Bruce Friedrich

Bruce Friedrich
Born Bruce Gregory Friedrich
August 7, 1969 (1969-08-07) (age 47)
West Lafayette, Indiana
Residence Washington, D.C.
Nationality American
Alma mater Georgetown University Law Center, Johns Hopkins University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Grinnell College
Occupation Executive Director, The Good Food Institute; Managing Trustee, New Crop Capital
Known for Animal activism
Spouse(s) Alka Chandna (wife) (m. 2002)
Parent(s) Gustav William Friedrich
Erena Rae Bakeberg Friedrich

Bruce Gregory Friedrich (born August 7, 1969) is executive director of The Good Food Institute (GFI) and founding partner of New Crop Capital (NCC), organizations focused on replacing animal products with plant and culture-based alternatives.

Friedrich serves on the advisory board of the Christian Vegetarian Association and is a founding member of the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians. He has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and Court TV. He was inducted into the United States Animal Rights Hall of Fame in 2004.[1]

Friedrich is vegan and lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Alka Chandna, Ph.D.[2][3]

Early life and education

Friedrich was born in West Lafayette, Indiana on August 7, 1969.[4] Friedrich's father is Gustav William Friedrich, Ph.D. (b. March 2, 1941) and his mother was Erena Rae Bakeberg Friedrich (February 15, 1941 - May 19, 2006). Gustav Friedrich is a Rutgers University distinguished professor and was Dean of the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers for ten years.[5][6] Erena Rae Bakeberg Friedrich was an art director, graphic designer, and commercial illustrator.[7]

Bruce Friedrich graduated from Norman High School (Norman, Oklahoma) in 1987.[8] He served as president of the Cleveland County Young Democrats during his last two years of high school and campaigned for the late Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) in 1990 during his first year of college. From 1990 to 1996, he worked in a shelter for homeless families and a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C. as a part of the Catholic Worker Movement.[9] While he was working in the homeless shelter, a friend gave him Christianity and the Rights of Animals[10] by Andrew Linzey, an Anglican Priest and professor of theology at Oxford University. "It changed my life," Friedrich later said.

In 1996, Friedrich graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College with a B.A. in English, Economics, and Religion.[11][4] He received an M.A. in Education from Johns Hopkins University. He received his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating magna cum laude, Order of the Coif.

Friedrich married Alka Chandna in October 2002.[12]

Work with PETA

Friedrich worked for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) from May 1996 to August 2009 in the Washington D.C. area. Friedrich wrote and made an audio recording of "Veganism in a Nutshell,"[13] a popular synopsis of the reasons some choose to go vegan. He appeared as a candidate on the 2004 Showtime reality series American Candidate.

As Director of Vegan Campaigns, Friedrich was responsible for producing Meet Your Meat, a video about factory farming narrated by Alec Baldwin.

In a 2010 essay, Friedrich explained his view of God's direction in working on behalf of animals:[9]

"As a result of my prayer over [Andrew] Linzey's work and conversations with my spiritual director at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, my focus turned to animal protection, where it's stayed for the last 15 years. Since that time, I've occasionally been asked why I focus my efforts on protecting animals, rather than humans. So, as this Advent season begins, I decided to offer some thoughts on why I view working on behalf of animals -- and especially farmed animals -- as God's work."

In promoting vegetarianism from a Christian perspective, Friedrich has said, "The heart of this campaign is Jesus' call for mercy and compassion."[14]

Teaching at Baltimore Freedom Academy

From August 2009 to May 2011, Friedrich was a teacher at the Baltimore Freedom Academy.[15] He taught English, social justice, and government to 10th and 11th graders in the Baltimore inner city area.

Work with Farm Sanctuary

From May 2011 to September 2015, Friedrich worked for Farm Sanctuary in the Washington, D.C. area. As Senior Policy Director, Friedrich led Farm Sanctuary’s policy and litigation efforts and introduced the world to who farm animals are as individuals through the Someone, Not Something project.[16] His articles on farm animal issues appear regularly in The Huffington Post,[17] and Bruce has penned opinion pieces for USA Today,[18] the Los Angeles Times,[19] New York Daily News,[20] and many other publications.

Current endeavors

From September 2015 to the present, Friedrich has been Executive Director of The Good Food Institute,[21] and a Founding Partner of New Crop Capital.[22]

His articles on farm animal issues appear regularly in The Huffington Post,[23] and Bruce has penned opinion pieces for USA Today,[24] the Los Angeles Times,[25] New York Daily News,[26] and many other publications.

Friedrich is a frequent lecturer and debater on college campuses, including Harvard University,[27] Yale University,[28] Princeton University,[29] Cornell University,[30][31] Stanford University,[32] and dozens of other colleges and universities across the country.

