We are one generation—the generation that has come together to end animal suffering

A yoga instructor, nutritional consultant, and athletic fitness trainer, Anna is a lifelong vegan and animal equality advocate. She established Toro Yoga Tribe in 2017 to fund and support sanctuary for bulls. She has been teaching Bikram Yoga since 2006, after completing the BY Teacher Training in Los Angeles, CA.
She has also completed International Council for Homeopathy Certifications in both Nutritional Medicine, Ayurveda, and Herbal Medicine—in addition to over 500 hours of RYT in Restorative Yoga Therapy and BreathWork.

While continuing to teach in studio Bikram Yoga classes, Anna primarily guides private clients with a focus on yoga therapy, nutritional consulting, and therapeutic plant medicine; works one on-one with wellness clients, athletes, and private groups of all levels to reach their health and fitness goals; and guides private-group, vegan wellness getaways to Menorca, Italia and Rodos.

Meatless Movement recently had a chat with her.

Please tell us more about yourself

My name is Anna and being a lifelong vegan and animal equality advocate is, in many ways, the result of a family cultural background of multiple countries—Sicilian Italian and Rodos-Greek on my father’s side, Filipina and Southern Mediterranean Spanish on my mother’s side, and Canadian-born.

Ahimsa: L’amore che muove il sole e l’altre stelle… sempre

Ahimsa: The love that moves the sun and the other stars … always

Experiencing the mix of so many food cultures from an early age allowed me to view my family’s diverse practices without identifying as any one culture.

And that detachment enabled me to make the connection at a very early age, long before I would ever hear or read or use the terms vegetarian or vegan. I was five years old when I first saw people in my family kill, roast , and eat a pig.

Non importa da dove vieni, non importa quanti anni hai, siamo una generazione unita in questa vita per fermare la sofferenza degli animali ora e per sempre.

No matter where you come from, no matter how old you are, we are a united generation in this life to stop the suffering of animals now and forever

From that moment, I noticed immediately every, single animal in every meal and refused to eat anything prepared with meat. Quickly after that, I understood what fur and leather products really were. A few years later, when my family moved us to the U.S., I discovered a book entitled Animal Liberation by Peter Singer, and that completed my education in dairy production, animal testing, and other forms of animal enslavement and abuse. By the time I reached high school age, I was fully immersed in animal liberation, rescue, rehabilitation, and activism.

Ville Vegane di Yoga, Sport, Avventure Culinarie and Vacanze Benessere: Menorca, Italia, Rodos

Vegan Villas by the Sea for Yoga, Sport, Culinary, and Wellness Adventures: Menorca, Italia, Rodos

The biggest challenge at the time was dealing with family who opposed my decision, and my initial lack of knowledge in nutritional needs. But in many ways, that perhaps led me to where I am now– a yoga instructor, nutritional and herbal medicine consultant, and athletic and fitness trainer.

I currently live in Southern California and in Southern Italy and Spain, and I operate two vegan businesses. The first is HyperNinjaYogaⓋ, which provides bikram yoga, yoga therapy; fitness & athletic competition training; intuitive chakra readings; ayurvedic, herbal & nutritional medicine; vegan nutritional coaching; and vegan meal plans & personal chef servicesto clientsto meet their health, wellness or athletic goals.

Yoga fundraising event at the sanctuary, La Fattoria di Nonno Peppino in Cerignola.

The second vegan business, Toro Yoga Tribe Ⓥ, offers vegan wellness adventures, yoga retreats, short or extended stays at vegan villasin Mediterranean Italy, Spain, and Greece. We bring together local vegan businesses and services (local vegan foodies, body therapists, tour guides, animal sanctuary partners, vegan fitness and yoga instructors, local vegan chefs) for private group getaways in order to accomplish three goals: veganize world culture and travel for our guests; support vegan businesses globally; and support local sanctuaries with donations and volunteer time wherever we go.

Different wellness adventures in Spain and Italy.

Per ogni animale che abbiamo l’onore di salvare c’è un santuario a braccia aperte per dargli un rifugio sicuro

For every animal we have the honor of saving there is an open-armed sanctuary to give it safe haven

My personal philosophy is that no matter where you’re from, no matter what your age, we are one generation—the generation that has come together to end animal suffering. We must support each other by creating a cruelty-free world; by enabling others with whom we create this world to thrive and continue offering their vegan products and services; and, by ensuring that as we create a world where all animals are free, we are also sustaining our sanctuaries to provide a home and safe haven for all.

I’ve pulled together a list of top resources on vegan diets and other recommendations.

TORO YOGA TRIBE RECIPES: 

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SANCTUARIES WE ADORE:

@la_fattoria_di_nonno_peppino
@rigugio_hope
@santuariovegan
@fundacionsantuariogaia
@ capraliberatutti
@santuariogarfi
@ bufalas_de_brotas
@ahimsa.santuariovaledarainha

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:

Animal Liberation by Peter Singer; Free The Animals by Ingrid Newkirk; Eating Animals by  Jonathan Safran Foer, Dominion by Matthew Scully; The Animal Manifesto by Marc Bekoff.

RECOMMENDED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ANIMAL ADVOCACY:

@gianluca_for_animals
@animaliberaction
@ animalequality
@ mercyforanimals
@ioscelgoveg
@animalequalityitalia

FAVORITE VEGAN FOODIE, CHEF, TRAVEL & NUTRITION GURUS:

@vidavegan.es
@la_cucina_verde_di_arcangela
@fabrizio_vegantrainer
@veganboy
@lapasticcionavegana
@italianvegantribe
@veganonthemap
@pinealsoulfood
@pugliaveg
@pugliavegan

FAVORITE CLOTHING BRANDS:

@dont.eat.the.homies
@noahitalianveganshoes

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anna maria gina Ⓥ

Ahimsa: L’amore che muove il sole e l’altre stelle… sempre.
🧘🏽‍♀️🇮🇹🇪🇸🇬🇷🧞‍♀️

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all images courtesy of anna maria gina Ⓥ