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Karen DawnAnimal rights and welfare advocate, writer.
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Karen Dawn
- Early Life and Education
- Music and Activism
- DawnWatch.com
- Advocacy and Awards
- Writing and Public Speaking
- Books
Karen Dawn
Karen Dawn is an advocate for animal rights and well-being, as well as an author and musician.
Early Life and Education
Dawn was born in the United States and raised and educated in Australia. She earned a psychology degree from the University of New South Wales. She began her career in media with Australia's national news television program, The 7.30 Report on ABC.
Music and Activism
Dawn's interest in music led her to move to New York City, where she established herself as a singer-songwriter in the early 1990s. She has spoken at national animal-rights conferences, including the annual Taking Action for Animals conference in Washington, D.C., and has appeared on major television networks to discuss animal-related issues.
DawnWatch.com
In 1999, Dawn founded DawnWatch.com, a listserv to support animal-rights activists and interact with the media.
Advocacy and Awards
Dawn served on the committee of the Genesis Awards from 2001 to 2004 and returned as a consultant in 2006. She promoted media coverage of the plight of animals during Hurricane Katrina and wrote the article "Best Friends Need Shelter, Too" for The Washington Post. She also spoke out about the media's neglect of the animal disaster in an interview with the New York Times. The following year, she participated in a live broadcast on Washington Post Radio, discussing Katrina's animal victims and the need for policy changes regarding animals in disasters.
Dawn served as official press secretary for Proposition 2, a voter-initiative measure that altered animal confinement standards. In 2008, she received the Outstanding Activist for Farm Animals Award. She supports mandatory spay/neuter of pit bulls but strongly opposes breed-specific bans.
Writing and Public Speaking
Dawn hosts animal-related talk shows on Houston's Pacifica station, KPFT, and Los Angeles Pacifica station, KPFK. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, and The Guardian. She contributed to anthologies such as "Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?: Reflections on the Liberation of Animals" by Steven Best and "In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave" by Peter Singer.
Books
Dawn's first book, "Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals," was published in 2008. She promotes animal rights in a positive and approachable manner, declaring, "There is no reason that animal rights cannot be positive and appealing."
