Yes, I worked at PETA.

Long story short: PETA hired me as an Urban Marketing Coordinator in April of 2006.

I was the ONLY one handling ALL of the marketing, promotion, activist communication, and grassroots outreach for the "urban market." I was doing everything from going to various events in NYC, Cali, ATL, and Detroit to do outreach to writing and coordinating everything on our urban site. So, when the program didn't skyrocket within the first 7 months, and the money got tighter, I was cut. Of course they made up a BS reason as to why I was let go (apparently, not feeling safe enough to take the subway from Bed-Stuy to Manhattan at night to go to a party where I was to meet one of our Universal contacts was grounds for termination). I was fired in November of 2006.

Anyway, within weeks of my leaving, the site I was in charge of was totally gone. Big surprise.

PETA is good at what they do, but obviously they aren't willing to put any time, energy, or money into winning sympathies of black folk, which was clear from the undue focus they put on the Mike Vick situation. Not to say that Vick shouldn't be fucked up for what he did . But seeing that PETA already has a bad rap in the black community, you would think they would know when to shut the fuck up.

I'm still a staunch supporter of animal rights. Vegan 'til I die. But PETA can suck a horsie d*ck. If you're interested in AR issues, going veg, the horrors of animal testing and what products to stray from, I'd suggest the following sites:

The National Anti-Vivisection Society
Site for popular go-veg book, "Vegan Freak"
Site for no-nonsense guide for vegan eating, "Skinny Bitch"
Vegan Action
The Humane Society of the United States
Black vegetarian resource site
Choose Veg (dot) com

and my personal fav...

"Hip Hop for Love. Go Veg for Life"