Meet Keyara Broom of Veganandadorable in East LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keyara Broom.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Keyara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Veganandadorable, is not just my brand but also my persona. I am indeed, vegan and adorable — and I hope through example I can inspire others. I am a vegan chef who brings awareness to the feasibility of a vegan lifestyle to POC/QTPOC through community outreach; both online and throughout LA. I started simple — posting my meals online, sharing the recipes that I have created.

But once I started receiving high volume positive feedback, I realized I could utilize my knowledge to help others! I took a large social media break, I had to heal my mindset to find the positives of social media. Once I returned and created Veganandadorable on IG and twitter, it truly allowed me to see those positives again! It allowed me to create my own little community. As I would uplift others about eating healthy, while challenging the negative stigmas of veganism; I felt like this new Vegan Rockstar! The biggest stigma I would like to conquer is the condescending tones the vegan/vegetarian community has! Change is fucking hard? Challenging your self-discipline, challenging your negative habits and replacing them with something bigger, is not an overnight change for most. I wanted to show through my brand, and through my own experiences that it is okay to take baby steps! And it’s okay to go at your own pace, especially if your intentions are to truly change and to possess a vegan lifestyle! My own journey with veganism I feel is relatable, and I wanted to use my own experiences to touch the hearts of others — live by experience; not just preach without the practice.

Has it been a smooth road?
I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. I felt I outgrew my environment. I was beginning to feel uninspired and unmotivated with my surroundings. There was this missing connection. I’m not sure if it was the overall red state mindset Arizona consumed, or if it was the normalized ideology around a lifestyle that possessed a 9 to 5 job, multiple kids from your high school sweetheart, and bored Sunday evenings. But either way, the connection was missing. I was ready to dip. I always had this connection with Los Angeles and decided to make the move. No money saved. No real plan. Just packed my favorite shit and drove. I had a friend that I was able to stay with out here. The first few months was a struggle to get my money right. LA as we all know is expensive as fuck. And financially, it really is just me. I had some serious fun bumps in the road too! Like losing my wallet. Or getting my car broken into.

Or even getting my car towed once, twice, three times a charm! LA parking it’s a doozy to say the least, especially when you’re new to the city. I struggled, big time. Financially, spiritually and emotionally to get on my feet. My friend that I was staying with left after my third almost fourth month in LA to pursue his career, and I was homeless. Homeless. In Los Angeles, California. With no siblings, no family or friends from LA, and maybe $18 in my account. But I was determined to stay. I slept in my car for almost ten weeks or so. Did the Airbnb thing often, couch surfed when I could. But this was the first time in my life where I truly allowed my state of being to be temporary. Where I truly allowed my feelings to be temporary, I knew in my heart that this was all part of the journey. I know I am destined for something bigger than this, so I allowed these hard challenges to be a part of my story.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Veganandadorable story. Tell us more about the business.
Veganandadorable targets beginners, people of color, & the queer community. Everyone and anyone is welcomed on this journey of course! But the overall goal is to create representation and teach those who don’t have the same access how to possess a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living, healthy eating is strategically placed and should be challenged and talked about. Health deserts are a real thing. So creating representation, all while providing tips and helpful methods is key. I create and provide cheap and delicious vegan recipes that use easily accessible ingredients, so others can try at home. I am here to educate people on how delicious, feasible and empowering a vegan lifestyle can be! Veganandadorable is an ego-free environment where you can learn all about veganism; it’s extremely important for people to have a positive reference that allows others to feel empowered, uplifted and educated about living a healthy lifestyle! Versus being belittled and overwhelmed. Incorporating vulnerability, the power of working towards a changed mindset, positive reinforcement, and strengthening your self-discipline are the key components to my brand. And that is what sets me apart from others. Reaching a little over 20k followers on Instagram and Twitter in less than a year is something I am proud of. Again, veganandadorable is bigger than just a company or a brand. It’s my persona that I’ve created that brings awareness to the feasibility of a vegan lifestyle.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Wow, what a cool question. I don’t like to focus too much on the future. Something new I have been trying. Living in the present is so important, and the Libra in me is constantly stressing on the future; and what I can do in order to manifest it at its fullest. But I’m thankful, and I feel in my bones that Veganandadorable will be recognizable in five years. A household name. The e-books that I’ve created and are selling now will turn into hardbacks. And my book will be sold in multiple stores. I will be doing multiple interviews, publicly speaking often. The idea of publicly speaking about my views excites me and is something I will continue to work towards. Creating a Veganandadorable line that consist of kitchenware, silverware, cutlery, totes, books and so much more. Big shifts are coming, and I am convinced. Veganism isn’t a trend, it’s a lifestyle that is here to stay. And I am excited to be apart of the movement. Especially how normalized veganism is going to be in five years? The demand, the industry, the market will be huge for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: veganandadorable.com
• Email: keybroom@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/veganandadorable
• Twitter: twitter.com/keyara_nickole

Image Credit:
Hugo Aguilar, Katia Boom, Caleon Fox

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