Thank you for the welcome VA - it's really an honour to be here.
I have to say, you are the first public figure I know who has created a media outlet which successfully combines Atheism and Veganism; the rational combination perfectly executed. Bravo.
Okay, well fantasy aside: I come from an Italian/English culinary family, so as you can imagine, meat was a staple food for the household, considering my father owned his own restaurant. Although I never really felt an extreme requirement to eat dead animals, it was just a 'normality'. As a youngster I was always against the idea of wearing leather and fur, whilst also being strictly opposed to going hunting and generally exploiting animals for pleasure or fashion; but the dietary aspect wasn't in the forefront of my mind at this point, nor were the ethical issues surrounding meat consumption exposed.
I spent the majority of my youth on the outskirts of a small town, so farms, wilderness and animal sanctuaries were common; I indeed spent a significant amount of time attempting to bond with sheep, lambs, cattle and other classical farm animals. So I was always an animal person, feeling empathy and compassion, and seeing these creatures as fellow earthlings, yet, I can't believe to this day I was still eating them at that point. I was inadvertently conditioned by my parents to disassociate what was on the plate with where it came from, I failed to make that connection. I can remember my first Vegan moment though. It was whilst playing the classic
Oddword: Abe's Oddysee game. If you have not experienced this game, then read the first paragraph of this wiki -
http://oddworld.wikia.com/wiki/Abe%27s_Oddysee - which will explain exactly why it's significant in this context.
Anyway, with that history out of the way. I actually became vegan for selfish reasons, my health. At the pinnacle of teenhood I moved out from my parents house and to the city of London. I contracted some minor health problems (autoimmunity) regarding my skin, then was referred to some reading material by a friend which completely altered my perception of nutrition and the consumption of animal products; one notable book, which you have also advocated, was
'The China Study' by Dr T. Colin Campbell. After my introduction to
ignorant Veganism, I continued to research fiercely, becoming aware of the full spectrum of issues surrounding animal products, including all ethical, environmental and nutritional issues, my thirst for the truth was unrelenting. Subsequent to viewing the horror of animal consumption, my internal anguish was profound, but I did not stop to open my mind and force those blinders off - I felt like the fatal blow to my psyche awoke me from this coma I was in, sparking this sense of rebirth and awakening. From that point I knew I had to be an animal liberation activist for all eternity and I knew I had a greater purpose in life: to help others wake up from this dream state that I broke free from.
After the awakening, I went through a very depressive stage which a lot of people can empathise with, remembering my past years of animal consumption, which wreaked havoc in my moral core. This was the hardest part of it all, coming to terms with my past actions, and that my indoctrination was indirectly harming sentient beings all that time, and I was actively participating in this horror story. At first I felt this profound and ferocious anger for all the propaganda that was force fed into my psyche, conditioning me with false virtue and unparalleled disregard. I felt so stupid and mentally abused by society and my nurturing figures that I completely broke down and begged the animals around me for forgiveness. For the first time in my life, I felt a small sample of the pain and terror that these animals go through. It was only after a couple of years that I got my shit together and started to educate others on the matters that are now at the forefront of my mind: ethics and morality, with the subjects of health and environment as backup artillery fire.
I was never an apathetic person... It was only a matter of time before I discovered the truth.
Well, that is my story. I hope I didn't bore you, and provided some insight into my choice.