Lisa Forzley
I distinctly remember the afternoon when my mom arrived home from school and I proclaimed, “Katie’s a vegetarian!” I had converted my youngest sister and was very proud of myself – she was the only member of our immediate family that continued to eat meat years after the rest of us had become vegetarians. How was I able to accomplish such a feat? By showing her graphic images of what takes place on a factory farm. I was going for pure shock value. Is she a vegetarian 15 years later? No, absolutely not. I was only 13 at the time, but I learned an extremely valuable lesson. I can’t force others to be like me, nor should I. My intentions were good –- I was concerned about the welfare of farm animals and the effects of factory farming on the environment, but I hadn’t found an appropriate way in which to express my concerns, nor had I offered positive solutions that would work for my sister. It wasn’t until I was introduced to the four principles of broad-based humane education that I truly understood this.
When I became an elementary school teacher a few years ago, I was required to continue my education. I wanted to find a program that would be meaningful to both my professional life and personal life and would also meet the state requirements. Fortunately for me, a Sowing Seeds workshop came into town at the time of my search. I learned about it after the fact, but it stirred my curiosity. What was broad-based humane education? After a little investigating I discovered that IHE not only held Sowing Seeds workshops, they also offered an M.Ed. A local IHE graduate met with me to discuss the program and things haven’t been the same since. She talked to me about the different courses that I’d be taking (environmental preservation, animal protection, human rights, and cultural issues), the books that I’d be reading, and the activities I’d be participating in. IHE was a perfect fit for what I’d been looking for!
My studies at IHE have had an enormous impact on my life. I’m now the Humane Education Specialist at the Detroit Zoo. I do everything from reverence building activities with 2 year olds to giving Eco Impact presentations throughout the Metro Detroit area. What an amazing opportunity! Outside of work, I organize monthly movie nights with a wonderful group in Detroit. I often show documentaries that are required for the M.Ed. Through our discussions, we delve into the various issues that confront us as a community and work to seek positive solutions.
I have my days when I feel overwhelmed with all that needs to be done in this world. But having met so many compassionate, hard-working, and dedicated individuals, I’m filled with tremendous hope for the future.
Watch and share IHE President, Zoe Weil's TEDx talk -- an inspiring vision of how to create a just, compassionate, healthy world for all through solutionary education.
April 28, 2012 - 8:30 am to April 28, 2012 - 5:00 pm | Location: Nightingale-Bamford School
How can we best prepare our students for the important roles they must play in meeting the challenges of today's world? How can we help youth to become creative and critical thinkers who embody the qualities of wisdom, compassion, and integrity and who focus their grea...
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