Compassion Consortium Book Night with Elizabeth MeLampy's Forget the Camel

In this engaging virtual event, MeLampy—an environmental lawyer and passionate animal advocate—will share insights from her globe-spanning exploration of animal festivals. In Forget the Camel, Elizabeth MeLampy meets the groundhogs, butterflies, rattlesnakes, lobsters, sled dogs, and other creatures we use to build community, instill fear, and transmit meaning. Are these acts of reverence or exploitation? Why do we dress pigs in costumes, parade goats through town, or crown a queen at a frog-jumping contest? We'll dive into questions of tradition, identity, and empathy—and explore how compassion can guide us toward more mindful, respectful relationships with the non-human world. Her book invites us to reflect on how we treat animals in the name of culture and how we might reimagine celebration without exploitation. Elizabeth's grandmother, Elizabeth Atwood Lawrence began writing and documentation about animals and festivals and after she passed, Elizabeth retraced her steps to write this fascinating book exploring cultural traditions and ethical responsibility. This virtual event includes a lively talk, author Q&A, and meaningful conversation about empathy, culture, and the path to a more compassionate world.