Hear Mama & Roo's Founder talk about our core value of veganism and what that means for our store. Transcript below.

Transcript:

Hi it’s Alexandra, owner and founder of Mama & Roo’s! 

Wanted to take a moment on this beautiful day to talk a little about what makes us different, specifically around one of our core values, veganism 

I’m wearing this vegan shirt today that my husband got me, and it reminded me that being vegan is so much more than what many think it is, and in case that’s you, I want to tell you what it means to me. 

Compassion. That’s the first item here and it’s the underpinning of everything we stand for as a brand. We have compassion for the animals, which is the typical implication of vegan, but it extends to so much more. No one can say there’s too much compassion in this world, and we believe in doing our part by providing kind, clear, compassionate service, treating our own people fairly, and by stocking products that are made by people who care about their own employees as well as the families they serve. BY extension, you are supporting real families in meaningful ways when you support us. 

Nonviolence. As we see the news full of proclamations of a potential world war 3, along with the very real violence and danger happening right now, not just in Ukraine but in many countries throughout the world, and in cities almost everywhere, it’s a sobering reminder to me that nonviolence, what I’ve always believed in, is a key component of my motives for this store being vegan. Many don’t realize how much land is fought over and people killed over animal production throughout the world. But the violence extends so far beyond this. If you are someone who believes that violence is not the answer, in your parenting and in our world, I think the next point here is also really important. 

The next line here is, “for the people.” What people, you may ask? Not just those involved in turf wars over land for cattle, but those working in hazardous conditions, both here in the US and around the world to provide these products. But not just animal products—because for me, and for our brand, it’s never just been for animals, but for the people. When I became a mom, I really started to feel the impact of how families are affected. EVery child I see is “my child” in some way. EMotionally we’re sort of wired that way, as our hormones in pregnancy and breastfeeding change our brains and change our perspective. And so, we at Mama & Roo’s work with brands who treat their employees fairly, who pay them fair wages, who don’t use coercive and dangerous practices in their warehouses and in their labor. Because the reality is that forced labor is a problem everywhere. And we don’t want to contribute to this. Families are families everywhere, no matter what they look like or where they live, and they deserve to be safe and to be able to care for their children. No one can be perfect at this—this is a reality of our damaged world, lack of ethically production is everywhere. But we are doing our part in what we source for Mama & Roo’s and who we stand behind. This includes our stances to support those who are oppressed everywhere. Neo-nazis are not welcome here. We are anti-racist. We support people regardless of how they present and what their families look like. We stand against AAPI hate, we support native artists. We don’t culturally appropriate carrier styles & patterns. And we’re open to feedback on how to do better. We regularly give to organizations that support these causes because we want to make a difference in reducing suffering in this world for all of us. And you can contribute, too, via our options at checkout for the current organization we’re supporting. 

So, our next line here—for the planet. This was the reason for my initial jump to veganism, and it’s another reminder for me that when we choose not to use animals, we also choose to reduce methane gases, to reduce land use that could instead be left for wild habitats, and to leave less of a burden on this earth for our children to bear. Climate change kills, and protecting our planet however we can saves lives everywhere, human and animal. I want a beautiful, healthy world for all our children, as I know you do, too. And that’s part of our mission in this small way. 

And finally, for the animals. Ultimately this is where I’ve landed as an ethical vegan. And I believe that if we care for the smallest and most helpless among us, we can only grow as people in our capability to love our fellow humans and work for a peaceful, safe world that we want to raise our children in. 

So that’s a reminder of who I am and what is important to me, as an east coast cradle Catholic vegan mom, in my little corner of the babywearing world. I may not be perfect, but every day I’m working to make this a welcoming and joyful place to be with a mission worth supporting. If you don’t stand for anything, you allow everything. And I want you to know that there are definitely important things that we stand for. And I’m grateful to all of you who have been on this journey with us! 

Sending love and light, and praying for peace and joy in your life and the lives of all those in need. Have a beautiful day!