Ways to Give
Compassion Collective Member Spotlight

Autumn Walters and Shawn Phillips

Autumn recently shared something with me that she wrote when she was 10 years old. It was a story about how she ran into “the pig killing place,” picked up a pig, and then ran home with the animal. This did not surprise me one bit. From the moment I met Autumn it was clear she was an animal activist to the core. And her partner, Shawn, has the same fire burning inside him. They are here to help animals, first and foremost. Together, they run Lip Service, a vegan clothing company that sends out a Mercy For Animals sticker and info about our work with each order. Within the inspiring community of passionate Compassion Collective advocates—each making an incredible impact in their own way—Shawn and Autumn truly stand out, embodying the spirit and dedication that define our mission each and every day. Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know them and witnessing their unwavering commitment firsthand. I’m excited for you to learn more about these remarkable activists and the meaningful work they do. I hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as I have.

Q – Tell us about yourselves and how you became interested in animal issues.

A – We were both raised vegetarian and knew killing animals was wrong. With that comes the belief to treat everyone and everything the way you want to be treated in this one life we have. Our families include an activist member of the vegetarian society and folks in the hippie movement. So with our meat-free upbringing we both really love being a part of this community.

Q – What does being in the Compassion Collective mean to you?

A – The Compassion Collective is collective compassion! We really love being a part of a community that has the same goals in mind. Together making bigger changes feels easier than trying to do it all alone. On that note, for anyone in the Pacific Northwest, we’d love to connect to share ideas and even have a nice vegan meal together!

Q – You are what I consider an activist power couple. How did you two find each other?

A – Thanks, though not sure we feel that way—LOL. We met at the goth club in San Francisco but then later connected through a dating app, as both of our profiles had “vegan” in the descriptions. It’s really nice having a partner who not only has your same values in life but loves the same music, fashion, and—of course—nature as you do. We are a perfect match and soon to be married if we can find the time to plan it!

Q – What part of Mercy For Animals’ work is closest to your heart?

A – We are a big fan of the undercover investigations and that they lead to things like billboards in Times Square and other ways to show to the general public the truth. Holding companies that use animals for profit publicly accountable for their actions and spreading the word and knowledge that being vegan can make a change in not only the climate but in your personal life and, most importantly, the animals’ lives.

Q – What is the most important thing activists can do?

A – For us the most important thing is to always try the little things. We put flyers and stickers up when we can. We do fundraisers on our social media for the animal rights movement, follow and like everything we support online… One big thing is to not get overwhelmed by the amount of speciesism there is in this world—just focus on making a difference one day at a time. Lastly, we are including Mercy For Animals in our estate planning because we don’t have kids and hope that future generations can live in peace with nature.

This is the sticker Lip Service sends with every order!