25 Years, 10 Lessons: Insights From Faunalytics’ Founder Che Green

Binary Thinking Hurts Everyone

A major lesson for advocates of all types is that binary thinking isn’t just outdated, it’s also a barrier to more effective advocacy. A mindset of animals versus humans is arguably what got us into this whole animal exploitation mess to begin with; it also ignores the fact that, to help animals, we need to work with other humans. The same is true for pitting vegans against non-vegans or ‘abolitionists’ against ‘welfarists.’ If you want to be effective in persuading others — whether it’s getting non-vegans to become vegan or other advocates to change their tactics — othering them is a non-starter. We can stand by our principles and perspectives while meeting people wherever they are on their own path.

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The Long And Winding Road

Let’s face it: animal liberation isn’t just around the corner. Eliminating the largest cause of (anthropogenic) suffering in history is a long-term, multi-generational struggle. So celebrate the short-term victories and commiserate with each other over losses, but don’t let them distract you from a long-term perspective. We need a movement-wide theory of change to coordinate the many voices of advocates and set global strategies for decades or even centuries, not just years. That includes building a respected and resilient talent pool and treating employees and volunteers well. It also means focusing on self-care and sustainable advocacy, for ourselves and for those who work alongside us in the long-term fight for animals.

My Recipe For Optimism

If you were hoping for total animal liberation in your lifetime, I’m sorry to burst your bubble. But after more than 25 years in this movement, I’m actually quite optimistic. Many things have already changed for the better (I still remember vegan burgers made at home from powdered mixes). And while the globalization of factory farming means things will likely get worse for animals in the near term, we also know that meaningful change can happen in surges. But I’m probably most optimistic because of the incredible and tireless dedication of the people in our movement. Individuals may fade in or out, but as a group we are stronger today than we have ever been. 

Bonus Lesson For Leaders: Succession

As an animal advocate, the thing I’m most proud of might actually be when I resigned from the Executive Director role at Faunalytics in 2019. Instead of two weeks, I had given the board five years’ notice. I was aware of Founder’s Syndrome and wanted Faunalytics to both thrive and, eventually, outlive its founder. We planned the transition for years, hired an Operations Manager to shadow me for a year, and eventually named her the organization’s new ED. Since then, Faunalytics has continued to flourish beyond what I could have imagined. The lesson: organizations matter more than individuals and egos, so think about succession sooner than later.

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