Name: Yerika
Location: Bolingbrook, Illinois
Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Yerika now resides in Bolingbrook, Illinois, where she whips up delicious vegan cupcakes at her bakery, Azucar Vegan Bakery. With mouthwatering flavors such as the Colombiano Coffee Cupcake and Chocolate Amor, she says she is "[s]aving the world one cupcake at a time."
There's much more to this multifaceted beauty: Yerika is also a makeup artist, photographer, dental assistant, and substance-abuse counselor. Another one of her many talents is advocating for animal rights. Yerika says, "I like when people—strangers, friends, or family—come to me and ask me, how can I be vegan like you? What can I do to help animals?" Yerika once convinced a friend to go vegan on the spot after teaching her about the horrible abuses suffered by pigs on factory farms.
But her compassion for animals doesn't stop there! You can also find her protesting circuses, puppy mills, and KFC. Yerika adopted her loyal mutt dog Zeus from a shelter and speaks out about the importance of always spaying and neutering companion animals.
PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door says that "going vegan was the best decision I have ever made," because "I sleep better at night," now that "my body and my conscience are clean." Join Yerika by ordering a free vegan starter kit today.
Name: John
Location: Wakefield, Rhode Island
Sound the alarm! John from Wakefield, Rhode Island, torched the competition to become the Sexiest Vegan Next Door for 2013. When this firefighter isn't putting out blazes, you may find him cooking vegan meals for his fellow firefighters at the Warwick Fire Department. John has even convinced a few other firefighters to go vegan, too!
Following the advice of his doctor, John decided to ditch all animal products in order to avoid heart disease. John reports that his cholesterol dropped considerably to 141 and continues to remain at a healthy level. And he says, "all of the little health annoyances I lived with for years have pretty much disappeared as well. … I feel as good as I've ever felt in my life."
When John is off duty, you can find him singing in a rock band, watching the Patriots, or just hanging out at the beach with his wife and three children. They make compassion toward animals a family affair, too. John says that "my first date with my wife consisted of us rescuing a turtle from the road over 20 years ago."
Join our heroic Sexiest Vegan Next Door by going vegan today. Order a free vegan starter kit now!