Disclaimer: This is my first EA forum post. Feedback on my writing is warmly welcomed.
Tl;dr
I attended my first animal advocacy conference – CARE in Warsaw – last month. I found it inspiring and a lot of fun, but am also processing something unsettling I heard while there. Next time I attend a conference, I’ll do a few things differently – such as spending more time preparing, and prioritising 1:1s over talks.
Why did I attend CARE?
After learning about factory farming and going vegan earlier this year, I began exploring animal advocacy as a cause area I could get more involved in (beyond lifestyle change) – and whether the space might be a good fit for a career transition.
In trying to apply 80,000 Hours’ ladder of tests framework to my decision-making, I’d done some initial research: Google searches, reading about careers in animal advocacy, completing AAC’s online course, and having a few virtual coffees with advocates.
Reading 80k’s problem profile on factory farming, I noticed the authors suggested attending a conference that’s open to newcomers – like AVA or CARE – if you’re moving into the area for the first time.
CARE tickets were reasonably priced, and being a quick way to meet a lot of people, it felt like a sensible next rung on the ‘ladder’.
How I prepared – and the goals I set
The week before CARE, I joined a prep session run by Kevin from Hive, which I found super helpful.
Kevin suggested aiming to meet with 8-12 people one-on-one over the weekend. So I used the conference app – Eventory – to reach out to people in roles I’m interested in, e.g. communications and fundraising, and arranged to meet. (Note: I started this too late – more on this later.)
I also wrote down my goals for the conference, which were to:
- Understand more about how to make an impact in animal advocacy
- See what high-impact work looks like in the movement
- Network with others
- Discover opportunities where I could use my skills
My experience
The highlights
Aside from visiting a completely new city (shout out Warsaw and its plethora of vegan restaurants!), there were some big highlights.
Firstly, I met with so many ambitious, talented, and creative advocates in such a short period of time (over 25 people from a quick look at my notes). I also had more structured, one-on-one conversations with 6 people in total.
And yes, while this means I fell short of Kevin’s recommendation to speak with 8-12 people, I wasn’t too disappointed; the serendipitous meets and more casual conversations added lots of value to my conference – just in a different way to the structured meetings.
I attended talks, workshops and panels hosted by some of the most interesting folks I’ve had the chance to be in a room with.
A personal highlight was hearing Tobias Leenaert chat with Maciek Otrębski about the current state of plant-based advocacy. Tobias flipped the idea on its head that having a room full of vegans at an animal advocacy conference was a good thing. He also spoke about the idea that we need to ‘build a bigger tent’ to help more animals.
I also loved Sentient Futures’ session on AI and animals – and how you don’t have to be a coder to make a difference.
A lowlight
Trigger warning: mention of s*xual assault
But the conference wasn’t without its challenges. And this is the part that left me feeling confused.
On the last night of the conference, I was walking to dinner with a couple of people. When I mentioned a senior figure in the movement that I was interested in chatting to, one of the people told me this figure had a r*pe allegation against him. They said: “He r*ped a young volunteer”, and then went on to describe her as severely impacted by what happened.
As a newcomer, this shocked me. But as a s*xual assault survivor, it hit even harder – to be honest it was borderline triggering. I immediately felt deep disappointment.
With hindsight, I can see I've been naive about sexual violence in social movements like animal advocacy.
Logically, I know sexual misconduct and violence against women is deeply embedded in our society. I know it permeates everywhere – even the ‘good places’ where ‘good people’ are doing ‘good things.’
But emotionally, it was crushing. I had come to this conference full of excitement, and suddenly I was hit with the realisation that this movement – this incredible, ambitious, welcoming community – wasn’t as safe as I’d had hoped.
I was told there’d been an external investigation, but that the man had remained in his position. I didn’t know what to say.
I really tried to ensure this information didn’t spoil my remaining conference experience, and I still had a great final day at the networking brunch.
But I left Warsaw feeling unsettled. I’m still processing how to hold my appreciation and excitement about this movement alongside the knowledge that it has difficult, uncomfortable realities.
Questions keep running through my mind: Am I safe here? How prevalent is sexual violence within animal advocacy? What support exists for survivors? And how might this young woman’s life and capacity to advocate have been altered by what happened to her – and by how the movement responded?
Reflecting on what I came for
Despite the incident on the final night, I wanted to reflect on whether I'd achieved what I set out to do.
The difficult conversation didn't erase the valuable experiences I had, and in this post I want to acknowledge both.
So how did I stack up on the goals I’d set?
1. Understand more about how to make an impact in animal advocacy
This seems like a success. One of my key takeaways from the conference was the knowledge that you can make an impact through many routes: founding a non-profit, fundraising, leadership, direct action, or working in cause-adjacent industries like food or lobbying.
That said, I’m not sure you need to go to an animal advocacy conference to understand this.
AAC’s free online course was a really thorough introduction to impactful roles and strategies (which include the routes I mention above), so I’d suggest newcomers start there.
2. See what high-impact work looks like in the movement
This one seems less successful. Looking back on my conference, I’m unsure if it was ever feasible for me to assess what is or isn’t “high-impact” work just by attending talks or having conversations.
I left with more ideas, but not definitive clarity.
3. Network with others
Definitely achieved! I met with more people in a weekend than I could in half a year’s work of weekly virtual coffees (calculated at my current rate of one a week).
4. Discover opportunities where I might be able to put my skills to good use
Still in progress! I spoke with a couple of organisations that were hiring, and one looking to hire a writer and editor later in the year.
I also had a chance conversation at the networking brunch that might lead to a skilled volunteering project.
This was really cool, and is an opportunity where I could put my content writing and copy-editing skills to use.
What I’ll do differently for my next conference
Based on the fact I was only able to get 6 one-on-ones organised in the week before CARE, I’ll set aside more time for arranging meetings next time.
I’ll try to keep the two weeks beforehand as a buffer for conference prep, as one of my key takeaways is that networking and connections are really important – if not the most important reason for attending a conference.
Here are a few more things I’d do differently:
- Attend an after party – I lean more introverted, but I enjoyed the relaxed environment of the Sunday brunch & networking session so much that I'm excited to see how I do with more social/"off duty" events.
- Prioritise 1:1 conversations over talks, especially when they’ll be recorded.
- Consider wearing a mask – I was really unwell with a cold virus after CARE, and I’ve read from more frequent conference-goers that getting sick can be a thing.
- Get more fresh air – related to above. And for the general wellbeing benefits of simply taking a break outside.
To wrap up
CARE was inspiring, exciting and – at one point – deeply unsettling.
I left with new contacts, clearer ideas about possible roles, and concrete opportunities to explore.
I was also reminded that all movements have flaws, and that processing that requires compassion – and possibly professional guidance (I’ll likely bring that final night conversation to therapy).
If you’re new to animal advocacy and considering attending a conference, my advice is: prepare well, set clear goals, prioritise 1:1s, and look after your wellbeing.
I learned conferences can be invaluable for networking and making new connections – but be prepared to leave with as many questions as you came with, if not more.
~
I’m especially grateful to @Angel Lau and @Kevin Xia 🔸 for their thoughtful feedback on the first draft of this post – and to everyone in the community who’s helped me begin to think more clearly about animal advocacy. Writing this reflection wouldn’t have been possible without these conversations.