NBSV 232: Dominick Thompson on 40 nights in solitary, vegan activism, and life beyond the walls
After 230+ episodes, I have a new winner for the most interesting vegan origin story I've heard on this show. Dominick Thompson grew up on the west side of Chicago. He broke up dog fights as a kid, refused chicken wings at age eight because they looked like "little bitty arms," and then spent years dealing drugs to get his family out of poverty. That lifestyle landed him in federal prison, and in his first week there he got down on his knees, remembered that childhood moment, and gave up meat for good. That was about 25 years ago.
We talk about how a chess game ended in 40 nights in solitary, how Dom placed in the top ten at prison lift-offs while trading his meat for his cellmates' carbs, and how he went from ex-felon to healthcare executive to one of Instagram's earliest high-profile vegan men. We get into what social media has turned into, why being a real human online matters more than ever, and how his book Eat What Elephants Eat got its name.
Plus, Dom's story is now a feature film. Beyond the Walls is slated for release in winter 2027.
Important topics we discussed:
>> Activism as everyday behaviour: Education, being a "walking billboard," cooking content, and how you spend your money all count as activism.
>> Going meat-free with no label: Before social media or documentaries, Dom had never heard the word "vegan" and went vegetarian first, purely for ethical reasons.
>> In prison, Dom played chess for push-ups (rather than commissary), got hit from behind with a metal chair, had temporary amnesia, refused to name the attacker, and spent 40 nights in solitary.
Connect with Dominick:
>> Instagram links: Dom's personal account, Eat What Elephants Eat, and Beyond the Walls
>> Beyond the Walls website
Support the show on Patreon:
>> Keep the No-B.S. Vegan sponsorship- and ad-free, and get bonus content on Patreon!
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>> Comment on the episode's Facebook post.
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