Gary Yourofsky

Gary Yourofsky, born on August nineteenth, nineteen seventy, is a prominent American animal rights advocate, lecturer, and educator. His impactful speeches have significantly shaped contemporary veganism, particularly through his classroom lectures. One of his most renowned addresses, titled 'The Most Important Speech You Will Ever Hear,' delivered at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has amassed millions of views online and continues to resonate within the vegan activism community.

Between two thousand two and two thousand five, Yourofsky was sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and has since delivered numerous public lectures advocating for veganism. His global popularity surged in two thousand ten, especially in Israel, following the viral spread of a YouTube video showcasing his speech at Georgia Tech. This video has been translated into dozens of languages, further amplifying his message.

While Yourofsky has garnered admiration for his passionate advocacy, he has also faced criticism for his views, which some consider extreme. His activism has led to his arrest thirteen times from nineteen ninety-seven to two thousand one, including a notable incident in nineteen ninety-nine when he spent seventy-seven days in a Canadian maximum-security prison after raiding a fur farm and liberating one thousand five hundred forty-two minks. Consequently, he has been permanently banned from entering Canada and the United Kingdom.

On March thirtieth, two thousand seventeen, Yourofsky announced his retirement from activism via his Facebook page, expressing that he felt his 'tank is completely empty.' However, on May nineteenth, two thousand twenty-five, he revealed through his YouTube channel that he would be rejoining the activist community by participating in an outreach workshop with Anonymous for the Voiceless in Cologne, Germany. Since then, he has made several podcast appearances, indicating a return to activism after a decade-long hiatus.