Silver Spring Man Is a Finalist in PETA’s ‘Sexiest Vegan Next Door’ Contest

Former College Football Player Loses 50 Pounds, Runs Marathon After Switching to Healthy Diet

For Immediate Release:
April 22, 2014

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2014 contest is down to the wire, and 40-year-old Silver Spring resident Kimatni Rawlins could take home the grand prize. That’s because he has beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners—one male and one female—will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com.

“Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save the lives of more than 100 animals a year,” says PETA Special Projects Manager Alicia Woempner. “On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too.”

Rawlins—who earned the nickname “K-Raw” because of his love for fresh fruits and vegetables and who travels the world test-driving new vehicles—attended Georgia Tech on a football scholarship. He went vegan after watching the documentary film Forks Over Knives and never looked back. “My doctor began asking me for advice,” says Rawlins, whose wife and daughters followed in his footsteps. “I lost 50 pounds, ran a marathon, can bench my college max of 405 pounds, and compete in 5Ks and half-marathons monthly. I have so much energy that on most days, I work out twice.” Rawlins started a group on Facebook called Vegan Pro and launched a 45-day Vegan Pro Challenge. He also started a website called Fit Fathers, which teaches men to be better cooks, leaders, and members of their households. Rawlins’ vegan role model is Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at noon EDT on May 2. PETA will select the winners based on several factors, including vote count. See the full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 6.

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