Isabella Hinojosa and Deanna Lee

00:02 My name is Deanna Lee. I'm 67 years old and today is February 21st, 2016. We are in San Antonio, Texas and I'm a friend of Isabella hitachino HOSA. My name is Isabella in a hosta. I'm 17 years old. Today is February 21st 2016. We are in San Antonio, Texas and I'm with my friend, Deanna.

00:28 Okay, Isabella. Can you tell me a bit about yourself? I know you're only 17 but where were you born? And where have you lived and what schools have you gone to when I was really little we lived in Austin, Texas, but I don't really remember any of it cuz I spray a little and then from Austin we move to Galveston Island Texas where I live for about three years and then we move back to San Antonio and I've been here ever since and when I was in San Antonio the first elementary school that I went to was Burleson, which is in the Edgewood School District and then I went to Las Palmas and then I went to wonky which were all elementary schools and then I went to Stinson middle school for middle school and then I'm a junior at health careers.

01:17 That's great. You have gone to quite a few schools in your short life. Can you tell me a little bit about your family? Do you have any siblings? And how many have one brother is 12 years old and his name is walking and where are your parents from? And what do they do? Both of my parents are from San Antonio? My dad is a huge to do litigation. So used to be a lawyer from all day and now he's the national director of policy at IRA and my mom or traditional IRA. Idra is Intercultural development research Association. And what does that involve they work with like redistricting in like education policy and underfunded schools and things like that. And what about your mother she works from home? Okay in general. Can you tell me why you're coming in today and what you're going to talk about? I'm a teenager.

02:17 Animal rights activist and I'm a Latina. So I just want to like talk about how being an animal rights activist as well as being so young and being Mexican American like how that all works together and things that I've experienced is that unusual for teenagers. I don't come across very many look at my school. They're so I like to vegans but I don't think they actually go out and do activism. Like I think that I'm the only person at my school that I know that actually goes out and does stuff what kind of stuff do you do? I do protests at places like SeaWorld in the circus and the zoo and I also Advocate at school whenever there's a paper. I'll write a paper on like like we just had an argumentative essay and she said you can write about whatever you wanted. And so I wrote about lucky the elephant. Yes. Well, I remember that's how we met through lucky the elephant when you wrote that impassioned.

03:18 Letter to the editor that put you on my radar and since then, you know we become friends. So can you tell me a little bit more about lucky the elephant and what it is about him that about her. I'm sorry about her that got you into instigating the protest. I read about her first on an article on the dodo and I read it and it was talking about how she's all alone and like such a small space and elephants are like super highly social animals and their complex family structures and to see that this elephant at you know, our own San Antonio Zoo is all alone. Like it made me really sad cuz I was like, why is she alone? Why can't she have a companion companion had just died the year before and I knew that there have been previous.

04:18 Movements to help lucky go to a sanctuary in 2007 when her other companion alport had died and now that in 2013 when boo died she been left alone for the second time in her life, and I just wanted to see if either they could get a companion for her or if she could be moved to a sanctuary. Can you tell us how old lucky is? I believe she's 54 years old. How long has she been at the San Antonio Zoo 52 years 52 years. So she's been there since she was 2 years old and before that because she was taken from Thailand when she was 6 years old 6 months. But anyways, I'm not sure either but

05:08 What really compelled you though to get involved, you know and just become such an activist and a champion for lucky for lucky.

05:19 I just know I've seen pictures of her and knowing that you know, okay, if I okay I'm a human and if I were to be put in a closet or a small space and I'm alone for years by myself, and there's other species of animals coming in and they're feeding me and they're giving me care, but I'm all alone. Like I can't imagine how it is to be alone. Your whole life will not your whole life for a few years.

05:56 What other activities are protests have you been involved in fights lucky? I've done circus protest in Austin and here in San Antonio and I've done quite a few SeaWorld protest here in San Antonio and I've done I've attended a vigil for euthanized dogs and cats and I went Global March for rhinos and elephants for the poaching in Ivory while that's quite a lot of animal rights activities. Can you tell us a little bit more about why you're protesting SeaWorld I used to go to SeaWorld when I was really little not really looking for pretty little and I love seeing the animals they like I love seeing the orcas cuz I thought they were beautiful and like with time and with research As I Grew Older I just started to think.

