learning to care about animals

Activists come in many packages.

Some are quiet, perhaps writing letters to senators or even sneaking into labs at night and letting monkeys free. Others help organize events. And others are just great at talking, and put their beliefs where their mouth is – and vice versa.

One such mouthy sort is Jamie Kordack, who, as an activist lists the environment and animals as two of her passions. Both, she says, are so tightly fused that it is senseless not to care about both. Animals, she argues intently, have rights, too, and many people need to learn how and why. She’s hoping to reach these people through the New England Animal Rights Workshop, which will be held for the second time Saturday, June 13, at Worcester State College. Last year's event was canceled due to scheduling complications.

For Kordack, this workshop is her way to cast a wider net.

“I tried for three semesters to teach humane education at adult continuing education classroom situations,” she says, “and never quite got the numbers that I wanted. I tried to get in through the colleges, but have yet to find a professor to host me. So, I decided on my own to put together a workshop. I’m all about education. I thought, rather than dribs and drabs, how about a conference and we’ll see what we can get.“

The New England Animal Rights Workshop is an educational forum and networking event that includes special guest speakers, exhibits, a cruelty-free shopping area, literature, after hours wine and un-cheese tasting and more.

A federal park ranger by trade, Kordack has been concerned with “saving” the animals since she was a youngster growing up in Mississippi (she moved here 18 years ago). As she describes it, while lots of parents shoo away the kid who brings a snake into the house, her mom never did. Even though her mom would stay six feet away, she never “went crazy” about things like that. “I was dragging home everything I find to help,” says Kordack. “Instead of scaring me and thinking they should be dead, she encouraged me to learn all about them. I learned respect for all beings that way. “

Always outspoken, she got into being an activist in high school, and even more so in college, where she really found her niche. “I went through a time period where all I did was write letters to companies and newspapers,” she says, “and I’ve done the protests. I’ve done the peaceful and not so peaceful demos. But the thing I’ve found I’m best at is speaking and teaching. I have friends who think this is a waste of time, teaching to the uneducated, but they are more radical. I cannot be that way in my current state of life.”

In her continuing ed classes, Kordack says she’d have a room full of students ranging in high school age to 60s. The younger folks, she said, were more challenging. “They aren’t so wise to stay quiet,” she laughs. “The teens have to talk. Everything I would bring up, this young man would ask me where I got my figures and everything. I don’t think I ever quite convinced him on most subjects until the very last night of class. He was skeptical about factory farming and how I could it be that bad and everything else. He is now one of my leading advocates for animal rights.

He’s in college and quite active.”

With a degree in conservation and wildlife management and an avid recycler and conservationist, her love of the outdoors is a close second to her love of animals. As with all animal advocates, she’s pleased with the progress we’ve made, but is frustrated with how much further there is to go. Comparing other areas, Massachusetts is more progressive than other states, but we still have our fair share of issues. “We live in the best part of the country for companion animal issues for the most part,” says Kordack. “We have pretty good welfare laws on the books for animals overall, but it can always be better.”

DETAILS:
What: New England Animal Rights Workshop: An Educational Forum for Sharing Knowledge and Networking
When: Saturday, June 13, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Town Hall, West Brookfield, Second Floor Grand Ballroom
Cost: $15 workshop, $10 after-hours social
Visit http://www.nearw.org/ for more event information and updates.