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It was a freezing February day in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 2019. The NhRP’s Executive Director, Communications Director, and I had gathered outside an entertainment venue where we were holding a rally to call for freedom and sanctuary for Beulah, Karen, and Minnie–three elephants held in captivity and exploited for years in a traveling circus called the Commerford Zoo.
The Commerford Zoo hadn’t brought the elephants to this particular event, but they had transported dozens of other animals there to be exploited. This was the first rally the NhRP had ever organized, and at that time, I was still relatively new to the team. I remember being anxious about how it would go, especially with the polar vortex impacting the area. The days leading up to the rally had been bitterly cold, with heavy snow blanketing the streets and icy patches on the sidewalks, and the morning of the rally was no different. Given the terrible weather, I thought maybe a handful of the most dedicated people would show up.
But as we arrived at the DCU Center, bundled up in layers and still shivering, I saw people steadily gathering—more and more of them. Over 100 supporters came out in below-freezing temperatures to stand with us and speak out for the elephants and all the animals inside. It was both humbling and inspiring. People held signs, handed out flyers to people who passed by, and chanted for freedom—voices rising in unison over the biting wind: “Free Beulah!” “Free Minnie!” “Free Karen!”
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I remember looking around at the crowd, everyone’s cheeks red from the cold, gloves clutching posters, and feeling a powerful mix of awe and gratitude. The passion, the shared purpose, the courage: it moved me in a way I didn’t expect. They showed up. They—we—stood together outside a circus that profited from exploitation and demanded better.
That evening, as the sun went down and the temperature dropped even lower, many of those same people stayed for our candlelight vigil. Artist Colleen Plumb projected video footage of elephants onto the side of the DCU Center—videos that showed the stark contrast between how cognitively, emotionally, and socially complex elephants are and their suffering in captivity. Attendees stood quietly in the near-dark, candles in hand. We were together in silence, honoring not just Beulah, Karen, and Minnie, but all elephants still enduring lives of confinement.
That night became a turning point for me. Until then, I’d believed deeply in our mission. But in Worcester, I felt it—through the voices, the faces, the outstretched hands, and the shared heartbreak and hope. I felt how many people stand with us and our clients and how powerful we can be when we come together. That day reminded me that this movement isn’t just about legal arguments or campaigns—it’s about compassion, solidarity, and the unshakable belief that these beings deserve freedom.
Every time you show up to this cause , you’re helping to build the nonhuman rights community and movement. You’re why we can keep going, even when circumstances are difficult. This week, your impact can go even further. Through May 30th, a longstanding member of the NhRP community, someone who’s shown up for our clients time and time again, has generously offered to match all donations to the NhRP up to $5,000. That means any gift you make in the next week will be doubled:
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Whether you can donate today or not, thank you for being part of a community that shows up for nonhuman animals–no matter the obstacles. Your commitment means everything.
Courtney Fern
Director of Government Relations, the NhRP
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The NhRP is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation (Tax ID #: 04-3289466). It is solely through your donations that we can continue to work for the recognition and protection of fundamental rights for nonhuman animals.
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