Hope Ferdowsian | Phoenix Rising: Pathways toward Animal and Human Liberation

Dr. Hope Ferdowsian, president of Phoenix Zones Initiatives (PZI) and a public health physician, discusses how she and her colleagues are working to dismantle the roots of oppression, exploitation, and domination harming humans and non-humans. She highlights the physical and psychological suffering and harm that animals face in food production and in research labs, and how this systematic exploitation of animals is linked to violence and conflict globally. These same systems, propped up through powerful lobbying efforts by corporate elites, also contribute to global issues like hunger, malnutrition, species extinction, climate change, and infectious diseases. Using ethics-based policy interventions within academia, public health, and intergovernmental organizations, PZI is working to transform these systems. Hope highlights the “phoenix effect” she has witnessed among human and nonhuman survivors of severe suffering who have rebounded, recovered, and healed. She shares how as practitioners and advocates of social and ecological justice we can cultivate the strength and resilience needed to facilitate that transformation for ourselves and for those in need. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/hope-ferdowsian ABOUT US The Overpopulation Podcast features enlightening conversations between Population Balance executive director Nandita Bajaj, researcher Alan Ware, and expert guests. We cover a broad variety of topics that explore the impacts of our expanding human footprint on human rights, animal protection, and environmental restoration, as well as individual and collective solutions. Learn more here: https://www.populationbalance.org/