Meet The Team: Eva von Jagow – Digital Marketing Manager

Meet some of the wonderful individuals behind We Animals in our ‘Meet the Team’ Q&A series. Each month throughout 2023 we’ll be publishing a new behind-the-scenes feature for you to learn about the folks at We Animals.

This month we spoke with our Digital Marketing Manager, Eva von Jagow.

What’s my background?

I studied Environmental Science at McGill University and minored in Indigenous Studies.

What I do at We Animals

I’m the Digital Marketing Manager! I manage all of our social media accounts and take on multimedia storytelling projects.

Favourite movie/book (or both)

My favourite book is always changing, but lately I’ve been enamoured with the works of Canadian author Mary Lawson. I love the way her simple prose can be so evocative. I also think everyone should read Watership Down by Richard Adams at least once in their lives.

Favourite snack

Hummus on anything and everything.

What I love about working at We Animals

I believe wholeheartedly that animal photojournalism is necessary, and I’m so honoured I can contribute to this growing and important field every day.
 
I know a lot of people revere We Animals, our photographers and the photojournalism work we do. But what people may not know is how incredible our leadership and work culture is. Every day I’m surrounded by the most brilliant, supportive, funny, kind and inspiring people, and it makes working at We Animals a dream job.

What I’ve learned about the animal advocacy movement since joining We Animals

There are so many reasons for hope. Before I became professionally involved with animal advocacy, animal agriculture and exploitative systems seemed just too powerful to be seriously challenged. Now, working amongst the brilliant minds who are enacting change, I know another world is possible.

How I like to spend my leisure time

Easy! I love to cook, spend time in nature and especially in water (all with a furry friend by my side.)

Something quirky about me people don’t know

I am mildly obsessed with chess. I usually try to play at least one game a day, and I love learning about game strategy. I’m still new to the game, but I’ll never say no to a match! And yes, this was entirely influenced by The Queen’s Gambit…

One We Animals image that has really stuck with me and why

There’s a photograph in Captive of eight North American Black Bears in the water. The bears are at Marineland in Ontario, Canada, waiting and begging for a french fry from a small child’s hand. I think about this photo often. And whenever I view it again, I’m always disturbed as if it’s the first time I’m seeing this scene.

Anyone who believes zoos offer any semblance of a life for the animal only has to look at this photograph of this apex predator to realize how we’ve entirely stripped them of their autonomy, dignity and what makes them them.

I love this photograph because there’s so much to see. More than anything, I notice the child’s hand throwing the french fry to the group of bears. To me, this child’s hand represents all the young people who visit zoos every day across the world, who are taught at some time in their lives by an adult that captivity is okay, that it’s normal.

Working at We Animals involves dealing with difficult subject matter on a regular basis. How I cope and my advice for others working in similar fields

It’s one of the true ironies of working in animal rights, isn’t it? It seems that those most disturbed by animal cruelty are the ones who must confront the violence most frequently.
 
Acknowledging the pain we feel when viewing these images is important. It’s easy to bury these feelings, and I admittedly used to do that. But our leadership team has helped us to cope with the imagery and manage the microtraumas we experience.

But quite simply, spending time outside in nature, away from a screen, moving and taking care of my body is what keeps my mind healthy.

Connect with me on We Animals’ social media!