Name: Randi Moore
Age: 26
Occupation: Associate at a DC policy consulting firm and Pilates instructor
Location: Washington, D.C.

How long have you been vegetarian? And what inspired your journey?

I’ve been a vegetarian for almost a year now, so I’m still just a beginner. As I became more aware of how problematic meat was in regards to both environmental sustainability and health, I struggled through making the change and going vegetarian.

My hang-up was that I really love food and I love to cook. I was worried that I’d be way too limited in my eating/cooking options. To my pleasant surprise, this has not been by experience at all. My culinary creativity has flourished as I’ve taken up the challenge of creating meat-free recipes. It’s been a great journey and I don’t think I’ve ever eaten better.

Has vegetarianism enhanced your health? Why or why not?

For me, vegetarianism has made me think much more critically about how I am and how I am not nourishing my body. Now my emphasis is usually on the fresh produce I want to use when I’m thinking about a preparing a meal, not the meat, so I know my body has benefited from a more diverse, nutrient-rich diet. I’ve also experienced fewer stomach issues and more overall energy – I feel as if my system is much cleaner.

In retrospect, how do you feel about meat? Or do you have any thoughts on America’s meat industry?

The way we farm, process, and consume meat isn’t sustainable for our environment or our bodies, but the Western diet is based around it and undoing this is an enormous task. The toughest part of it all is understanding that a tradition of meat-eating need not dictate the choices we make going forward. Going meatless is not at all about sacrificing the pleasures of food, but about being mindful about nurturing our bodies and our earth, and about seeing these two are inherently connected.

Was there a community of black women that helped you along your meatless journey? And if not, what are you doing to change this for others?

I wish there were! But I believe that forums like these are great places to start building that community that we can all take offline and into our circles.

Are you a vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian? Email arielle@frugivoremag.com if you’d like to be featured in the Black Female Vegetarian Series. Check back every Tuesday and Friday for a new profile! Click to read past profiles here.