06:51 How is this right like they're so big. Why are they being containing these like small tanks? And once Blackfish the documentary came out on see you then. I was like wow, like this really is wrong. Like they shouldn't be there. So because I love them I decided that I needed to fight for them to get out of SeaWorld because I love them and what about your protest at the circus the mistreatment of animals at the circus like the elephants how they train them up for hours and how they provide them with the bull hug, you know, it's there deprived of food. The Tigers want all the animals that are deprived of food. So the only reason they're doing these unnatural tricks like doing the elephant stand up. It's not natural for them. And the only reason they're doing that is because they're deprived of food, and it's just not right to me.

07:49 I have to agree with you on that. What is your final goal for animal rights? And what does it dream that you are working toward? I think the dream is to tid I'm working towards letting people know and making people more aware of the fact that you know, I almost like we share this planet and I think that while we're here on our like on Earth we need to like respect those with whom we share it cuz I think that sometimes we tend to think that we're the only ones here and we can do whatever we want with whatever is here and they're not just things for us to use. However, we want to so I want to be the voice for the animals to invoice list and I just want to do as much as I can with the short amount of time that I have that is highly commendable. I wish more teenagers were like you and had such a great awareness of what is going on in the

08:49 In the animal and human relationship. What does your family think about your activism? My mom is pretty supportive. She also does he know what I do? And she was also vegetarian. My dad sometimes makes like remarks but they not like Dad like where they like altercations or anyting and you know, my little brother will be like eating me and he'll be like, oh don't you want some and I'll be like, no. I actually don't and then my extended family because we're like this big Mexican family. Sometimes they'll try and have a debate about certain things like about my beliefs like, oh I see this wrong and then I'll tell them but they're not really wanting to know they're just kind of trying to instigate something. Do you think that would overtime by not engaging with them that you might be able to bring some of them into a

09:50 Higher state of awareness

09:58 The debates that usually happen in my family are someone will ask like, what's the deal with? Okay. I have the sectional family that like SeaWorld will like most of most people like Sea World because they like seeing the animals perform and things and so they'll say like, why are you protesting SeaWorld and also because I don't think that it's right that they I don't think that they should be kept in captivity and then they'll go on to say like but I don't see anything wrong with it or I'm going to keep going because I like the rides there or you know, that's not really important what they're doing with the animals cuz I'm not supporting that but when you pay for a ticket to SeaWorld, they don't see oh, you're just going to the rides, you know, you're not just paying for the rides you're paying for everything you're paying for the corporation. So I'll say something back like that. Like, you know, I think it's pretty respectful and then it just kind of enough.

10:58 Someone will say something and like well what's wrong with that and I'll try and explain and then at a certain point it just gets pointless cuz they just don't get it. I guess well, you know, what is if you maintain your calm and just give them the same information and explain to them that you know, it's unnatural to have animals in captivity for the sole purpose of entertaining people and I'm one person might get it but that's one person more to keep up the good work. My mom became a vegetarian before she kind of started doing animal-rights kind of around the same time as I did, but I think she got active first she did.

11:55 She's the one that found the lucky article and sent it to me. And so I guess you know, this is all thanks to her. She is still vegetarian. I think we're both going to be vegetarians for the rest of our lives. So, can you explain your reason for being a vegetarian vegetarian at the beginning of my animal right stuff? Like I started protesting SeaWorld before anything else and I didn't start vegetarianism until 2014 like mid lucky because that's when I like started doing everything at once and I was thinking how can I call myself an animal rights activist if I'm not if I'm like consuming them like I had to like make the moral decision that if I'm going to do this I'm going to do it right and I didn't think that it was right to eat animals anymore.

