“The Reason I Won’t Speak for a Full Year” 

Award-winning fashion and beauty photographer, AJ Raina, has taken a vow of silence for a reason that will move you deeply.

The manager at a cafe I regularly dine at asks me a question, and I write him a hand-written note in response. We’ve chatted before, so he is surprised by my voiceless answer. As are friends and family. But last year, on my birthday—November 6, 2017—I took a vow of silence for 365 days. Why? For the non-humans amongst us. The silent sufferers. Animals are abused every second— on the streets, in cages, in slaughterhouses, in breeding homes. They are mistreated in ways that will break your heart. If only you knew. But we often choose to ignore their suffering, pain and desperate cries for help. And because they don’t have the power—or voice—to be heard, these horrors, of ghastly proportions, continue to take place. This is why I will not speak for a full year. So people pay attention to the cruelties that innocent animals are subjected to. I am doing this to promote veganism as a compassionate, peaceful way to live.

I am doing this to support our ongoing struggle for animal liberation, for every cage to be empty, and for every soul to have the right to live free. Yes, it can be challenging. Every little interaction now is a combination of dumb charades and notes. And while I am aware that this may impact my work as a fashion and beauty photographer, I believe we have to give up things valuable to us and put others first to fulfill our true purpose here on Earth.

Luckily, most people have been supportive. To help explain my mission and reason for silence, I carry a set of cards with me. Recently, at a coffee shop, while trying to order vegan coffee, the baristas assumed I was hard of hearing and unable to vocalise. Once they understood, after reading one of the cards, they refused to charge me for the coffee. These little acts of kindness have taken place at airports, restaurants, and more. On shoots, it’s actually a lot of fun directing models through sign language (as you can imagine, much laughter ensues). This has also resulted in people converting to veganism three times more than when I used to speak.

I believe that all of us have beautiful hearts, and that we need to include those that are suffering in our circle of compassion. We need to be selfless if we want others to be selfless to us, we need to be loving if we want a loving world. Peace begins in our hearts and on our plates. And I hope others will join in me in choosing compassion.”

To know more, visit www.facebook.com/thesilentvegan.