Today we’d like to introduce you to Yessica Henao.
Hi Yessica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Ovm sprouted from a conversation I was having with a great friend of mine Carol Melendez, she told me she was going to a vegan market in San Diego, California and there I had an aha! Moment, I said “there’s not an all-vegan market in Florida, we need to do this”. At that same moment, our friend Felicia Vestal walked in to meet us, she manages The Veranda venue and when we told her about our idea she wanted to be part of it. I’ve been vegan for four years and knew there was nothing like it in Orlando, we knew a few vegan vendors already, we contacted some more and they were all in with the idea. We started the market at the Veranda on August 28, 2019. Carol moved on to focus on other personal projects, Felicia and I are going strong with ovm now. Everything aligns when they are meant to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When Covid-19 restrictions hit in early 2020 many establishments and people were afraid to keep businesses open, many markets closed temporary, if I remember well, we closed only during three markets but decided we wanted to keep the community going with safety guidelines, we wanted our vendors to still thrive during that hardship and we wanted the community to still have a safe place where there could relax and be part of. Very few people disagreed with us keeping the market open but thankfully, we were able to rise up against all the odds and we didn’t have to shut down thanks to that.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a current UCF student graduating this fall 2021, my major is biology and minor in environmental studies. I’m passionate about wildlife conservation and that’s where my career is heading. I went vegan because it is aligned with my desire to protect not just wildlife but the environment, I’m passionate about veganism and for that reason, I try to promote that lifestyle everywhere I go (hence Orlando vegan market). My goal is to expand OVM and be able to show others that choosing a compassionate lifestyle is easier and more accessible than thought.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I grew up in Colombia so, my favorite childhood memory is playing outside with other kids, I didn’t grow up with lots of technology like modern children, so I loved getting myself dirty and running like a wild child, the earth was my playground.
Contact Info:
- Email: Orlandoveganmarket@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/orlandoveganmarket
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/OVMBABY/
