“You are what you eat” is a phrase Don’t Eat The Homies creator and founder Jordyn Weekly lives by.
Jordyn is an advocate for veganism, animals and the planet we live on.
On her search for ways to create inspiration, motivation and passion surrounding animals and Earth, Jordyn realised a major issue - animal lovers are not always animal advocates.
In her journey to lead a healthy lifestyle and be a trailblazer for the vegan community, Jordyn started Don’t Eat The Homies as a way to help humans understand the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ was never just a silly saying. In fact, it is a lifestyle everyone should live by.
Everything you put in your system from the food and ingredients you eat, to the news you read, to the amount of social media you consume - all of it is what you ingest and in return takes a major toll on you as a human and even the planet you live on.
In realising this and coming to terms with the harsh reality of the effect consuming animals and living unsustainable has on our our overall health and this Earth, Jordyn figured out a way to educate and promote veganism in a new light - one that is less intimidating when it comes to diet and more inclusive when it comes to fashion.
“Since I became vegan 6 years ago, eating a plant based diet was n’t considered ‘cool.’ Of course with the rise in health culture influenced by celebrities and instagram hotties, the plant based diet has definitely grown in popularity as of recent,” Jordyn exclusively shares with GLAMOUR.
“But, the way veganism is displayed on Instagram feels so unachievable. I feel like it’s shown as the ‘cool’ thing that only rich, successful people can achieve. Part of the reason I started DETH is to prove that ANYONE can be vegan.
“You don’t need to be a Kardashian to be plant based. It’s cool not because celebrities are doing it, but because compassion and kindness is.”
Just as a vegan diet changes your physical health, it also changes your mental health.
As humans, we operate best when our mental health is in tip top shape.
The food you consume not only has the ability to affect your body’s physical health, but also your mind’s mental health. Sure, we all “know” this, but Jordyn is using her clothing line to bridge the gap between what people know and what people do about it.
She explains, “As cliche as the phrase, ‘you are what you eat’ is, it’s hard to deny how true it is. Eating a vegan diet is one of the most incredible things you can do for your body both physically and mentally!
Eating plant based proteins has been proven to give people way more energy. On the flip side, countless studies show that eating meat and dairy increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and certain cancers, especially colorectal cancer.
In terms of mental health, plant fuel offers more vitamins and nutrients which help increase brain function. The more energy and enthusiasm you have, the better your mood will be.”
One of the biggest reasons people refrain from going vegan, regardless of their love for animals, is that it places such big restrictions on diet.
However, Jordyn knows this is simply not true and one of the biggest misconceptions people have about the vegan community.
“People don’t want to give up the foods that they like! However, something that I've experienced as a vegan is that I’ve had so much more fun with the food I eat.
The truth is, there is a vegan alternative for almost everything. Eating fake meat can be fun, but I prefer having fresh vegetables, and getting inspired to create recipes using whole food ingredients.
That has been one of my favourite parts of going vegan - becoming more creative with the dishes that I make and adventurous with the foods that I try.
I was so picky before I went vegan, now I eat everything (of course as long as it didn’t come from an animal).”
A lot of those who preach veganism and act as faces for the community are celebrities and athletes.
A lot of celebrities push veganism for the planet, while a lot of athletes push veganism for the best version of the human body possible.
Jordyn feels like there is no better reason to be vegan. It should be more about what veganism does for humans and the planet overall.
The animal advocate and champion for veganism dives deep into the health benefits - both mental and physical - of adopting a vegan diet, and why doing so should be more mainstream.
For those who don’t know, how does veganism affect your overall mental and physical health?
As cliche as the phrase, “you are what you eat” is, it’s hard to deny how true it is. Eating a vegan diet is one of the most incredible things you can do for your body both physically and mentally!
Eating plant based proteins has been proven to give people way more energy. On the flip side, countless studies show that eating meat and dairy increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and certain cancers, especially colorectal cancer.
In terms of mental health, plant fuel offers more vitamins and nutrients which help increase brain function. The more energy and enthusiasm you have, the better your mood will be.
Not to mention that It feels like a heavy weight is lifted from you when you stop contributing to the suffering of animals.
When you go vegan, you really feel a sense of relief knowing that you are living in alignment with your beliefs.
There are many other ways veganism can improve mental health, like the physical effect it has on your gut which hugely impacts your mental health, but for me, knowing that I am not contributing to these industries has had the biggest impact on the improvement of my mental health.
