JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 6-year-old Jacksonville boy won the PETA Kids' 2017 Cutest Vegan Kids contest.
"I don't want to hurt animals. I can eat yummy vegan food without harming animals," Khendall Lester said.
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Khendall, who went vegan more than a year ago, has been attending protests since he was a toddler. He's gone to several different states to fight hunting, dog racing, the exploitation of orcas at Miami Seaquarium and SeaWorld, and the abuse of animals at Ringling Bros. and UniverSoul circuses.
He said he's been to the circus, but never inside.
"I only stay outside and protest," he said.
Khendall also recycles and picks up trash in an effort to keep it from ending up in the ocean, where it can harm marine life.
"I believe in being kind to all animals," he said. "All animals' lives matter, even the little ones."
"He may be only 6 years old, but Khendall Lester advocates for animals every chance he gets, from holding protest signs to filling trash bags," PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg said. "All of PETA Kids' finalists prove that even the littlest person can make a big difference for animals."
There were two winners -- one boy and one girl. Khendall was chosen boy to take home the top prize: a trophy, an animal-friendly prize pack and bragging rights.