Becoming a Plant-Based Woman Warrior

What the heck is a “Plant-Based Woman Warrior?” And how do I become one?  Those are the questions that popped into my mind when I first saw the online announcement about Jane Esselstyn’s “Well, Now! Camp.”  The webpage for the camp described it as a 3-day event at which the aforementioned plant-based women warriors could gain vitality, growth, and new friends.

A lot of people will think that it’s a bit strange for a woman of my age (62) to be aspiring to anything besides a rocking chair and perhaps a grandchild or two.  (I currently have one of the grandchildren but not the chair.)  Yet the concept of retirement is not really on my radar screen.  That’s because I still have plenty of energy, and I am only a few years into a new career that started when I earned my plant-based chef’s certificate from the School of Natural Cookery in June of 2016.  I was happy to earn that credential but had no idea at that time what I would do with it or where it would eventually lead me.

Charting a New Course

Somehow, during the past three years, I have derived a whole new sense of purpose for this chapter of my life.  I have been developing my culinary career in a stepwise fashion, feeling my way toward a future that I hope will be full of excitement, satisfaction, and — above all — a positive impact on the world around me.  I began by starting a vegan food blog that was designed to cover a variety of plant-based topics, and soon I expanded the scope of my website to include animal-advocacy stories as well.  Later I joined the boards of directors for both Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry (UUAM) and the Veg Society of DC (VSDC), aiming to help both organizations make progress toward their complementary missions.  In the case of UUAM, that mission involves widening the circle of compassion to include *all* living beings, and for VSDC, that mission involves using education, community building, and social activities to promote the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

Anyway, not being a person to ever do things halfway, earlier this year I was looking for an opportunity to take my plant-based-lifestyle and animal-advocacy efforts to the next level.  I was constantly asking myself how I could expand my effectiveness and deliver a more powerful message.  At the beginning of 2019, I was certain that my next step would involve becoming one of the instructors in the Food for Life program run by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).  I worked hard to submit what I thought was a compelling application for that course.  I thought my qualifications were a great match for the program, and I eagerly awaited my acceptance letter.  But then, Bam!  I received a rejection notice from PCRM and was deeply disappointed.  So, I wondered, if that’s not the next step for me, what is?  And then I discovered Jane Esselstyn’s camp.

The Esselstyn Family: A Plant-based Phenomenon

I’ve been following Jane Esselstyn and her family members for several years.  As far as I can tell, the Esselstyn family is to plant-based lifestyles what the Kennedy family has been to politics.  Several generations of Esselstyns are involved in promoting healthy living — and the Esselstyns all seem to be energetic, charismatic, and prolific!   If you Google the Esselstyn name, you will soon learn that various Esselstyn family members are well-known authors and social-media influencers, actively teaching people about the fantastic health benefits of a balanced, wellness-based lifestyle that includes nutritious plant foods and regular exercise.

As I read the online announcement about Jane’s “Well, Now! Camp,” I thought that it would be a logical next step for me — providing a great opportunity to learn from some powerful role models and to network with some incredible women.  Also, as a bonus, it might be a lot of fun, too!  Thus, on June 6 I traveled to Kenyon College in Ohio in order to see what I might learn at Jane’s “Well, Now! Camp.”

What, Exactly, Is a “Well, Now! Camp?”

Jane’s camp was designed to be an inspirational experience that would be action packed, entertaining, educational, and fun.  The camp began on a Thursday evening, and soon the 45 women who had signed up for this experience were meeting each other, learning how to navigate the Kenyon College campus, and rocking out to the motivational cheers that Jane’s talented crew of instructors quickly taught us.

The camp schedule was packed with a variety of fabulous activities and wonderful workshops, as well as some strategically-placed slots of free time.  While I don’t have the space in this blog to provide a detailed account of the weekend, here are some highlights:

• My hands-down, favorite activity at the camp: a cooking class taught by the incomparable Jane Esselstyn and her equally-impressive mom, Ann.  The workshop was chock full of humor, and the food they made was richly infused with flavor.  My favorite item on the menu: tasty scones that were packed with whole grain goodness, dried fruits, and protein-rich nuts.
• Crafts!!  Just like I remember from Girl Scout camp, only better!  Our crafts instructor, Joy, introduced us to many creative opportunities.  I had great fun making a pair of silver and blue earrings to wear at an event I will be attending soon.
• The talent show, featuring powerful performances from several of the class participants — and even my own demonstration of folding an Origami crane. (I have to admit that it was scary for me to fold the crane in front of an audience. That’s because for the past year I have been plagued by a condition known as essential tremor, which can sometimes make my hands shake — particularly when I am nervous.  Therefore, as the talent show began, I had to keep telling myself to feel the fear and do it anyway — and I did!)
• Learning to embrace my womanhood — including its power, joy, and vulnerability — using equal parts of humor and courage, in activities led by Jane, Cindy, Sheron, and Kristin.
• Finding my voice through creative writing and improv workshops led by Jamie and Sarah, respectively.
• Making many fantastic new friends. (Let’s stay in touch!)

The Recipe for Becoming a Plant-Based Woman Warrior

The camp was packed with powerful lessons about becoming a plant-based woman warrior, and it’s difficult to distill them — but I will do my best.

Here are some sources of vitality and strength:

• Most important:  A whole-food, plant-based diet, accompanied by regular exercise and other healthy habits.  A woman’s body thrives when fed a colorful variety of unrefined and minimally processed foods, including fresh veggies, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds.  Items to leave off the plate include meats, dairy, eggs, refined oils (yes, even EVOO), refined sugars, and highly processed foods.
• A nurturing community of other wonderful women who can provide a bountiful supply of support and friendship.  No woman is an island.
• A BHAG:  Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal!  Why play it small?
• The courage and confidence to knock down the walls of your comfort zone and stride boldly forward, even when the situation is risky, and success is not guaranteed.
• Humor and playfulness, both of which will help you to navigate the inevitable bumps or potholes in the road.

My Next Steps After Camp

Having been inspired and energized by Jane’s “Well, Now! Camp,” it’s time for me to don my Plant-Based Woman Warrior outfit (my chef’s coat, perhaps?) and progress onward and upward.  Here’s what I plan to do.

First step:  Completion of the Forks Over Knives online cooking course offered by Rouxbe, which will help me to hone my skills in creating delicious and nutritious food without using refined oils and sugar.

Second step:  Application for Victoria Moran’s Main Street Vegan Academy.  This course is intended to train committed vegans who want to help others adopt and maintain a positive plant-based lifestyle and health-promoting diet.  Doesn’t it sound great?!

A Few Final Words

If you’re sorry you missed this year’s “Well, Now! Camp,” you can plan to attend next year.  The camp dates will be announced later.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the camp a huge success: Jane, Jillian, Ann, Joy, Sarah, Cindy, Jamie, Sheron, Kristin, Crile, Bainon, and Kaitlyn.  You all totally rock.