Stanford-educated Richie Kul is a former investment banking analyst and financial whiz who, when he found himself longing for the kind of fulfillment that staring at spreadsheets just couldn’t meet, swapped his career out for a new one: being a powerful voice for compassionate living through his work as an actor and model. Using his platforms on social media and with associations with groups like Compassion Over Killing and Animals Asia, Richie is helping to spread the message of veganism in thoughtful and compelling ways, helping to nudge society toward a new world order, where men can see that there is nothing to be ashamed of with having a big, kind heart. With his international portfolio boasting big campaigns and fashion editorials for Swatch, VAUTE, and Men’s Health to name a few, Richie manages his successful career without violating his vegan ethic. With the his beloved rescue pup Lily, a.k.a., Lily Miss Sunshine, a social media superstar in her own right, by his side, Richie and his sweet girl are getting the word out far and wide. We are honored and happy to feature Richie Kul as this week’s Vegan Rock Star.
1. First of all, we’d love to hear your “vegan evolution” story. How did you start out? Did you have any early influences or experiences as a young person that in retrospect helped to pave your path?
As
a young child, I vividly recall watching movies like Babe and Charlotte’s Web
and rooting for the protagonists to escape harm’s way. And promptly after
the closing credits, I would summarily resume habits that were in direct
contradiction to the empathy and concern I demonstrated mere minutes prior. Eventually,
the more I watched and reflected on this glaring disconnect, the more I began
associating the food on my plate with the innocent and intelligent animals that
unwillingly lost their lives for said meal.
Not
long after, I went vegetarian in my early teens, where I took extended refuge
in the comforting illusion that animals used in the dairy, egg and wool
industries were somehow compassionately cared for and free to live out a
peaceful coexistence. In retrospect, I shake my head at this self-serving
fantasyland I inhabited. Just as a car slated to be junked in six months
wouldn’t warrant any meaningful care or attention, it makes no sense for
commodities, living or otherwise, and with a predetermined shelf life, to be
treated with any genuine compassion or respect. In many ways, their drawn-out
suffering and the callous breaking of the sacred mother-child bond make the
dairy industry even more pernicious than the meat and veal industries it fuels.
Sometimes
it takes a sharp and decisive reality check to shake people out of such deeply
ingrained complacency, and when I was subsequently asked to endorse vegan
initiatives such as US Veg Week and MeatOut, I began to investigate why
so many vegetarians were going vegan and eventually determined that
exploitation of any shade or color didn’t sit well with me. Knowledge is
power, and when we know better, we surely ought to do better.
2. Imagine that you are pre-vegan
again: how could someone have talked to you and what could they have said or
shown you that could have been the most effective way to have a positive
influence on you moving toward veganism?
I’ve
come to understand that the messenger can often be as salient as the message,
and when someone I love, admire or respect takes the time to share something
important to them, I tend to listen intently. Step one is to allow our
lives to be a testament to our values such that trust and credibility are
present when we speak. The pre-vegan Richie does wish he hadn’t been coddled
for so long, and while the brutal truth of the animal agriculture industry can
be hard to take, I would have liked for the cruelty and violence inherent in
these practices to have been revealed to me in a firm but empathetic way.
I
completely get that for some, change takes time, but the animals we routinely
dismiss as food or fur sadly don’t have the luxury of waiting patiently as we
come around to a logical and compassionate conclusion. That urgency does inform
my own delivery, and when I encounter kind-hearted people who would never think
to harm innocent and defenseless beings in their own daily actions, I feel it’s
important to plant and nurture that seed of compassion and be there to offer
advice and support as others embark on their own cruelty-free journeys.
3. What have you found to be
the most effective way to communicate your message as a vegan? For example,
humor, passion, images, etc.?
People
want to make sure that the altruistic choices they make are also beneficial to
their personal well-being and that of their loved ones, and that’s a perfectly
fair consideration. As an actor and model, I’m expected to stay in peak
physical condition for work, and I find that demonstrating that you can be
strong, masculine and healthy while also being compassionate and thoughtful is
an important message to impart to those who are considering vegan living. Show
not tell, as they say.
At
a very early age, many of us are indoctrinated with this widespread narrative
of manhood being synonymous with aggression and control, but history and common
sense have demonstrated that this primitive way of thinking often leads down a
very dark and destructive path. In truth, being a real man entails making
thoughtful, informed choices and putting the needs of others before our own
selfish wants. Those that are truly strong are assured enough in their
place in the world that they don’t need to bully or exploit others to solidify
their standing. Instead, they commit themselves and their energy to caring
for and protecting the most innocent and defenceless among us. That is the
true measure of a man and that’s the message I try to impart when extolling the
many virtues of veganism.
4. What do you think are the
biggest strengths of the vegan movement?