12:51 So what kind of foods did you eat while you were growing up before you became a vegetarian tacos being young? Like when I was younger. I like loves me. I had this magnet that said I love bacon and you know, my uncle's will always try to slip me an extra piece of me, you know, that family gatherings. They would give me a taste of stuff before so did you find it hard to give up meat it was pretty easy because once I made the decision in my mind, like I can't do this anymore because it's not right. It wasn't like I want to go back which is what a lot of my family asked. They always ask don't you miss it and I'm like, no not really because you know, I did like I didn't know what I was doing back then but now that I know like I can't go back and so I don't miss it or anyting

13:51 That's great to hear and I just really great to hear. So what kind of cultural challenges have you found in regards to being a vegetarian every time I see my grandma she always ask me. Are you still doing that diet thing and I like Grandma is not a diet. It's you know, I'm a vegetarian and she's like, what are you still doing it and I'll let yes Grandma me to do this for the rest of my life. And you know, I found a big family gatherings like Thanksgiving, you know, there's always the turkey and I always get asked are you going to eat it this year and I always say no, I'm not going to eat it on my vegetarian and they like but it's Thanksgiving and like but this is my life. Like I'm not going to eat a turkey for a day like it's not what I'm going to do and you know, they always kind of

14:40 You know being Mexican roll about our food and all about, you know, eating and everytime I go to family gathering to ask me like does that have me and I'm like no Dustin. I'm a vegetarian the last something like oh, well, do you want me or I don't think that anybody really thought it was going to last so I think that you know this lasting like I think that they've finally accepted that this is the way that I'm going to be but when I first, you know, when to a family gathering, you know, there's all this meat there and I said, no, I don't want to name of it staring. They're like, I don't think there anything short of shocked because they're like, well Bella you're a big mediator like how this is going to be hard for you and I said, no it's not and it hasn't been very hard for me. You're very strong because I know a lot of vegetarians who have had, you know some cravings and

15:40 It's amazing that you don't.

15:46 What?

15:49 Have any of your relatives been able to accommodate your change your lifestyle by making vegetarian dishes for you now, we just had

16:04 We just had Super Bowl that like couple weeks ago maybe as a posse. I don't remember but at Super Bowl, you know, there's all this to me and brisket and ribs, but my uncle actually made a vegetarian chili for me and I was like, oh, that's nice because you know, he went out of his way to make something that was

16:25 Like that, I was going to eat because he knew I wasn't going to eat what he had made. So you made something different for me that is wonderful of your uncle because it's showing that it's showing that you're reaching him and he is making a commendation for you and eventually if other people are eating the vegetarian dishes. I'm sure you weren't the only one eating the vegetarian chili. So they'll find out that being a vegetarian is not necessarily being deprived of essential not being deprived of good tasting food at Kay. So

17:05 Now are you a vegetarian or a vegan and a vegetarian but I do a lot of things vegan like all my makeup and you know that my toiletries there vegan and their cruelty free cuz I also don't agree with animal testing and my clothes and my shoes, you know, everything that I where is it doesn't have for it doesn't have swayed. It doesn't have leather. So it's all vegan, but I eat vegetarian. So do you think that eventually you may move into vegan or will you maintain the vegetarian lifestyle about being I think that right now I'm a swimmer so

17:49 You know being an athlete it's hard to get a lot of your nutrients. So even being a vegetarian my parents like they make me eat some sort of like seafood like once in awhile because they say the like I need to get my nutrients and so you need the protein. Yeah and the B12 so, you know once in a while because I'm an athlete they make me eat fish against my will but I still feel your own mouth. You don't have to open it, but eventually what time does being an athlete.

18:28 I don't know when that's going to be but eventually when I'm done swimming and doing water polo, I'd like to look into veganism. I know it's going to I know that it's going to be difficult for me a lot more difficult than vegetarianism was but I think I can do it but there are other sources of protein to know through a legume since I do but I don't know whether or not they're going to be enough for you as an athlete. So I don't know enough about it to even offer any suggestions. I'm sorry, but

19:03 So how

19:08 You know how difficult other than you know having to occasionally eat fish or seafood. Is it being an athlete things called pasta parties with the swim team and we all get together and we go to someone's house and we eat pasta like the night before a swim meet we can carb load and

19:32 As soon as he was accommodated to me cuz I'm the only vegetarian on the team. So they'll put the sauces to the side so that there's not me in the pasta but when it comes to like nutrients and being an athlete, I take a multivitamin and I have to take a B12 supplement, but I'm not very good at taking those cuz I forget but I try to do it as best as I can but I think I'm pretty healthy. You look very healthy to me and you're very active. So, how are you know, how well are you doing in all these Sports? I'm doing pretty good. I think I don't know in waterpolo. We're doing we did pretty well. It's what apple is like a short part of swimming. So it's like you get two months of water polo before the sun season. So the coaches see it like as a fun thing to do now, that's a real sport, but the Summers actually prefer water polo. So when it comes to the

