The Humane Hoax Online Conference examines how humanewashing functions across all farmed animal industry. The expert speakers will explore the critical role of language and narratives in animal advocacy and how the humane hoax helps justify harm. Humanewashing is usually discussed in terms of misleading labels or marketing. This year we dive deeper and explore the broader narrative of animal advocacy, look at the critical role of language and how it helps shape how harm is understood and justified.

Presenters:
Laila Kassam PhD, Project Phoenix
Dr. Faraz Harsini, Allied Scholars for Animal
Lia Wilbourn, In Defense of Animal Protection

10 AM to Noon Pacific Time

Click here for more information and to register

Come to meet new friends and get a wide variety of delicious vegan food.

For our program, former Northwest VEG President Peter Spendelow will be presenting information on what animals think and feel. New research is helping overturn the views of past scientists that animals are ruled entirely by instinct, that fish do not feel pain or cannot remember past events, and that humans are the only species that can reason. Peter has a Doctorate in Zoology specializing in Evolutionary Ecology. Come at 5 for the potluck, at 6:15 for that presentation about animal consciousness, or both.

Note the corrected time. Join Northwest VEG's Viva La Vegan Vancouver for an enjoyable evening of delicious Indian fare with old and new friends! This restaurant has a robust menu with plenty of vegan dishes, including the option to replace the paneer cheese in many recipes with tofu!

Come dine with others who are passionate about creating a more compassionate world, and find out about more events and causes taking place in our area in the coming months.

Whether you are a long-time vegan or new to this lifestyle, this dine out and happy hour is a great opportunity to network, share ideas, and strengthen our community.

Hope to see you there! Click to See on Meetup

Rescue, Resistance, and the Rule of Law

Join the Lewis & Clark Animal Legal Defense Fund Student Chapter for an evening exploring the intersection of animal law, civil disobedience, and the Right to Rescue. Featuring keynote speaker Zoe Rosenberg, this reception will examine how open rescue and the necessity defense have been used to save animals and challenge the systemic cruelty of industrial animal agriculture. In a high-profile case, Zoe was recently sentenced to 90 days in jail for rescuing 4 sick chickens from Perdue’s Petaluma Poultry slaughterhouse in Sonoma County, California. Through conversation, community, and a curated display of historic animal-rights artifacts, including a signed first edition print of Peter Singer's Animal Liberation, the event invites students, advocates, and community members to reflect on the role of conscience, law, and activism in protecting animals.

Join us at our next work party and every 2nd Sunday of each month! We will bask in the animals’ presence, get dirty cleaning the barn/other maintenance projects, and connect with each other.

Excited about starting your spring veganic garden?

Come swap seeds and get advice for starting your spring seeds and starts!

RSVP to Marsha at collapseresiliencecollective@gmail.com

Join NARN, Animal Rights Collective Portland (ARCPDX), and Animal Rights Initiative as we work together to make a difference for animals during the short legislative sessions.

Let’s do lunch! Meet your NW VEG friends at Rad Magic Subs on SE Gladstone in Portland.

Learn about how plant-based meals can help to improve blood sugar levels and prevent complications in this free nutrition and cooking class presented by PCRM Food for Life Instructor Lunette Lott, MSHI, LPN.

NW VEG Vancouver Happy Hour at Twigs Bistro

Join us! Thursday Feb 26, 5:30-7:30 RSVP required by Feb 25

Come for the variety of delicious food, and/or stay for the talk on Ecovillages – Living in Harmony with Nature, by Northwest VEG’s own Dr. Ole Ersson. In 2007, Ole and Maitri Ersson bought a run-down apartment complex, took out much of the pavement, and turned it into the Kailash Ecovillage, a permaculture-rich apartment space and urban veganic food forest. Now, Kailash has 50 residents who help farm and work to reduce their impact on the environment.

In 2023, the Erssons expanded this pioneering project with the purchase of an additional apartment complex, christened “Annapurna Ecovillage”, bringing the two projects to 160 residents on 5 acres.

Dr. Ersson will tell us about the global ecovillage movement and the many great projects they have carried out at Kailash.

Location: WHUUF, 8470 SW Oleson Road, Portland 5 pm potluck, 6:15 presentation

Carina's Bakery is always great, but on Feb 9 we have space for 10 lucky people to be treated to a special Valentine's Day menu of hot soups, tantalizing cheese plates and sweet treats.

Celebrate the coming of the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Horse with a catered dinner sponsored by Northwest VEG.

Join us at our next work party and every 2nd Sunday of each month! We will bask in the animals’ presence, get dirty cleaning the barn/other maintenance projects, and connect with each other.

This is an excuse to get out of the house and make winter a lil less lonely! Come hang out with Northwest VEG, snag a warm drink, and try some spooky goodies with friends at Memento Mori Cafe.