You
can never go wrong when you operate from a place of sincere compassion and
empathy, and therein lies the greatest strength of the vegan movement. The
most effective ambassadors for the vegan cause are generally rooted in a place
of deep concern for others, and are very supportive and nurturing while also steadfast
in their convictions. A vegan lifestyle is empirically and scientifically
proven to to be beneficial to our health, the planet and our animal friends,
and ultimately it’s very hard to argue against living kindly and thoughtfully.
5. What do you think are our
biggest hindrances to getting the word out effectively?
Breaking
free of deeply entrenched habits and the many myths and excuses we’ve erected to
legitimize them can be challenging, especially when people are instinctively defensive
and understandably loathe to recognising their complicity in animal use and
abuse. Yes, it’s jarring and yes it’s uncomfortable, but that uneasiness
doesn’t change the horrific reality for 50+ billion animals every year that are
systematically bred and slaughtered because we directly fuel a demand for their
flesh. I think people naturally balk at the idea of seeing themselves as
anything other than good and kind. In so doing, they overlook the simple
truth that one ought to regularly do good and kind things in order to deserve
that designation. Some might say that life is about picking your areas of
personal concern and I understand that for some, education, poverty
alleviation, women’s rights or wildlife conservation are what drive and
motivate them. And that’s very noble and admirable. But I also
believe that it’s hard to speak credibly of peace, love and empathy if three+
times a day we engage in a practice that is inherently non-peaceful, non-loving
and most profoundly lacking in empathy.
With
that said, I think the key to getting the message out most effectively is being
selective and focusing our attention and concern on the people who are
receptive to the message and not the rabble rousers looking to provoke and
antagonize. Don't let your peace be stolen so easily by overgrown bullies
that are eager to pick their next pointless fight. Save your energy and
effort for those that will appreciate your thoughtful advice and support.
6. All of us need a “why
vegan” elevator pitch. We’d love to hear yours.
If
we could choose to live with kindness, love and compassion for all living
beings while also improving and restoring our own health and vitality, why
wouldn’t we? Many of us profess to abhor violence and love animals, but
just as it would be preposterous for a dog lover to confess to eating dog meat,
it makes no sense to declare a love for animals while also eating them and
regularly contributing to their harm. Hope as we may, no animal be them
organic, free range or pasture raised, is gently cuddled into nuggets, filets
or leather trim, and if we truly love animals and value peace and compassion,
we ought to walk the talk and align our actions with our values.
7. Who are the people and what
are the books, films, websites and organizations that have had the greatest
influence on your veganism and your continuing evolution?
My
beloved 7 year old Lily always inspires me to be a
better man and speak out for the innocent and defenseless. She is vegan as
well, and seeing her thrive on a cruelty free diet reminds me that
misinformation persists even within the animal welfare community about what is
truly healthful and beneficial for our furry companions. Well-meaning
folks will invariably invoke wolves and rail against an “unnatural” plant-based
diet, all while ignoring the fact that wolves in the wild often only live 6 or
7 years, or that a life of leashes, monthly grooming session, doggy beds and food
bowls are hardly natural. We all have room to grow and improve, and Lily
reminds me to be present while working to minimize my own negative impact on
the world and the beings I share it with.
I
find the insightful observations of psychologist Melanie Joy really effective and compelling, and the heartfelt
honesty of former pig farmer turned vegan activist Bob Comis always serves as a powerful reminder to me of man’s
infinite capacity for change.
The
work of my friend Lola Webber at Change for Animals Foundation also highlights for me the
tremendous impact that good people can make when they passionately stand up for
what they believe in.
8. Burn-out is so common among
vegans: what do you do to unwind, recharge and inspire yourself?
When
I’m feeling discouraged, looking at pictures and videos of rescued farm animals
at sanctuaries like Edgar’s Mission, Where Pigs Fly and Rancho Relaxo always helps restore my
spirit and faith. We can choose to wallow in the depths of despair if we
constantly expose ourselves to negativity and darkness, but I try whenever
possible to focus on the light, and the positive and hopeful side of things.
9. What is the issue nearest
and dearest to your heart that you would like others to know more about?
As
a model, the rise of vegan brands is something that I am particularly excited
about, and the growing public awareness of the brutality inherent in the
leather, wool and down industries is something that gives me hope for a better
and brighter tomorrow. Italy has long been at the cutting edge of the
fashion industry, so seeing the emergence of successful cruelty-free brands
like Miomojo that donate a portion of every sale to animal causes
is particularly gratifying and fulfilling. The more vegan options we have
for folks to choose from, the more lives will be spared, and as a conscious
consumer, I will always support brands that align with my values.
10. Please finish this
sentence: “To me, being vegan is...”
“…
a daily opportunity to reaffirm my commitment to justice, compassion and
healthy, mindful living.”
