Everywhere in the world,
we can observe
and be touched
by acts of kindness.
People from all walks of
life, faiths, and cultures
extend themselves
beyond the call of duty
to help others
unconditionally.
Through their noble deeds,
humanity as a whole
is elevated.
To commend
virtuous actions and
encourage more people
to be inspired
by their examples,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
has lovingly created
a series of awards,
including the Shining
World Leadership
Award, Shining World
Compassion Award,
Shining World Hero and
Heroine Awards, Shining
World Honesty Award,
Shining World Protection
Award, Shining World
Intelligence Award,
and Shining World
Inventor Award,
to recognize some
of the most exemplary,
generous, caring,
and courageous people
who walk amongst us.
When I was in college
I got an unsolicited piece
of mail from PETA
(People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals),
and it talked about
animals in factory farms,
and I had no idea.
I thought I loved animals,
(Yes)
but I still ate them, (Yes)
and when I saw what
goes on in factory farms
I instantly
went vegetarian,
and that began my path
of becoming vegan,
becoming an animal
rights attorney and
making films for animals.
Shannon Keith
of Los Angeles, USA
is a vegan,
animal-rights advocate,
attorney and award-
winning film director.
Having grown up in
a house full of animals,
Ms. Keith has always
had a special bond
with our fellow beings
and a heartfelt desire
to help them.
On her way to becoming
an animal-rights attorney,
Shannon Keith
discovered a better,
quicker way to provide
a voice for the voiceless.
I was in law school and
I actually showed people
some documentation
about animals
used for fur,
used in vivisection, and
animals on factory farms,
and the people in my class
did not believe it.
They said,
“No that’s not true; that
doesn’t go on anymore.”
So the next day
I am walking through the
hallways of law school
and this one student
came up to me,
he was the most vocal in
the class the day before,
and he said, “Shannon,
I have to apologize.
Last night at two
in the morning I was
flipping the channels
and I ran across
a documentary called
‘Lethal Medicine.’”
And “Lethal Medicine”
is a very old
documentary about
vivisection and he said,
“Oh, my goodness,
I can’t believe
what you said was true.”
And I thought, “Wow,
he had to see it on TV
to believe it,” and
that’s when I realized the
power of the media, and
that this was a great way
to reach people.
In 2004, Ms. Keith
founded the non-profit
group Animal Rescue
Media & Education,
which rescues and
re-homes wonderful
animal companions
such as dogs and cats and
makes documentaries to
raise public awareness
about animal abuse and
exploitation in the USA
and elsewhere
in the world.
She also founded
her own production
company,
Uncaged Films, which
partners with
animal Rescue Media &
Education in producing
the documentaries.
Her first film,
“Behind the Mask,”
about people who risk
their lives and freedom
to save animals, took
three years to complete,
has won several awards
including
best documentary feature
at festivals in the US
and Italy, and
has been translated into
12 languages.
The film has
generated waves of
worldwide support from
animal lovers and those
who hadn’t previously
considered the oppressive
circumstances that
animals may face.
Thousands of people
emailed me and said
their lives changed
after they saw
“Behind the Mask.”
They went vegan,
they were re-inspired
with their activism.
I had such great responses
that I thought
this is the way to do it,
this is the way
to change the world.
Fully seeing the power
of the media,
Shannon Keith went on
to produce a second
documentary,
the “Skin Trade,” which
uncovers the horrendous
truth behind the leather
and fur industries, from
the birth of their helpless
victims to their ends as
blood-stained garments.
I was so thrilled
with the responses to
“Behind the Mask”
and knew what impact
that film made, that I
of course wanted to make
a second documentary
about animals.
I decided on
the fur and fashion
industries because
fur is one of those things
that there is
just no argument for.
Fur for vanity,
that’s ridiculous.
It should be gone
and over with it by now.
I made “Skin Trade”
so that people can see
what goes on,
how animals are killed
for fur and how they can
make a change
and stop the brutal
fur and fashion industries.
In recognition of
Ms. Keith’s
outstanding efforts to
produce enlightening
documentaries such as
“Skin Trade” to uplift
society’s consciousness
and rescuing
homeless animals,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
honored her
with the Shining World
Compassion Award
along with a contribution
of US$10,000 to further
Animal Rescue Media
& Education’s noble,
life-saving mission.
The following is
an excerpt from
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
loving letter
to Ms. Keith:
As an animal-rights
attorney and
film producer, you have
used your award-winning
talents to expose
the disturbing truth
behind the glamour
of fur.
Skin Trade depicts
the atrocities made by the
leather and fur industries
in their quest to
maximize profits
without respect for life.
By using prominent
film stars who
support kindness and
humane justice,
this documentary is sure
to reach the hearts of
millions of people,
promoting change at the
grassroots level and thus
a stop to animal cruelty.
Recognizing that
education is the key to
elevating humankind and
stopping the barbaric
killing of billions of
animals, you have
heroically dedicated your
life to animal welfare.