20:32 Water polo season real like let's do this. And when I first became a vegetarian it was before the water polo season, which water polo is voted like the hardest sport in the world like a number of times and I told my coach coach. I'm a vegetarian he was like what and that's why I'm a vegetarian. He's like, but water bill is about to start and I was like, okay. Well I made this decision. So like from here on out like this is what I'm going to be eating like and so she was like you need to eat right? And so he was trying to like give me like tits as to what's he like, you need to eat more beans and eating more vegetables like we need to make sure that you're healthy so that you're okay to play and stuff. So have you noticed a whether or not being a vegetarian has affected your stamina?

21:14 No, I don't think so. I'm pretty energetic. So, I mean that your problem then it being a vegetarian you are probably getting most of the nutrients that you need. Anyway, you know, as long as you're eating a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

21:39 Good source of potassium and starts, but if you're carbo-loading that that shouldn't be a problem right right off.

21:50 Are your friends supportive of your inner animal rights activism being a vegetarian choosing a you know a more I guess what you would call and aware lifestyle. My closer friends are but I think people just around school in general like they like their sleep. I don't know. I think they think I go there's that like crazy animal rights Lady Lady. They're not thinking that but I think that likes the people that are closer to me in like understand me that like, this is what she's doing in like they talked to me about it. I'll be like, oh, how was the protest? How is this how is that and so they're like genuinely interested. But from time to time like there will be someone who will be like eating me and they'll be like do you want some and I'm like to know I don't want any and they let are you sure I don't like yes. I'm positive so it's not like

22:50 Something to get upset over assistant in owing. What about turning the tables on them? And when you're eating your vegetarian meal say would you like some are you sure you wouldn't like some you know, try that? Hey sis, see how good it is, you know, you might like it. So turn the tables on them once in awhile.

23:15 Do any do you think that people might treat you differently because of your activism? I think people would like people that are older don't treat me differently cuz they're like, oh she's more mature. But I think that people in my age group will treat me differently. Like, you know what it's like I said, like my I think there's like three groups of people at my school. There's the people who are my friends and they'll ask me about it, but they're not really interested. They're just asking because they're my friends then there's the people who like on social media and like they don't know me, but I'll post a picture of likely approaches protesting at SeaWorld and they'll be like, oh my gosh, I love sea world and it's like me holding up a sign that's like protesting it and then they'll be people at Oru still work at SeaWorld and I'm like, that's great for you. Like I don't know why you're even commenting and then there's people were like, I'll put up a picture of the zoo and they'll be like or not picture to do but me protesting.

24:15 And they'll be like, oh my gosh. I love seeing the elephant there and it's like I didn't ask you but like they're trying to like instigate something. Like how do you respond to them? When they make these comments? There are met to really light a fire under you last weekend because there was at SeaWorld and it was put on by Sea Shepherd cuz it was World dolphin world love for a dolphin day. So we went and I posted a picture of me with this sign and the sign say

24:51 I don't remember it said something free. I think I'm pretty sure it said something like that. Is that something for you is a big cardboard sign and post a picture on Instagram and this girl who is always commenting on my stuff commented again, and she is like I work at SeaWorld respond cuz I was like, okay, I don't care. I didn't ask and then another person commented awkward moment when you work at SeaWorld and then I didn't respond says like to know is awkward for you and then another person commented. Oh I used to work at but typically just ignore them unless I say something like really dumb like one time like someone said something like like

25:38 I put up a picture at SeaWorld again people like to pick on see what pictures I guess because people love SeaWorld. So I put up a picture of me with a sign at SeaWorld and it was one of my old friend like he was an actual friend and he was like, I don't get it. Like what's the big deal and So I responded because it didn't seem like he was instigating like it seemed like he was annoyed or bothered that it's showing up in his feet but it didn't seem like he was mad so I commented back and I said something like well I'm here because I don't think that it's right and I think that they should be in the ocean and not in captivity and animals are Here For Your Entertainment and then he conscious back something like

26:19 Oh, I just I just don't get it. Like I love seeing them at see what I'm just going to keep going and seeing them and I didn't comment at that point cuz I was like well then clearly like you don't care. Basically they don't get it. They see only, you know their own gratification their own source of entertainment, but if you persist, you know, just quietly doing what you're doing. I think you're going to get your point across to a lot more people than you think. You know, you have a very powerful voice you convinced me to come and become one of your groupies a regular and here I am sitting here interviewing you ask me. I am truly truly honored that you asked me.

