Cleveland's Nzinga Young Brings Meditative Approach to Her Vegan Lifestyle

Her journey began in silence at a 10-day retreat where she connected deeply with the precept of doing no harm, planting the seed for her fully vegan path — but today, Nzinga Young is outspoken about her choice in diet. On her social media channels, Young shows how she navigates a world not necessarily built for ethical vegans. Sometimes, she's finding unique ways to navigate a Cleveland food festival or rib cook-off, while in other videos, she's shining a light on established vegan eats in Northeast Ohio. The Clevelander bridges a gap by creating content, building community and encouraging change. With over 100,000 social media followers, she proves a plant-based life is not only possible but powerful.

Q: What does your work as a vegan influencer consist of?

A: I create content for different vegan brands to highlight their vegan-friendly services and offerings and promote them to a wider vegan-friendly audience.

Q: What are your favorite vegan spots in Cleveland?

A: I love Beet Jar as a grab-and-go option. They (recently opened) a location in Van Aken. I’m grabbing a sandwich there all the time. Cloak and Dagger is my favorite vegan restaurant. I like the vibe, that it’s always busy, I like everything about the design and the food. The Vegan Doughnut Company doughnuts are better than the vegan doughnuts in New York.

Q: How did you start your journey toward a vegan lifestyle?

A: I was raised a vegetarian as my mom was very health-conscious. I had a bit of a head start towards veganism, being raised in a vegetarian household.

Q: When did you first decide to become vegan and why did you choose that path?

A: I went vegan in 2016, and it came from a meditation practice called Vipassana. When you do Vipassana meditation, you go away for 10 days on a silent retreat with five agreements. One of the agreements is no killing, which means I can’t kill, and while we’re there, we also cannot pay for other people to kill on our behalf. After my second retreat, I decided to keep those promises.

Q: What does being vegan mean to you?

A: Historically, the word vegan is rooted in avoiding harm to animals and a belief that we don’t have to kill animals in order for us to live comfortable lives. I still keep that same traditional belief and draw towards veganism.

Q: What would you say to those who are interested in eating less animal-based products and are looking for a healthier lifestyle but don’t know where to start?

A: It could start with an agreement not to buy meat anymore, that’s a really great first step, and declare that you’ll keep a vegetarian or vegan home. It can help you become more creative in your own cooking environment and make the transition a bit more gradual, while still allowing meat outside of the house.

Q: As an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, what is your main goal when filming and posting your content?

A: On all platforms, the intention is to show the reality of existing as an ethical vegan in a non-vegan world and how to navigate that and accept that the world isn’t set up specifically for us. We can still engage, find food and socialize normally. The hope is that it inspires people if they are considering going vegan. You can look at my videos and see how I navigate fairly well, and maybe you could do it too.

Discover the best of Cleveland’s thriving vegan scene in our full online guide.

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.

Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.