‍ Sangamithra Iyer, former Satya magazine editor and the author of Satya: The Long View will be in Portland to discuss her new book Governing Bodies. Satya was a nearly-monthly publication from 1994 to 2007 that covered issues related to veganism, animal rights, activism, and other related issues. Many of the articles in it are very thought-provoking, and they are all still available online even though Satya ceased publication about 18 years ago – see http://www.satyamag.com/backissues.html.

Sangamithra’s new book explores questions about how we disentangle ourselves from systems of harm and what is the relationship between individual action and systemic change, braided with her own experiences as a woman of color and citizen of the world. This free talk is sponsored by Literary Arts Bookstore. Click here for more information on her Portland presentation.

Come at 5:00 pm to join old and new friends at a delicious potluck dinner, and/or come at 6:15 pm for a presentation by Iris Schrijver MD, a certified Lifestyle Medicine physician passionate about guiding people toward general wellbeing at every stage of life. Dr. Iris. as many patients call her, operates VitalPath MD, a telehealth service providing science-backed whole person medical care. She is also the author of “On the Path of Health, Wellbeing, and Fulfilment.” Dr. Iris will be allowing plenty of time for Q&A at the end of her presentation, so this is a great opportunity to get some of your general health and nutrition questions answered.

Location: Stone Tower SDA Church, 3010 NE Holladay St., Portland

A 13-week course every Tuesday evening on using food as medicine. Evidence-based disease prevention and reversal. Uses lifestyle medicine strategies to address the leading causes of illness in Oregon and the United States. The free course is available virtually via Zoom, or in person in some locations.

Our last potluck of the year is just a few days before Christmas. Come share a meal with old friends and new ones.

Following the potluck, we are pleased to have a presentation by Hilary Conway, the author of Radical Wellness: Pathways to a Healthy Body, Mind, and Planet. Hilary is a holistic nutritionist who traded her path to nursing school for a deeper mission: addressing the root causes of illness rather than just treating symptoms. Her work integrates personal well-being with planetary health, offering a transformative framework built on self-love, mindful habits, whole food plant-based nourishment, and our interconnection with all life.

Come to the potluck at 5 pm, Hilary's presentation at 6:15, or both.

Location: West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8470 SW Oleson Road, Portland

This month we will share a few short videos regarding the healthfulness of bread and gluten.

• Is Gluten Bad for You: this short, animated clip by DocUnlock is a colorful and painless way to learn a little nutritional science.

• How Ultra-Processed Bread Took Over America: this video is narrated by Mia de Graaf, a health editor at Business Insider. Mia covers bread making, health risks, and what to look for when you shop.

• The Truth About Gluten: by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s Exam Room dietician Lee Crosby goes into greater detail on the facts about gluten in your diet.

The potluck starts at 5:30pm with the presentation beginning at 6:30 to be followed by discussion.

Oaks Amusement Park

7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland

7:30 - 8:30 AM Check in

9:00 AM - Trot Kick-Off

Start your Thanksgiving morning with purpose, fresh air, and community spirit at the Portland Tofurky Trot 2025 – “Chasing Compassion!” This family-friendly 5K fun run/walk is back and better than ever, kicking off from the beautifully remodeled Oaks Park Dance Pavilion at 9:00 AM sharp.

Whether you're running, walking, trotting with a stroller, or bringing your friendly pup along for the fun, Tofurky Trot welcomes all ages and fitness levels to join in a celebration of compassion, gratitude, and plant-based living— all to support local farm animal sanctuaries.

Last year, the Tofurky Trot raised more than $15,000 to benefit local farm sanctuaries. We hope to raise as much to benefit them this year.

Early-bird registration and pre-orders of race t-shirts or sweatshirts ends October 30. We cannot guarantee that shirts in your size will be available for purchase on race day, so register today before prices go up.

Amazing food. Community. Some new surprises this year.

This is the biggest vegan potluck of the year in Oregon, and we are holding it a week earlier this year so we can hold it in a larger venue. Join us at the Oaks Park Dance Pavilion on Sunday, November 16 for a shared compassionate pre-holiday meal. Special thanks to Tofurky for again donating Tofurky roasts to augment this event.

Doors open at 3:00 and eating starts at 3:45. We encourage you to come early to find a place to sit and then you can play Mingle Bingo and win some fun prizes if you wish. You will get a bingo card filled with traits and activities instead of numbers. Then you chat with others and find someone who matches a description on your card and write their name in the box. If you get 5 different names in a row, you have BINGO!

Click here to register for your spot before all seats are filled.

Wow! 22 food carts, indoor and outdoor covered seating with heaters, playgrounds and plenty of parking. Oak Street Station has an indoor area with a brew pub, bakery, ice cream vendor, and rest rooms. This site represents the potential of upscale food cart communities to replace the concept of food circuses in malls.