What are misconceptions you feel like people may have about veganism?
One of the major misconceptions about veganism is that it is a somehow restrictive diet. People don’t want to give up the foods that they like! However, something that I've experienced as a vegan is that I’ve had so much more fun with the food I eat.
The truth is, there is a vegan alternative for almost everything. Eating fake meat can be fun, but I prefer having fresh vegetables, and getting inspired to create recipes using whole food ingredients. That has been one of my favorite parts of going vegan - becoming more creative with the dishes that I make and adventurous with the foods that I try.
I was so picky before I went vegan, now I eat everything (of course as long as it didn’t come from an animal). Another big misconception is that eating a vegan diet is more expensive. This is not true. In fact, eating a vegan has been so much cheaper for me.
Swapping out meat for plant based protein like beans, tofu, oats, quinoa, and lentils has saved me so much money every month. Mixing in fresh vegetables and frozen vegetables is another great way to save money too!
Sure, it’s not as cheap as buying a big mac, but choosing vegetables will be saving me tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills later in life.
What is something DETH is bringing to light for those who are currently not vegan?
DETH is forcing people to rethink what has been considered normal. It is the only vegan brand (that I can think of) that has this strong of an “in your face” message.
It’s meant to force people into rethinking about the way that they see animals. I started DETH, because I wanted a way to prove that anyone can be vegan.
I want people to see veganism as a form of compassion, kindness, empathy, and love. People (for the most part) believe in not causing harm to the innocent - and yet most don’t live in alignment with these beliefs.
They say that a dog is a man's best friend, but I wonder why we don’t share that sentiment with other animals. The truth is, these animals are not any less deserving of love, friendship, or compassion.
“Homies'' is a strong word because it invites the idea of friendship, mutual love, and respect. It reframes animals as someone rather than something.
A lot of celebrities preach the importance of veganism for our planet, many athletes preach the importance of veganism for our bodies. Do you feel one is more important than the other? And please tell us why?
I don’t believe that one issue is more important than the other because whatever someone's reason is for going vegan - is a perfect reason. Veganism has incredible impacts on both peoples’ health and the environment.
To me, the issues aren’t comparable because they’re important for such different reasons. However, I will say that both played a contributing factor in my decision to go vegan.
Who do you hope to see Don’t Eat The Homies collaborating with in the sports world? Any major athletes you have on your radar? What about in the entertainment world, celebrities?
There are many celebrities that we have an eye on. Kyrie Irving is a huge inspiration for us at DETH because he is a wonderful example of someone who uses their platform to advocate for veganism.
For us, athletes who not only follow a vegan lifestyle, but promote it would be powerful collaborators. Basketball players such as Kyrie, Wilson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan, and Javale Mcgee are extremely influential for young athletes who look up to them.
Celebrities like Joaquin Phoenix who used his Oscar speech as an opportunity to bring awareness to veganism was super dope.
We also love seeing celebrities who are huge in the music space like Billie Eilish promoting a vegan lifestyle.
Her streetwear vibe is also done in a super fresh and innovative way. We would love her as a partner.
What are the most important reasons people SHOULD know about Don’t Eat The Homies ?
Helping as many animals as we can is the purpose behind the brand. It is the entire point of why we do what we do. I believe that there is nothing cooler than being vegan.
The reason we went with streetwear in the first place was because of the cultural impact and relevance the style has had since the 90’s. There is an authenticity behind streetwear because it combines art and relevant ideas to create a dope form of visual activism.
Some of the most influential and inspiring public figures in the postmodern era have worn streetwear as their form of expression. “Don’t Eat the Homies” is my version of activism.
It has truly taken on a life of it’s own at this point, and I'm excited to see how the brand will continue to shape itself over time.
More importantly, I am curious to see what type of change we inspire through the brand and how it will shape the vegan movement in the next coming years.
What would you say is your long term goal as a company rooted in advocacy for veganism?
Our long term goal is to save as many animals as we can by inspiring people to be aware of their impact on the planet and our fellow earthlings. I believe that the future is vegan and I want to do everything in my power to get us there faster.
Monetary success doesn’t matter to me as much as influencing as many people as possible to examine their choices and do their best for our planet and everyone on it. I believe that veganism is the act of choosing compassion everyday.
Don’t Eat the Homies is my version of activism. I can’t ever see myself getting to the point where I feel “successful” because there will always be more animals to save and a planet that needs to be protected. Helping heal the world is my long term goal. This is just the beginning.