27:07 Have people treated you differently do they treat you like, you know, you're crazy or you're weird because you you're the voice for the voiceless animals and that you have really taken taken vegetarianism in a into your as a part of your lifestyle because you truly believe that you should meet the animals that you love. There's people on the sun team. There's one person in particular that always says stuff about elephants and he'll show it he'll be eating like a sandwich and he'll say something like this is elephant meat, like don't you want some like he's just being annoying but then there's another kid that always eat steak, but he just says like things like like, oh, don't you miss this like it's not like it they just like

28:07 Brothers, I guess this additional annoying I guess I love your attitude because they're trying to get a rise out of you and you're just seeing them as pesky little brothers annoying little brothers. How is your little brother? Will Cain handling all this he does he goes out to some lucky for this baby doesn't like to stand or hold aside. So she doesn't like he hands out flyers at the lucky protest and he's pretty good at hiding at 5, cuz he's a little kid. So he's also very good. Sometimes when you talk walks up to people because being you know a younger child handing some people are less likely to walk away from a child and you've been very good at handing out flyers two people. So do you think that he will

29:03 Convert to becoming an an animal rights activist or even embracing vegetarianism just says things sometimes it's like I'll be eating like pork or something and he'll be like Oh, I'm eating Wilbur or something like that. Like I don't think he's going to be a vegetarian. He's only 12 right now, right he has time right now. He hasn't reached the maturity that you have in your world view of animals.

29:46 First processed you went to

29:49 Remember

29:50 The first protest I went to was probably empty the tanks 2014. I want to say.

30:01 And that was a worldwide demonstration, and they do it at all. The Marine Parks across the world and the pretty sure that was the first one that I went to and they hold empty the tanks every year so I plan to go this year. I didn't get to go last year cuz I had a migraine, but I'm going to go this year.

30:27 I think that you know watch I don't know. I guess like movie culture has taught that protest can be violent. I don't know why I thought I was going to be violent but I told her I wasn't scared. I was just like this is going to be hardcore hardcore is just like you, you know, occasionally there's the people in the trucks cuz you stand on the side before the entrance of SeaWorld and there's a road going straight into SeaWorld and so people will like stop the stop light or they'll be coming through and they'll see us with our signs and the roll down their windows and they'll say stuff like you're an idiot or go get a job, which I don't know why they say that cuz a lot of us are pretty young to get a double and kind of young and then there's you know, what time there was this little kid who had to be like

31:23 Less than 10 years old and he just like rolled by us with the window down and just like hell this finger up and just like through the finger at like every single person there and then there's always like the dad that angry and like I will be a little baby in the bag and he'll be my baby foot little kid and he'll be like, oh, what are they doing? And then the dad will be there the mom mostly will be like, oh don't look at them. Like what do you do it? Like we'll try and hand a flyer when they have their window down and they rolled their window up and they won't respond. Like they won't even look at us. Like they can't even stand to make eye contact, but I think that I have a lot of not fun protesting but after I go to a protest I feel pretty good like hey, I probably made you know, someone probably change someone's mind today. Hopefully, you're like, I've probably influence someone or I've taught someone something that they didn't know before giving them something to think about some people don't know anything about luck.

32:23 And you know, once you get done the spiel about lucky they're like while I didn't know that she's been here so long. I didn't know that elephants were so social. I didn't know that the Tennessee elephant Sanctuary has said that they would come out and evaluate her. All those who has to say is okay. Like they don't know but once he tell them then they say wow, like I didn't know there are a lot of people who would like to see lucky go to a sanctuary. What do you feel about the zoo's manager the director saying that she's happy where she is in a in a small concrete.

