Angela Grimes of Born Free USA: “One of the most powerful things that everyone can do is examine our own actions and attitudes towards animals and the environment”
One of the most powerful things that everyone can do is examine our own actions and attitudes towards animals and the environment and make changes to live in a way that limits our negative impact on them. These might include small changes such as committing to avoid industries that exploit animals, such as circuses, zoos, and the exotic pet trade. Alternatively, it could be bolder lifestyle changes such as volunteering with an animal welfare or conservation nonprofit. Our potential for impact is limitless — we just need to take that first step.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Angela Grimes.
Angela Grimes is Born Free USA’s Chief Executive Officer. She has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Inspired by observing wildlife living freely in their jungle homes while volunteering for a sea turtle project in Costa Rica, Angela moved from arts administration to wildlife protection, where she has served in senior and executive level positions since 2004. She has a degree from Drake University. She has served on the boards of directors of several arts and animal welfare organizations and is currently on the board of EarthShare.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit how you grew up?
I grew up in a Midwestern factory town with two working parents. I walked to elementary school alone and played outside until my mother yelled out the door to come home for dinner. We went camping most summer weekends and spent the days water skiing on the lake. It was the typical (romanticized) Generation X middle class childhood.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
As a leading wildlife charity, Born Free USA opposes the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaigns to keep them where they belong — in the wild. We promote Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. We seek to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world. Born Free USA also operates one of the largest primate sanctuaries in the United States, which is home to around 400 monkeys; many rescued from abuse in roadside zoos, as pets in private homes, or retired from animal experimentation.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
The foundation for my compassion for animals started to form when I was young and spent time at my great aunt Dorothy’s farm in Nebraska. I played with the chickens and barn cats and made friends with a lamb that I bottle-fed. While I wouldn’t have been able to articulate it back then, I learned that animals are sentient beings and made the connection between the food on my plate and the living beings it had once been.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I was working at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with people highly passionate about classical music. I enjoyed my job, but I wanted to find the cause that spoke to me in the same way music spoke to them. I had been an off-and-on vegetarian for many years and volunteered for a cat shelter. I thought animal welfare could be my calling. The catalyst for making the change from arts administration to animal welfare was a volunteer trip to Costa Rica, where I worked on a sea turtle protection project. I was surrounded by wildlife in their natural habitats. Howler monkeys woke me up each morning. When I left my boots to dry on a sunny rock, I would find an iguana draped across them — I had taken her rock! My “ah ha” realization was that I was in their home, and they deserved to be free and undisturbed. That’s when I knew I need to work to make the world a better place for animals.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
There is an endless string of stories about the direct rescue and care at our primate sanctuary. Every one of these stories is special. For example, in 2018, we took in three monkeys from animal experimentation. Creed, Oscar, and Dawkins had spent their entire lives in steel cages, and it was an amazing feeling to watch them step onto grass, climb and sit in the top of a tree, and even just feel the sun on their faces for the very first time in their lives. Last year, we rescued five monkeys — Mrs. Wilkin, Anna, Marlin, Violet, and Presley — from a horrendous roadside zoo. These animals had been confined, neglected, and abused for their entire lives. But, over the past year, we have watched them grow stronger, more confident, and happy in their spacious, natural sanctuary home. Then, there are the monkeys, like long-tailed macaque Gilbert, who were kept as pets. They arrive to us terrified of the other monkeys — not realizing that they are monkeys — but with time, they begin to make meaningful friendships, to groom and be groomed by their new friends. That is the best part of this work — we know we are making a difference in those animals’ lives. We want to end the exploitative practices that make our sanctuary necessary — in effect, putting ourselves out of business — but until then, we will provide a new life for those in need. And, we commit to providing that care for the rest of the animals’ lives.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or take away you learned from that?
I don’t know about “funny” mistakes, but the ones I have learned the most from stem from not asking for help when I’ve needed it. Ambition, reaching, and going outside of your comfort zone are important to growth, but so is knowing what you don’t know — and then finding someone who does.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Karen Deschere, my boss at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, gets all credit for shaping me into a leader. She taught me one of the most valuable lessons I needed: to see the gray between the black and white — that there isn’t always one right or wrong answer or a single path to success — and that to consider various perspectives and possibilities leads to better outcomes. She taught me the value of listening and giving credence to other viewpoints. She supported my career move, and when I left the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, she was my friend, and later we became colleagues on an executive level. I still remember the feeling when she first asked me for my advice. We were in close contact until she passed about a year ago.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- One of the most powerful things that everyone can do is examine our own actions and attitudes towards animals and the environment and make changes to live in a way that limits our negative impact on them. These might include small changes such as committing to avoid industries that exploit animals, such as circuses, zoos, and the exotic pet trade. Alternatively, it could be bolder lifestyle changes such as volunteering with an animal welfare or conservation nonprofit. Our potential for impact is limitless — we just need to take that first step.
- Politicians can support progressive bills that prohibit cruel or damaging practices. This might mean, at a state level, banning activities such as trapping or fur farming. At the federal level, this could include supporting important bills such as the Big Cat Public Safety Act, the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act, or the Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies (ProTECT) Act, which propose change to protect animals, the environment, and the public.
- Educating ourselves on issues that negatively impact animals and the environment and sharing what we learn with others is another powerful way to facilitate change. You can learn about the pressing issues that Born Free USA works on, and how you can use your voice for progress, by visiting our website and signing up for our email alerts.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
There are a number of case studies that show that sustainable operations benefit the bottom line, but I ask this: why should increasing the profit margin be the deciding factor in choosing to be a sustainable or environmentally friendly company? We have an ethical obligation to protect nature, source responsibly, and pay fair wages throughout the supply chain — not for the good of the company, but for the good of humanity and the Earth because it is the moral thing to do.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
- You don’t know everything, and you aren’t always right.
- Trust your gut.
- Know how and when to speak truth to power (that is, pick and choose your battles).
- Surround yourself with people who know more than you do and embrace what they have to offer.
- For women: be confident and assertive. Don’t be afraid of being called “bossy.” Stick up for yourself, insert your voice, and don’t let anyone push you aside. You will find a place that respects you.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Change happens when people take action. Identify the problem you want to help solve, and then do something about it. Maybe that is going to work for a nonprofit; or donating to a cause that speaks to you; or volunteering. Solving problems requires experts, donors, volunteers, and advocates. Find what works for you and then do it.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Don’t be a jerk.” Not to be flippant, but a great deal of the problems we have in this world would disappear if only people treated others — humans, animals, and nature — with compassion and respect… if people weren’t jerks! That mantra fits whether it is applied to the smallest personal situations or to the biggest global problems. It fits environmental, animal welfare, social justice, and just about anything.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would love to meet Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Not to lobby her for any legislation or discuss politics but learn from her. I would be interested to learn how she has navigated a predominately white male establishment to get to where she is, at a relatively young age, and without compromising her core values or giving up her voice. I’d also love to get her leadership advice and her thoughts on how to engage and activate younger generations.
How can our readers follow you online?
Readers can follow Born Free USA on Twitter (www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa), Facebook (www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/bornfreeusaorg). They can also visit our website to learn more about our work, read interesting articles about wildlife issues, and take action for animals at www.bornfreeusa.org.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Angela Grimes of Born Free USA: “One of the most powerful things that everyone can do is examine… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.