Friedrich continues to advocate independently for vegetarianism/veganism and to reduce the suffering and oppression of animals.[33]

Works

Writing

Multimedia

See also

References

  1. ↑ "U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame". Animal Rights National Conference. Farm Animal Rights Movement. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  2. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce. "Does God Support Factory Farms? Why You Should Care about the Faith-Based Arguments for (and against) Animal Liberation". Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians.
  3. ↑ "Farm Sanctuary Staff Leadership". Farm Sanctuary. 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2016-02-23. Bruce shares his life with his wife, Alka Chandna, Ph.D., and three perfect cats named Rena, Tigger, and Angie.
  4. 1 2 "[Unknown title]". The Des Moines Register. 2004-03-07. p. 34. (subscription required (help)). Bruce Friedrich Director of vegan campaigns, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Born: Aug. 7, 1969, West Lafayette, Ind. Education: High school, Norman, Okla.; Grinnell College, 1996 graduate, Phi Beta Kappa in English and economics
  5. ↑ Preston, Hope (2010-11-21). "Betty J. Turock and Gus W. Friedrich will marry today, Sunday, Nov. 21". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2016-02-23. A Rutgers distinguished professor, he was for 10 years dean of the School of Communication, Information and Library Studie s.
  6. ↑ Friedrich, Gustav William. "Curriculum vitae" (PDF). Rutgers University. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  7. ↑ Friedrich, Erena Rae Bakeberg. "Resume & General Artist's Statement". Thistlewood Press. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  8. ↑ Tyree, James S. (2010-09-15). "PETA vice president brings message home to Norman". The Oklahoman. the Norman High School class of 1987 member
  9. 1 2 Heffern, Rich (2010-12-15). "Bruce Friedrich: Advent and factory farms". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  10. ↑ Linzey, Andrew (November 1987). Christianity and the Rights of Animals. Crossroad. ISBN 978-0824508753.
  11. ↑ "Bruce Friedrich". AngelList. Retrieved 2016-02-23. Grinnell College economics, English, religion Phi Beta Kappa
  12. ↑ "1987 Norman High Alumni". Norman High School Class of 1987. Retrieved 2016-02-22. Married my lovely and brilliant and hilarious wife (Alka Chandna) in October 2002
  13. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce (2007). "Veganism in a Nutshell". Animal Liberation Front. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  14. ↑ Iacobbo, Karen; Iacobbo, Michael (2004-04-30). Vegetarian America: A History. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 233. ISBN 9780275975197. Foreword by Andrew Linzey.
  15. ↑ Hermann, Peter (27 May 2011). "Baltimore police tell teacher to stop leafleting at Inner Harbor". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  16. ↑ "Someone, Not Something: Farm Animal Behavior, Emotion, and Intelligence". Farm Sanctuary.
  17. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce. "Bruce Friedrich". The Huffington Post.
  18. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce (2013-08-17). "From petri dish to backyard grill: Column". USA Today.
  19. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce (2014-02-10). "Which should come first, healthier chickens or cheaper eggs?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  20. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce. "Articles by Bruce Friedrich". Daily News (New York).
  21. ↑ "Our Team". The Good Food Institute. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  22. ↑ "New Crop Capital - Team". New Crop Capital. Retrieved 2016-02-23. As partner, Bruce focuses on deal flow, investment decisions, and relationships with companies.
  23. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce. "Bruce Friedrich". The Huffington Post.
  24. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce (2013-08-17). "From petri dish to backyard grill: Column". USA Today.
  25. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce (2014-02-10). "Which should come first, healthier chickens or cheaper eggs?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  26. ↑ Friedrich, Bruce. "Articles by Bruce Friedrich". Daily News (New York).
  27. ↑ Mclease, Alex M. (2009-09-12). "PETA Debate: On Tolstoy and Bonsai Trees". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  28. ↑ Everett Rosenfeld, "PETA VP On Hand for Meaty Debate Archived February 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.," Yale Daily News 4 April 2010
  29. ↑ Rachel Jackson, "Singer Wins Vegetarian Debate, 75-35 Archived October 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.," The Daily Princetonian 1 October 2010.
  30. ↑ Tajwar Mazhar, "Cornell Forensics Society Debates Meat With PETA Archived December 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.," The Cornell Daily Sun 1 November 2010.
  31. ↑ Lew, Gordon (2011). "News". The Chicago Debate Society. University of Chicago. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  32. ↑ Throckmorton, Ada (2016-02-24). "Protesters disrupt meat-eating debate". The Stanford Daily. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  33. ↑ Throckmorton, Ada (2016-02-23). "Q&A with John Mackey and Bruce Friedrich". The Stanford Daily. Retrieved 2016-02-23. Professionally, I now focus principally on making vegetarian eating easier. We’re trying to create a market segment of plant-based and cultured alternatives to animal products, so that it's simply cheaper, tastier and more convenient for people to make choices that better align with their values.
  34. 1 2 3 "Bruce Friedrich". Internet Movie Database.

External links

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