“We’re All Animals”: Interview with Nick and Kathy Coughlin (vegans), Part 2 of 2

Today, we are honored to continue our interview with Kathy and Nick Coughlin, as Nick speaks about The Good Kid Project, the “We’re All Animals” series of stories, and his ideas for the future. “Children are impressionable. I was an impressionable young boy, and I think it’s important to teach in a friendly, fun, entertaining, and respectful way. So, that’s a guiding principle of The Good Kid Project.”

We asked Kathy and Nick how they went about writing the stories. “Some stories just talk about some of the amazing capabilities that some animals have, other stories challenge people’s respect, or lack of respect, for certain animals. Some stories challenge our feelings of superiority that because we’re human, we are superior to all other animals. Well, we don’t believe that, and so some of the stories challenge that.”

Nick speaks about how the stories relate to people, not only our beloved animal-friends. “So, this is a great way to not only learn about treating animals with respect, but really, how do we make the world a kinder place? The more kids learn these lessons now, and learn them early, the more likely they’re going to grow up to be the adults who care, and adults who treat others with respect and create a more compassionate world.”

Nick and Kathy explain what they hope “We’re All Animals” will teach young readers. “Right now, it’s a really tough place for the majority of animals on the planet. We make it difficult for them, and my hope is that this will instill a new ethic and help kids appreciate other animals as individuals, as beings who deserve respect, compassion, and who deserve freedom.” Kathy and Nick share their tips for all those people transforming to a vegan diet.

Kathy and Nick Coughlin envision that the world will be a much better place if everyone is kind to animal-people. “I think just about all of us have opportunities to interact with animals or to be influential in some ways. So, yeah, just start small, start small with plant-based eating, and go from there.” “There’s so much cruelty in the world, and animals are suffering by the billions every day. So, the problem just seems so overwhelmingly big. Figure out what unique talents you have, and then you see how you can apply that to advocating for animals.”