendly fashion. This vegan celebrity even published a free online guide to going vegan.
Angela Davis
Angela Davis fights for more than just human rights. The former Black party member invests in progressive ideals that hope to dismantle the animal torture industry. She speaks to finding all forms of exploitation and oppression wrong, including animals. Known for her views on feminism, prison and LGBTQ+ rights, she also adds animal rights to her roster.