Building a Vegan Community in Puerto Rico with Anthony Martinez of Casa Vegana

What happens when vegan activism, cultural identity, community resilience, and a deep connection to home come together? In this episode of the *Main Street Vegan Podcast*, Victoria Moran speaks with **Anthony Martinez**, Executive Director and Programs Director of **Casa Vegana**, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit working to strengthen the Island’s vegan movement through education, community-building, and plant-based outreach. Casa Vegana grew out of community relief work following Hurricane María in 2017 and eventually became an autonomous nonprofit. Anthony, who had been involved in vegan education in New York, relocated to Puerto Rico in 2019 to reconnect with his roots and stepped into leadership as the organization evolved. Today, Casa Vegana is helping create a more connected and sustainable vegan community in Puerto Rico — while navigating the very real challenges of infrastructure, economics, and island life. **In This Episode** - Anthony’s journey from vegan activism in New York to building Casa Vegana in Puerto Rico - The evolution of Casa Vegana from post-Hurricane María community relief work into an autonomous nonprofit - What Puerto Rico’s vegan community looks like today — and how it is growing - Why cultural identity and Puerto Rican roots matter when building a lasting vegan movement - The unique challenges of making plant-based living accessible and practical on the Island - **Taller Vegano**, Casa Vegana’s hands-on community education program - What Anthony has learned from Puerto Ricans who are exploring plant-based living - The importance of bringing vegan people, organizations, and businesses together - Building a broader and more sustainable funding base for grassroots vegan work - How the Puerto Rican diaspora and global vegan community can support Casa Vegana - Anthony’s vision for the future of veganism in Puerto Rico - **Vegan Paradise Fest**, planned for March 7, 2027, and what it represents for the Island’s growing vegan community **About Anthony Martinez** Anthony Martinez is the Executive Director and Programs Director of **Casa Vegana**, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit dedicated to growing the Island’s vegan movement through education, community engagement, and advocacy. After working in vegan education with the Chilis on Wheels New York chapter, Anthony relocated to Puerto Rico in 2019 to reconnect with his roots. When Casa Vegana’s founder, Michelle Carrera, stepped back, Anthony took on leadership and helped transform the project into an autonomous nonprofit. During the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic, he secured Casa Vegana’s nonprofit status, helped build a board representing both the Puerto Rican diaspora and local vegan community, and kept the organization moving through consistent online programming focused on plant-based nutrition and animal rights. Today, Anthony continues working to deepen Casa Vegana’s connections throughout Puerto Rico and build a stronger, more unified vegan community on the Island. **Connect with Casa Vegana** Website: www.casaveganapr.org Facebook: Casa Vegana Instagram: @casavegana.pr **About the Main Street Vegan Podcast** Subscribe, rate, and review the *Main Street Vegan Podcast* to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion. Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, *Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi*. And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook: Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter 'MAINSTREET' in the discount box to save yourself 10%.