Nicole Valadez with a personal reflection on being Mexican and going vegan:
My biggest problem was waiting for me back in Houston where I’d have to face my very traditional Mexican family and tell them that I could no longer indulge in our Thanksgiving feast. I wondered if I should just skip the holidays all together – postpone my big news until the new year and hide out in D.C., far away from judging eyes. But missing a Mexican holiday, let alone two, would be even worse than becoming the family’s first vegan.
And then she follows with the 5 stages of what I call “hungr-ief” and the discussion that ensues. For anyone out there afraid to explore, every year it gets a little better. The same thing happened with my family and if we all give a little it goes a long way. I try to make extra food and share it with as many people as I can. After all, Thanksgiving is about gathering together—with whatever food feels right for you.