Ever get totally lost when someone's talking about activism? Here's a list of commonly used words in the AR community and what they mean. 

AR - short for "Animal Rights" 

AV - short for "Anonymous for the Voiceless" 

Action - a specific activism event or activity, taken to achieve a particular goal or result, such as raising awareness about animal cruelty or advocating for animal rights. Actions can take many forms and can be targeted at a variety of audiences. 

Anonymous for the Voiceless (AV) - a grassroots animal rights organization that uses non-violent direct action to raise awareness about animal exploitation and promote veganism. AV was founded in 2014 in Melbourne, Australia, and has since grown to become a global network with chapters in cities around the world. You can learn more about AV and find a chapter near you at their website. 

AV is known for its "cube of truth" events, in which activists gather in a public place and form a square formation holding signs and screens showing footage of animal cruelty. The goal of these events is to educate the public about animal rights issues and encourage them to go vegan. AV also engages in other forms of activism, such as leafleting and online outreach, to promote animal rights and veganism.

AV is named after the hacktivist group "Anonymous," and adopts some of the group's tactics, such as wearing masks and using social media to spread their message. However, AV is a non-violent organization that does not engage in illegal activities. Its members are committed to using peaceful, legal means to promote animal rights and veganism. 

Carnist - a person who consumes animal products and subscribes to the ideology that it is acceptable to exploit and use animals for human benefit. 

Cube - short for "cube of truth" 

Cube of truth - a type of protest organized by the group Anonymous for the Voiceless, in which activists stand in a square formation holding "Truth" signs and screens showing footage of animal exploitation. The goal is to educate the public about animal rights issues and encourage them to go vegan. 

Demo - short for "demonstration," a public protest or display of support for a cause. Demos are often theatrical or dramatic in nature and may incorporate the use of costumes, masks, fake blood, and other props. Learn more here. 

Direct action - a type of activism that involves taking immediate action to achieve a specific goal, rather than relying on intermediaries or the political process. Examples of direct action include protests, strikes, boycotts, and civil disobedience. 

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) - a grassroots animal rights organization that uses non-violent direct action to expose and confront animal abuse. DxE was founded in 2013 in the San Francisco Bay Area, and has since grown to become a global network with chapters in cities around the world. You can learn more about DxE and find a chapter near you at their website. 

DxE engages in a variety of tactics to promote animal rights, including protests, open rescues (in which activists enter factory farms or other places where animals are being exploited to document and expose the conditions), and online outreach. DxE is known for its use of bold and confrontational tactics, such as disruptions of animal product industry events and public "die-ins" to protest animal cruelty. 

DxE - short for "Direct Action Everywhere" 

Open rescue - a public and transparent action in which animal rights activists enter places where animals are being exploited, document the conditions, and expose the abuse to the public while attempting to rescue one or multiple animals from the place of exploitation. Although both are carried out by animal rights organizations as a way to expose and confront animal abuse, open rescues differ from undercover investigations since they are strategically public and not conducted in secret. 

Organizer - a person who plans and coordinates events or activities, especially for a social or political cause. 

Sanctuary - a place where animals are protected and cared for, often specifically for animals who have been rescued from abuse or exploitation. 

Single issue campaign - a series of events or effort specifically focused on raising awareness about one issue or achieving one goal (as opposed to getting people to generally go vegan). For example: banning fur, ending horse racing, or shutting down SeaWorld. 

The public - the general population or community, as opposed to a particular group or organization. 

Vigil - an event activists attend where animals are being abused (usually at a slaughterhouse). Activists purposefully go to witness their pain and suffering. They may take photos and videos of the animals to share on social media; showing others the reality of animal abuse. Learn more here.