Dear John,

Thank you to the hundreds of people who joined us today on social media to express your appreciation for elephants and why you support their right to live freely. Here are some highlights from across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Thank you also to artist Colleen Plumb, who talked with us on Zoom about her important and inspiring work to help people imagine the suffering of elephants imprisoned in zoos and their need for freedom: “I turn on the projector and they’re all here [with me]. All of these elephants are here, and when I do [my projections] out in the landscape, I almost feel like their energy is there ... it’s almost like they’re free for a moment.” Watch the video recording here. 

For the Nonhuman Rights Project, appreciating elephants means recognizing and protecting their right to live freely. In the words of Bronx Supreme Court Justice Alison Y. Tuitt in Happy’s case, we should treat elephants “with respect and dignity.” Only then will they be able to thrive—not merely survive. 

If you’re in a position to do so, please consider making a one-time or recurring donation to the NhRP today so we can continue to fight for a world where elephants can be elephants: self-aware, autonomous beings who empathize with others, cooperate to solve problems and make decisions, teach and learn from each other, engage in complex communication, possess distinct cultures, grieve the deaths of their loved ones, and so much more. 

Thank you as always!

Mickey Suzuki
Development Director, the NhRP