Liz Maselli is from Columbus, Ohio. With a genuine passion for both baking and capturing the beauty of animals through her lens, Liz’s contributions have been invaluable. At the heart of her endeavors lies her role as a dedicated volunteer at Sunrise Sanctuary, where she not only holds the position of board secretary but also spearheads their captivating social media presence and skillfully captures the essence of their animal residents through her photography.
Liz’s involvement doesn’t stop there; she’s also deeply committed to promoting veganism and sustainability. As a vegan food photographer, she artfully captures the essence of plant-based cuisine, collaborating closely with the esteemed Seitan’s Realm, a local vegan restaurant. Furthermore, she’s taken on the role of a brand ambassador for the innovative vegan and sustainability app known as abillion, further showcasing her unwavering dedication to causes close to her heart.
Meatless Movement had a chat with her recently.
Liz Maselli’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of aligning one’s actions with their deeply held values. Her diverse contributions to animal sanctuaries, culinary artistry, and sustainable living continue to inspire and uplift those around her.
Tell us more about yourself, please
When animals have the freedom and bodily autonomy to be their own, they’re able to discover themselves
Liz | Vegan 🌿
Hi, my name is Liz Maselli and I’m from Columbus, Ohio. I’m board secretary, photographer and social media director at an all volunteered-based animal sanctuary, called Sunrise Sanctuary.
We give farmed animals a second chance at life, free of exploitation and suffering.
I’m also a vegan food photographer and work with a local vegan restaurant called Seitan’s Realm and a brand ambassador for a vegan and sustainability app called abillion.
I was born and raised vegetarian, but went vegan in 2011. I had never eaten meat because I loved animals, and even as a little kid couldn’t comprehend hurting animals just to eat.
In 2011 I saw an early release of a vegan documentary, where they mentioned the dairy and egg industry. After a few Google searches I realized my actions weren’t aligning with my morals and values and for that to happen I needed to lead a vegan lifestyle.
We are super lucky to have so many #vegan restaurants and #plantbased options in Columbus, Ohio
Liz | Vegan 🌿
When I first went vegan, finding food at restaurants and grocery stores could be challenging. However, the vegan community is BOOMING and there are so many options.
One of my biggest recommendations is a wonderful community called abillion. It is the best resource guide for new vegans, they have millions of reviews for vegan grocery, beauty and household products and restaurant dishes.
All reviews are uploaded by users, and for every review you earn money to donate to an animal sanctuary.
The app has the best interactive map feature where you can find vegan dishes at restaurants anywhere in the world!
Another tip if you have anxiety about eating out as a vegan with others who are not, is to view the menu beforehand and you can even call to ask about their vegan options so when you arrive you are confident in your order and can make it as seamless as possible.
Just as I don’t see animals as food, I also don’t see their skin as fashion accessories
Liz | Vegan 🌿
Being vegan makes me feel like I have more purpose to my life and that I’m making a positive impact for animals as well as our environment. It gives me hope for a better future for our planet.
How might you encourage someone who hasn’t embraced a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle to give meatless cuisine a try?
I would first have them check out the abillion app! You can also find vegan dishes at restaurants in any given area with photos of the dish ect. It really helps make veganism easy and you can see what other consumers are saying about meatless products before you buy.
There are so many vegan faux meat options with satisfying textures that almost everything can be replicated. I think many are scared of missing their favorite foods, but still want to live a more compassionate life and it’s truly so easy to do that now.
In Columbus Ohio we just had our 5th annual Jazz n Vegan Ribz Festival. It was a great day with an amazing BBQ selection from different vendors that were all vegan!
People always ask why I take and post photos of vegan food. My answer: to make it easier for people to find options that help the animals I love and our planet!🌿
Liz | Vegan 🌿
Some of my favorite restaurants in Columbus, Ohio are Seitan’s Realm, Two Dollar Radio, Greenhouse Canteen, Pierogi Mountain, Ye’s Asian Kitchen, Patty Cake Bakery, Portia’s Cafe, Dystopian Food Truck and so many more.
It’s so easy to find vegan food when you travel, NYC being my absolute favorite destination for vegan food and LA being a close second.
If you’re in NYC you must try Modern Love Brooklyn and JAJAJA Mexicana and in Los Angeles, Variable Cafe, Jungle Burger and Pura Vida have fantastic vegan food.
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about being vegan is people are afraid they can’t live a healthy lifestyle without eating animals or their products. We have been so conditioned by society and large corporations to think we need certain things in our diets. If we need cows milk for strong bones, why don’t we need pigs milk or dogs milk? There are a lot of great documentaries (What The Health, The Gamer Changers, Eating You Alive) are great ones that explore the health benefits of a meatless diet.
For those who are just embarking on their meatless journey, what guidance would you offer?
It’s a very hard thing to comprehend: The animals you love more than life were brought into this world, purposely, just to be killed
Liz | Vegan 🌿
My best piece of advice is to surround yourself with people who support you and your lifestyle. Find your city’s vegan Facebook page, meetup groups and even local farm animal sanctuaries in your area are a great way to meet others with your same interests and values. Volunteering at vegan events like local vegfests, and animal organizations are also great options. In a world that predominantly eats meat, sometimes it can be hard to connect with others and making sure you have a good support system is crucial.
Giving animals #hope, #trust, #love and #family is what it’s all about
Liz | Vegan 🌿
I am truly grateful that I found this lifestyle. I know this is my purpose in life, to change the lives of farmed animals. Nothing is more rewarding than watching an animal realize they’re safe, loved and free. This is what I live for. Even small changes at a time can lead to big changes. I encourage everyone to try a plant based lifestyle for a better world.
Liz | Vegan 🌿
CBUS, OH📍
Board Member & Social Media Manager @sunrisesanctuary
📸: Photographer @seitansrealm
🥕: @abillion Ambassador code: LIZMASELLI
all images courtesy of Liz | Vegan 🌿