UTPA Student in the Running for peta2 Award

Dedicated Activist Never Passes Up an Opportunity to Speak Out for Animals

For Immediate Release:
November 19, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

If you see someone handing out leaflets about the cruelty and waste of animal experimentation or asking people to steer clear of circuses that use animals, chances are that she’s University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) senior and Weslaco native Suzeii Liu Sierra. For her unwavering support and knowhow when it comes to animal rights, Sierra is in the thick of the competition to be named Street Teamer of the Year by peta2, PETA’s youth division, in the 2013 Libby Awards.

“No fight is too big or too small for Suzeii—whether it’s taking on Ringling Bros. for beating animals behind the scenes or a multinational corporation that supports factory-farm and slaughterhouse atrocities,” says PETA Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “All our nominees are winners because they’re inspiring other young people to take a stand against the abuse of animals, wherever and whenever it occurs.”

Sierra is a perfect example of a peta2 Street Teamer—someone who speaks up for animals, doesn’t back down, and stays positive. She’s part of the peta2 campus-rep program and regularly organizes fun events to spread the word about animal rights. Sierra formed Students United for Animals, which is campaigning to get more vegan options available on campus, and she regularly attends protests against Ringling, McDonald’s, and others that commit or condone animal abuse. She also persuaded her whole family to be more vegan-friendly—her mother is very happy after switching from cow’s milk to soy milk. And she hosted peta2’s compelling “Glass Walls” exhibit, named for Paul McCartney’s famous quote, “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.” The list goes on. In fact, Sierra has more than 170 completed peta2 missions—or actions to help animals—to her credit, and she’s far from done.

Voting ends on December 13. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 17. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote to help peta2 decide whom it should choose as the winners, please visit peta2.com/Libbys.