Tabitha Brown's Mission to Spread "Love and Compassion for All Living Things" on TikTok and Beyond — Exclusive
“I want to start a movement of people loving and respecting each other and all living things,” Tabitha Brown says.
Updated May 27 2020, 3:11 p.m. ET
“I want to start a movement of people loving and respecting each other and all living things,” Tabitha Brown tells Green Matters — a message that she radiates in each one of her TikTok videos, whether she’s showing viewers how to turn carrots into bacon or lovingly telling them to "Have a good day, and if you can’t, don’t go messing up nobody else’s!"
If you aren’t familiar with Brown, or Tab, as she likes to be called, she’s a social media personality, actress, and vegan recipe creator with millions of followers — primarily on TikTok, but on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, too. She is best known for posting videos featuring her flavor-packed vegan meals, her perpetual positive attitude, and of course, her A+ catchphrases.
To learn more about Tabitha Brown’s rise to fame, how she always manages to stay so positive, and where she’s headed next, we recently caught up with the TikTok queen herself.
Where is Tabitha Brown from?
Originally from Eden, N.C., Brown grew up with a hunter for a grandfather, eating any and all animals who passed through her family’s kitchen. Now based in LA, Brown has been joyfully vegan since 2017, and she credits the lifestyle with clearing up the chronic health issues she had been facing, including a permanent, year-and-seven-month-long migraine, as she explained in a video for BuzzFeed’s Goodful. Watching the Netflix documentary What the Health about 2.5 years ago inspired Brown to start eating plant-based. After just 10 days, her headaches had completely cleared up, and she knew she’d be sticking with the vegan lifestyle.
In December of that year, a few months after going vegan, Brown filmed herself chomping down on a tasty Whole Foods vegan breakfast sandwich, and posted the footage on social media. The video went viral that day, and it catapulted Brown into internet fame. Since then, Brown, who is based in LA, has made videos with BuzzFeed, garnered more than 3 million followers on TikTok, signed with CAA as an actress, and become known as “America’s Mom” on the internet.
Tabitha Brown’s positive approach is what makes her unique.
In Brown’s current TikTok and Instagram videos, which are a mix of easy vegan recipes and musings on life, she makes veganism approachable thanks to her calming Southern accent, her relaxed, compassionate demeanor (often reassuring viewers with a comforting “that’s your business” or “like so like that”), and her positive attitude. But how on Earth does she manage to stay so positive all the time, especially amidst the coronavirus pandemic?
“I think the thing the world is missing most is love and compassion,” Brown tells Green Matters in an email. “So my mission is to spread that the best way I can. I want to start a movement of people loving and respecting each other and all living things.”
Tabitha Brown is proud to be “America’s mom.”
Brown’s star has been rising ever since she ate that TTLA sandwich, but it’s really exploded during COVID-19 quarantines — meaning Brown is constantly on the receiving end of encouraging messages from fans. When asked if followers often contact her to say that she’s inspired them to go vegan, or at least think about their impact more, she tells Green Matters, “[Oh my god] honey, everyday!”
“My mind is blown with so many people saying I’ve inspired them to go vegan or they are eating more veggies and less meat!” Brown continues. “I also get tons of fans saying that my voice and messages really help their anxiety and help them feel comfort. That makes my entire soul happy!”
Here’s Tabitha Brown’s advice for going vegan.
So for those followers who feel inspired to look into veganism after watching her videos, Brown has some advice.
“Know your why! Why do you want to do it? Make sure it really means something to you,” she advises. “Once you start, take it day by day and don’t be hard on yourself!"
In addition to the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet, going vegan is the most meaningful lifestyle change individuals can make to lower their environmental impact, according to a 2018 landmark study by the University of Oxford. Not to mention, an estimated 70 million land animals and trillions of fish are killed every year, and taking animal products off your plate means you’ll no longer be contributing to those statistics.
“It’s really amazing for people, animals and the planet!” Brown says of the vegan lifestyle. “It’s a win win for everyone!”
Tabitha Brown’s most popular recipe is her carrot bacon…
...but carrot bacon is actually not her favorite recipe she’s created.
“I have so many favorites,” she says, “but I love my Caribbean style jackfruit tacos!” In the recipe, canned jackfruit is transformed into vegan chicken thanks to the right combination of seasonings, a simple sauté, and all the fixings.
As for people first dipping their toes into the vegan waters, Brown recommends veganizing your favorite meals. “I always tell [people] to think of their favorite non-vegan food and try to make or find the vegan version!”
What’s next for Tabitha Brown?
Brown is currently developing a scripted comedy TV show based on her life that she will also star in, writing a cookbook, working on her own collection of kitchen must haves, and more. But even with her career moving at the speed of light, she has no intention of leaving her social media followers in the dust. When listing all of her current and future ventures, she proudly tells Green Matters: “Most importantly, I’m still spreading love and light on all platforms!”
