When I was trying to think about the discourse communities I was a part of, I never realized how many specific communities there were in which I fit in personally. I'm not sure what criteria are needed to fit into these communities and be "accepted." I then learned that it was a community of people with common interests, life goals, and ways of communicating. From there, I was able to quickly identify with a community that I strongly identified with and was very involved in. This specific community I'm going to talk about today is the veganism community. I personally came into this community learning the truths behind the cruelty of factory farming, the environmental impacts, and the health aspects of animal products. I gained knowledge behind this community by researching and exposing myself to the truth, which allowed me to successfully join the community. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay I still vividly remember how I felt when I was first exposed to the world of veganism. I had come across a YouTube video titled “The Best Speech You’ll Ever Hear – by Gary Yourofsky,” an American animal rights activist. It was the first time I saw a video or documentary on this subject. I remember listening to his speech and it sent shivers down my body. This set off a big trigger in me. I felt like I had been lied to my whole life, like there was this whole hidden cruel industry that no one was supposed to know about or talk about. I was exposed to the truth and things I had never imagined before. I also experienced it by watching documentaries like “Cowspiracy” and video clips about factory farm conditions. I remember watching these videos for the first time and seeing the cruelty and abuse they face. I have seen animals on factory farms crowded and trapped in sheds with no windows, no fresh air, where they would never see daylight or green grass for months, if at all during their short life. Stuck in cages and pens so small they can't even move, where they ended up sitting and lying in their own feces and urine, waiting to be slaughtered, only if they didn't die of illness and infection before. The conditions in which they are subjected absolutely shocked me; the suffering endured by these poor innocent animals is unreal. This really makes me sick to my stomach. I couldn't believe this was happening. Why weren't more people speaking out and fighting against the conditions they are going through, how is this allowed and why is this still happening today? After watching these documentaries and videos, that's definitely when I really realized that I needed to change my lifestyle and my diet. I could even call it my awakening in life, as if my goal in life was to change. In the vegan community, we all have common goals, from preventing and ending the abuse of factory farmed animals, to living healthier lives, to reducing our environmental impact on this earth, or all of the above. We share the goals of wanting to make veganism more mainstream and accessible to people, to educate others on how to live a lifestyle.