Gary Douglas Smith is a writer and the host of BLEAK: on the Front Lines of Suffering
About
Gary Douglas Smith has contributed essays and columns to Newsweek, Vegconomist, Common Dreams, Tricycle Magazine, Counter Currents, Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Independent, Jewish Journal, Mother Nature Network, Elephant Journal, and chapters to several books. He covers a wide range of topics on Substack.
His podcast BLEAK: on the Front Lines of Suffering is available on iTunes, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are hosted.
Gary is the co-owner of Evolotus PR, a PR agency founded in 2006, works with socially relevant companies, vegan foods, nonprofits, activist campaigns, litigation and legislation, documentary films, and nonfiction books. Helping like-minded people and businesses tell their stories, gain visibility, and generate revenue in turn creates a better, more sustainable and peaceful world.
On the nonprofit side, Evolotus has brought local, national, and international attention to some of our era’s most critical social issues including LGBTQIA+ rights, food justice, and environmental protection. Evolotus’ work on the landmark case DeBoer v. Snyder (consolidated with Obergefell v. Hodges) helped make same-sex marriage the law of the land upon the 2015 Supreme Court ruling. Evolotus has represented sanctuaries, rescues, and advocacy groups for animals exploited for food, entertainment, clothing, labor, science, and companionship – including whales, lions, chimpanzees, snakes, dogs, cats, farmed animals, and wild horses couldn’t keep us away from helping wild horses!
Gary’s alter ego is The Thinking Vegan, who blogs about ethical issues in animal rights and the vegan movement.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kezia, Envigo rescue Gabe, animal testing rescue Lilly, and Gideon the rescued African Gray.
BLEAK: on the Front Lines of Suffering was started because, well, things are bleak. Between the reelection of Donald Trump and the erosion of democracy, the genocide in Gaza that Western nations continue to ignore, the disappearing of immigrants, systemic racism, the demotion of women to second-class citizens, the war on the LGBTQIA+ community, the climate crisis, the slaughter and extinction of billions of nonhuman animals, and more, a show about, well, how bleak shit is was desperately needed.
The people and issues that have been ignored by mainstream press and the culture deserve a voice. And now they have one.
BLEAK interviews activists, authors, artists, and everyday people who create less suffering in the world through education, social and political action, inspiration, and—we hope—solutions. Many of us feel isolated, hopeless, and, well, bleak about both the present and future of this planet. Listen, and maybe you’ll feel less frightened by what’s to come. Maybe you’ll feel less alone, feel like you’re part of a community. Maybe you’ll feel like using your own voice.
YouTube, FB, IG, LinkedIn, X, Blue Sky links for podcast, Substack