It's Not a Phase, Mom: Ida Engberg's Lifetime of Veganism
Ida Engberg is many things. She's a DJ, producer, mother, and visual artist. She's also a vegan. Truth be told, she's been a plant-based consumer since she was a child.
The idea seems far from strange in today's world, especially in the dance music community. There is an entire economy around vegan restaurants in dance music hubs like Los Angeles, London, New York, and Berlin. And dance music festivals like DGTL Amsterdam offer solely vegan food as part of their commitment to sustainability.
We're at the point where the term "vegan" has transcended the definition of a diet absent animal products. It now applies to textiles, perfumes, jewelry, and more, but that's not the world Engberg grew up in.
Engberg was born in 1984. And according to The Guardian, as recently as the late 1980s, mainstream acceptance of veganism and substitutes for foods like vegan cheese, vegan bacon, and more recognizable brands like Impossible Foods was unfathomable.
To avoid animal products was an even steeper uphill battle than today, but Engberg persevered the climb with grace and poise.
Like every DJ with an opinion, Engberg is a target on the internet and sometimes draws more criticism because she's a woman. She frequently uses her social media platforms to share her thoughts on veganism and its effects on the environment, expectedly drawing inane criticism from trolls hiding their faces behind pictures of dogs.
Engberg shares a range of content concerning her veganism, from articles conveying the lifestyle's benefits to interactions she has in her own life as a vegan.
Naturally, all of these posts draw in those looking to disagree with her for the sake of it. Sometimes it's harmless differences of opinion or attempts at heated debate. Others, it's the classic and pointless rejoinder "stick to music" or its more hateful variants.
But in seeing these comments on her posts, Engberg is always the bigger person. She replies respectfully and stands her ground. She doesn't force anyone to think the way she does. She shares the facts.
If there is a sense of urgency behind it, it's not because she wants anyone to agree with her. It's because veganism among individuals is one way to aid in the larger causes Engberg fights for every day.
She is an ambassador for Music Against Animal Cruelty (MAAC) and supports numerous environmental causes, including Save The Paradise.
Engberg doesn't have time to get down in the dirt with internet trolls spewing bile about her veganism. Why? Because she's busy saving the world.
