A McDonough woman has a shot at winning a national contest, and the online votes of friends and supporters can give her a big boost toward making it happen.
Kesha Pressley is one of 20 finalists competing for the title of “Sexiest Vegan Next Door” in a contest sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She is one of two Atlanta-area residents with a chance at winning a free vacation for two to Hawaii.
The 43-year-old Pressley is an Air Force veteran who was injured during military service and has spent the past two decades working full-time as what she called “service connected” and has done that in a variety of situations.
“I became a mom after [military service], and since then I’ve just devoted my time to volunteer service,” she said.
That service includes helping PETA check on animals living in poor conditions or abusive situations, and also helping another organization by transporting dogs and cats to their adoptive homes, typically traveling between Henry County and Macon with the animals as needed. According to PETA officials, she once jumped into a pond to help save a dying, injured duck before safely transporting him to a wildlife center.
She is active with Atlanta-based Veterans Molding Minds, which among other things helps veterans through education and assistance in re-entering the work force. She encouraged the staff members there to take a 30-day vegan challenge, and that action was one of the things that got the attention of PETA contest officials.
It was health concerns that led Pressley a decade ago to take the first steps to becoming a vegan. She was 32 years old and got a report about having high cholesterol, a topic she really didn’t understand at the time.
“They told me it was from animal fat, and when I delved into the research I removed all meat from my diet,” she said. “It was about the same time I became a marathon runner, and those two habits dropped my cholesterol level 30 points in two months.”
When she started volunteering for PETA, she thought it was a contradiction to do that work while still consuming animal byproducts, food and otherwise.
“When I saw the impact on animals and how they were being treated, along with what I was putting into my body, I just couldn’t represent them and eat animals,” she said. “I don’t judge people who do; I’m not an extremist. I just wanted to represent them properly.”
That means eliminating all animal byproducts from her life. Instead of Omega-3 or a similar product made from fish oil, she uses a supplement made from algae.
“I don’t even have leather shoes,” she said. “Anything made from animals is not in my house.”
Locally, Pressley is involved with Atlanta Southside Runners and Moms On The Run, which allow her to enjoy her athletic pursuits with like-minded people in the area.
“I do these things to stay social and stay active,” she said. “They’ve been a huge part of my life, along with the activism.”
To say she was surprised at her selection as a contest finalist is an understatement.
“I know the trendy thing nowadays is this whole vegan movement specifically with millennials,” she said, adding that she learned of the contest while at PETA and scrolled through Instagram to check out past contestants. “I never thought they would call me, mainly because of my age. But I’ve got nothing to lose. I know my passion. I’ve been a vegan since 2009. I thought, ‘Why not me?’”
Pressley “has been dedicated to helping others improve their health and save animals’ lives by choosing vegan meals,” according to PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman. “All the finalists in PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door contest prove that there’s nothing sexier than making the world a kinder place.”
Voting is underway to help PETA determine the winners, and it ends May 13 at noon. The winners — who will be selected based on several factors, including vote count – will be announced May 20. This is the first year that the contest is gender neutral. To cast a vote for Pressley, click here or Facebook page and use the link.
