Week of Representing: Miyoko Schinner

Welcome, welcome to Beans' third blog post in its Week of Representation (which you can read about by clicking here, and which is in honor of the documentary "Miss Representation").

Miyoko Schinner

So very, very happy to feature the work of BeanUpTheNoseArt's great friend and supporter, Miyoko Schinner.

A woman knows how to get things done.

Like, wow.

Where do we start?

Okay, first of all, she is an amazing CrossFit athlete and Masters competitor. She is strong and fast and determined. Oh, and by the way, she has three kids, from mid-teens to just-turned-21.

Miyoko is also a gifted actress. And she's been an entrepreneurial business woman for decades: as a master vegan chef. She's written books, and taught classes with and for the best of them.

And last summer, she began pairing her acting and vegan cooking passions in "Miyoko's Kitchen," a series of videos she's produced through the Marin Community Media Center.

And voila: "Miyoko's Kitchen" is now one of three finalists in the "Informational Lifestyle" category for this year's Western Access Video Excellence awards. (Which will be announced next week, on October 8. GO, MIYOKO!!!)

And she's gotten an agent :)

Oh, and she's got another book coming out. And will be teaching at the World Vegetarian Festival this Sunday in San Francisco, speaking about the global footprint of your food choices at the same time that she'll be whipping up a mean pot of gumbo.

Miyoko's goal is to take vegan cooking to the mainstream, in ways that are accessible, approachable, and not scary. She turned almost-completely- a-vegan at around age 12, and then dropped dairy from her diet 30 years ago and has not looked back. Miyoko likes to practice "teaching without preaching," and loves the way that people are beginning to explore diet options based on environmental concerns, changing health habits and all sorts of great reasons.

All photos here are from Miyoko's awesome website, which we're hoping you'll check out here.

Go, go, go, Miyoko!!! Good luck on your new publications, your classes, your video award, and all the other good things you do!!! You are an inspiration to us all. YOU ROCK!!!!