p>Jake Conroy is a long-time activist, designer, and writer based in San Francisco, CA, USA. He has been involved in a wide range of activism since 1995. His passion for positive change led him to volunteer with and organize various campaigns on local, regional, national, and international levels with great success.
In 1996, he became an active member and director for the Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN). He participated in various acts of civil disobedience, hundreds of protests, and countless educational outreach events, working with NARN to turn Seattle into one of the most animal-friendly cities in the country. He was also a co-founder and vice president of Ocean Defense International (ODI), where led the first ever disruption of a whale hunt in US coastal waters. By piloting various vessels and directly putting themselves between the hunted and hunter, Jake and ODI reduced the anticipated kill of 20 Pacific Gray whales down to one.
Recognizing the need for strong grassroots campaigning, Jake helped build the foundation of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA in 2001, considered one of the most successful grassroots animal rights campaigns in history.
Due to the overwhelming success of the campaign against one of the biggest lobbying industries in the US, the federal government prosecuted Jake and his co-defendants, known as the SHAC 7, as domestic terrorists. After a highly publicized case in 2006, the SHAC 7 were found guilty on all charges, including the controversial Animal Enterprise Protection Act (now called the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act) and sentenced to a variety of prison terms and a $1,000,001 restitution fine. Jake was sentenced to 48 months, which he served in 2 prisons in southern California.
Currently Jake works for the Rainforest Action Network, an organization that uses direct action and pressure campaigns to help enact responsible corporate policies. He also organizes with the Rising Tide network in San Francisco, using direct action to fight for climate justice.
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A case for campaigns: Reflections on vegan outreach and purity politics
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From Activist to Terrorist