33:04 Barren enclosure

33:06 I don't even know like I can't come like she's a money maker for them cuz she's so large and you don't people love lucky the people that love will supposedly love lucky have been going there for years and they seen her grow. And so

33:25 You know, she's just bringing in money for them. So essentially they're just waiting for her to die. Like they think that she's happy because she gets you know care she gets vet care. She gets 24/7 watch because the Vets, you know, there's only one elephant so you can only have you know, all your attention is put on this elephant if your vet for Elephants, but even it like she's not happy because she doesn't there's no elephants for her to socialize with those are her species. Like if you're by yourself and you're with another species like you're not really happy because you don't have someone to talk to right.

34:09 Communicate with well, you know, I'm going to just add that. She wouldn't in my opinion. I don't think she would require as much bet care and Foot Care 34 feet on the hard surfaces because she doesn't have the opportunity to walk on dirt or grass that she's having all these issues because she's in that confined space and she isn't able to walk on soft ground.

34:38 There are a lot of people who feel that they love.

34:42 Lucky and they feel that you know, she's being well taken care of but they're not looking at lucky as an individual sentient being and they're not looking at what she needs but what there's more looking at what they need, they need to go and see lucky there whenever they go to the zoo, but not they're not thinking about lucky and what lucky needs that she needs to be around other elephants of her own species. That was my plug. Tell me what it's like in a

35:20 Being a Latina in animal feed a Latina a vegetarian and an animal rights activist.

35:29 Yeah, there's always that you know, like I spoke about you know, the cultural challenges that come about with food and people as a teenager people are as going to try and tell you like you're wrong, you know, cuz you're young and you know, your mind is being molded and if you start standing up for what you believe in so young people are like they feel threatened because I like this is what she's doing. Now. What is she going to be doing in a few years when she's older when she's like when she's more stable when she has more, you know, when she can go wherever she wants. You know when she has a college education. What is she going to do you going to change the world? So what's wrong with that?

36:10 Yeah, so I'm do you think that you know your friends and relatives, you know?

36:20 Are becoming more supportive since you've shown that it's been what 2 3 years now that you've embarked on this path.

36:31 Are they starting to feel that they're respecting your choices in lifestyle? Yeah, my uncle's don't ask me as frequently. Do you want me? You know people don't ask me as frequently. Oh don't you want this like I still happens but it's not like an everyday thing. It's not like everyday at lunch. Someone asked me. It's not like that anymore. So they're accepting your lifestyle and their respecting your choices. Yeah, cuz I think that they finally got it like I'm not going to change like this is me now like this is what I've decided to do and I'm not going to move backwards like I'm going to keep moving forwards you're an inspiration to

37:14 And you give hope for the future, you know in our youth is there anything that you'd like to say in closing a message to everyone out there? I think I just like to tell anybody who's you know, I use who's maybe scared of being animal rights activists because they are intimidated by it or they feel like they're going to be a social outcast that I like. You can do it. Like if you are being told I feel your heart's telling you like this is what I need to do. This is wrong then you know, this is your time like you're young now do what you can now you're only here for so short of them all the time like go out and do what you feel is best speak up for what you think is right and you know, if you're Mexican American in your you know afraid of you know being a vegetarian because of the way that your family react so your friends are going to react, you know, as you being a vegetarian and I'm alright.

38:14 I guess they're going to be negative with you that maybe those aren't the kind of people that you need in your life anyways, cuz you need people who are going to support you with all the decisions that you're going to make and it's not like it's a bad decision. It's a good decision, you know, do what you think is right. Don't let people hold you back. You know what you said in applying it toward the young people of today actually applies to every single one of us no matter where we are in our life.

38:48 You know to stand up for what we believe in and to do what we can while we can in the time that we have. It's pretty short and that greater scope of things. Yes it is. And so we should make every minute count.

39:11 In 10 years, you know, I'm going to go to med school. So I'll probably still be in med school, but I'll hopefully be in New York City attending Columbia or Yale or something like that. And you know it New York City. There's so much to do because New York City likes to do stuff. There's a lot of activism in New York city. So like I'm still going to be doing this. I'm still going to be a vegetarian and hopefully I'll be able to be involved with larger corporations. Hopefully in 10 years lucky will be at a sanctuary. So maybe I'll be in Tennessee visiting her better be wonderful.

39:50 Okay. Alright.

39:55 Is there any last comment that you would like to make in closing?

40:02 No, I don't think so. I just like to tell you thank you. You're quite well. This has been an honor for me and it's been an honor knowing you and to continue the news.