Many carts here have vegan options, and we can help them improve! Over the years our Vegan Happy Hours have convinced local restaurants to offer more vegan options. Please join us to make these businesses aware that more vegan options are needed. Click here to see full menus.

Join us November 10, 5:30-7:30pm

Celebrate Halloween and Día de Los Muertos in a harmless way at Harmless Halloween, put on by Vegan Scouts and Try Vegan PDX! Northwest VEG is sponsoring and also participating in this event! Come in costume! This is a vegan, family-friendly event! The event will feature the third annual Trunk or Treat, a cupcake walk sponsored by Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary, a skeleton animal petting sanctuary, a raffle, and lots of other crafts and activities.

As you likely already know, a low-waste lifestyle is good for the people and animals on our planet. It still can be hard sometimes putting earth friendly living into practice. Join us to learn some tips for being a more earth friendly household. Justine Meyer is a volunteer with Clark County's Composter Recycler Program to help educate community members about making greener choices and reducing waste. She will offer some tips on getting the most out of your food to limit food waste, how to compost even in small spaces or indoors (yes, it's possible!), ways to maximize recycling efforts and tips for green (true cruelty free) cleaning.

For the potluck, please bring a plant-based (no meat, eggs, dairy, or other animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family.

We have a real treat following the Northwest VEG Westside vegan potluck in October. Scott Hoffman Black has been at the forefront of the conservation movement for over three decades. He is executive director of the Xerces Society, which under his leadership has become the largest invertebrate conservation non-profit on the world. Scott’s work has led to protection and restoration of habitat on millions of acres of rangelands, forests, and farmland as well as protection for many endangered species. Scott will be giving a fascinating presentation on the importance of insects in preserving our natural environment and how they are an important factor in addressing the environmental issues facing all life on Earth. Come at 5:00 pm for the potluck, 6:15 pm for Scott’s presentation, or both.

Location: West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8470 SW Oleson Road, Portland

Food As Medicine – Santa Cruz brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, and experts from various fields to explore the latest scientific findings, clinical applications, and practical insights related to plant-based diets.

Learn the latest information on plant-based nutrition, the effects of diet on chronic disease prevention and control, and about designing an optimum plant-based diet for patients and clients in a clinical setting. This conference is designed for healthcare professionals, offering 7 continuing education credits for many health care professionals, but others with strong interests in nutrition and health are welcome to attend. Key Speakers include Milton Mills, MD, Doug Lisle, PhD, Vesanto Melina MS, RD, Debra Shapiro, MD, and Maria Jose Hummel, PhD. You can attend either in -person or online.

This conference is presented by Eat for the Earth, with Northwest VEG, Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, Kaiser Permanente, and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine as co-sponsors.

On October 5, 2025, a new kind of fragrance experience is coming to Portland. Try Vegan PDX and NW Veg will present AromaKind, the city’s first-ever cruelty-free fragrance expo, taking place from 12 to 5 p.m. in the Arium Ballroom at Jupiter Hotel NEXT.

Designed to celebrate ethical and independent perfumery, AromaKind will showcase a diverse group of makers from across the Pacific Northwest and surrounding region. The event aims to bring greater visibility to vegan and cruelty-free scent-based artisans, a growing niche within the beauty and wellness industry that blends art, sustainability, and compassion.

“Our goal with AromaKind is to create space for people to explore fragrance in a more intentional way—supporting businesses that are aligned with cruelty-free values,” said organizers from Try Vegan PDX.

The event is free, with a $5 suggested donation to help pay costs. Get your free tickets at Eventbright, but please consider a donation.

Join us for a special Veganic Gardening PDX event designed to help you prepare your garden for a thriving, plant-based spring!
Whether you're a seasoned grower or just getting your hands in the soil, this is your chance to learn from Bonnie Hildebrand, long-time veganic farmer who ran her own successful veganic farming business for several years.

Come connect with fellow gardeners and get the tools you need to grow abundant food in harmony with animals and the Earth.
Please note: Masks are highly encouraged. Parking is on the street.
Feel free to bring a vegan treat to share!

RSVP to Marsha at collapseresiliencecollective@gmail.com

Northwest VEG is excited to have cooking instructor and cookbook author Linda Tyler presenting Plant-Based Meal Planning and Prep: Strategies for Simpler, Healthier Eating for our September program following our potluck.

Are you someone who makes weekly meal plans? Do you batch cook in advance—or wish you did? Whether you already prep meals or are just curious about how it could work for you, this session will give you fresh ideas and practical tools to make plant-based eating easier and more sustainable.

You may join us for the potluck at 5:30 or at 6:30 when the presentation begins.

Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver 4505 W. 18th Street, Vancouver, WA,