Downtown L.A. D.J. is a Finalist in PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door Contest

TV Host, Budding Entrepreneur Says Her Health Improved After She Kicked the Meat and Dairy Habit

For Immediate Release:
April 23, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Los Angeles — PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013 contest is down to the wire, and 35-year-old Los Angeles resident Asra Iftekaruddin could take home the grand prize. That’s because she has beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 female contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one female and one male) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

“Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets,” says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. “On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too.”

Iftekaruddin went vegan three years ago after visiting a farm sanctuary in Acton, Calif., and seeing the rescued animals firsthand. Although her motivation for the switch was based on ethics, she shed a few unwanted pounds and lowered her cholesterol by a whopping 45 points. Several of her family members and friends have also gone vegan, including one woman whose migraines disappeared after she stopped eating meat and dairy products. Iftekaruddin is a D.J. hosts a weekly heavy metal TV-radio show on TradioV and makes it a point to talk about her healthy vegan lifestyle. A top-notch baker with a degree in marketing, she’s planning to launch her own line of vegan baked goods. She enjoys music, yoga, reading, hiking, and attending animal rights actions, including the ones that led to West Hollywood’s becoming the first city in the country to ban fur.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.