As a long-time
vegetarian, then vegan,
you exemplify love
and how it can be
put into action.
You are a superb example
of how one woman can
make a real difference
to the lives of so many,
and inspire a cast of
like-minded souls
to change the world.
For selflessly sacrificing
for the wellbeing of
animals, for your vision,
wisdom, creativity and
ideals and for being
a dedicated and noble
role model, we hereby
applaud and celebrate
the compassionate deeds
of Shannon Keith,
founder of Animal Rescue
Media & Education.
With Great Honor,
Love and Blessings,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
Wow!
Thank you so much.
I’m crying.
That was so beautiful.
I don’t even know…
I’m speechless right now.
It’s so giving
and wonderful of
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
and she’s such
a beautiful spirit and
someone that so many
people look up to.
And just being around
her message and
people that follow her,
is such a great feeling
and uplifting feeling of
spirituality and beauty
and compassion
and veganism.
And this means so much
to me, because
I have dedicated my life
to helping animals.
And
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
I cannot thank her
enough for recognizing
this and for giving me
this noble award.
I’m really, really
honored.
On behalf of
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
our local Association
members presented
Ms. Keith with
the Shining World
Compassion Award
plaque, a check for
US$10,000 and
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
#1 international
best-selling books,
the “Dogs In My Life,”
“The Birds In My Life”
and “The Noble Wilds,”
along with a selection of
her poetry, music, other
books, DVDs and CDs.
Wow….
thank you,
this is gorgeous!
Oh my goodness,
I I am so honored.
Thank you,
this is so beautiful!
I will display this proudly
in my office, and
I’ll bring it with me
wherever I go.
Thank you.
This is gorgeous!
I… I’m just… I’m
so honored and blessed.
The generous check that
Supreme Master Ching Hai
has awarded me
and my organization
is going to go, of course,
towards saving
more animals since
that is my life’s work.
That is what I do.
And there’s a lot of
different ways that we’re
going to use the check.
Number one will be
to continue production
on my third film, which
we’re in production with
now.
It’s called “Sanctuary.”
And it’s the story of
five primates in captivity.
And we’re going to
tell their stories and
teach the audience about
animal experimentation
and about animals
in entertainment and
why that is wrong.
And this check is
just amazing.
It’s going to help us
get this movie done and
complete and out there
and save primates.
So we’re so excited.
(Wonderful.)
Yes, and I also want to
dedicate part of the check
to hands-on saving
of animals.
And a new project that
we just started is called
the “Beagle Freedom
Project.”
And we are now
saving beagles from
laboratory research.
Basically, once they’ve
been used, unfortunately,
by the medical industry
they usually kill
these animals.
And I have
an inside source who
was telling me that when
they’re ready to do that
that they’re able to
release them to me
instead.
So we started this project
where we can go
get them and provide
them with homes.
And it’s been
so rewarding, so some of
the check will go directly
towards the saving
of those animals too.
While sharing her dreams
and visions for the future
of Animal Rescue Media
& Education,
Ms. Keith revealed
an exciting outcome
from the release of
“Skin Trade.”
I’d love my organization
to just get
bigger and bigger and
save as many animals as
we can in as many ways
as possible.
As it is now, I am still
touring the globe with
“Skin Trade” and
showing that movie
all over the place.
And it’s just been
wonderful.
And actually
a great success of
“Skin Trade” has been
the passage of the Truth
in Fur Labeling Act.
That was something
that we highlighted
in the movie and
(President Barack)
Obama just signed it,
which means that when
people buy a product
that’s labeled, “fake fur”
or “faux fur” and
it’s under US$150,
it must be labeled where
the furs come from
because they are not
synthetic.
They are dog and cat fur
that come from China.
So now it’s required
so people actually know
what they are purchasing
and they won’t buy that
anymore.
So that was
a huge breakthrough.
Here are some kind
parting words from
Shannon Keith.
Supreme Master Ching Hai,
I cannot
thank you enough for
everything you’ve done,
not only for myself and
my organization
but for all the animals
around the world.
You are one of the most
honorable and noble
women that I know.
And even though we’ve
never met personally
I feel like I know you.
You are in my heart
and my soul and what
you are doing for me,
and all of the animals is
just, is so commendable.
Again,
our heartfelt thanks,
Shannon Keith
for making it your life’s
work to encourage people
to treat animals as
our brothers and sisters.
You are to be applauded
for your courageous
legal efforts to safeguard
animals’ rights,
tireless work rescuing
injured and homeless
animals and
profound filmmaking
For more information
on Animal Rescue
Media & Education,
please visit:
The “Behind the Mask”
and “Skin Trade” DVDs
are available at
Altruistic viewers,
thank you for joining us
today on our program.
Coming up next is
Enlightening
Entertainment
after Noteworthy News.
May God bless
all the animals
with whom we share
our beautiful planet.