Mary Max
{{Short description|American animal rights activist (1966–2019)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mary Max
| birth_name = Mary Balkin
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1966|10|20}}
| birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|06|09|1966|10|20}}
| death_place = New York City, New York, U.S.
| occupation = Animal rights activist
| spouse = {{marriage|Peter Max|1997}}
| alma_mater = Canisius College
}}
Mary Max (née Balkin; October 20, 1966 – June 9, 2019) was an American animal rights activist and wife of German-American pop artist Peter Max. She was a member of the board of directors of the Humane Society of the United States from 2005 until her death of apparent suicide in June 2019.{{cite press release| author=| title=Statement on Mary Balkin Max| url=https://www.humanesociety.org/news/statement-mary-balkin-max| publisher=Humane Society of the United States| date=June 11, 2019| access-date=July 5, 2019}}{{cite news| last=Otterman| first=Sharson| date=2019-06-11| title= Mary Max, Wife of Pop Artist Peter Max, Dies by Apparent Suicide| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/nyregion/mary-max-suicide.html| work= The New York Times| access-date=2019-07-05}}
VegNews, a magazine that promotes veganism, remembered her "tireless work [as a] relentless ambassador of animal rights."{{cite news| last1=Singer| first1=Jasmin| last2=Wolfson| first2=Marisa| date=2019-06-14| title=Respected Animal Activist Mary Max Has Died by Suicide| url=https://vegnews.com/2019/6/respected-animal-activist-mary-max-has-died-by-suicide| work=VegNews| access-date=2019-07-05}}
Early life and education
Max was born on October 20, 1966, in Buffalo, New York, to Ruth K. Balkin. She graduated from Nardin Academy, a private college-preparatory school, and attended Canisius College.{{cite news| author=| date=1997-07-14| title=Mrs. Max| url=https://buffalonews.com/1997/07/14/mrs-max/| work=The Buffalo News| access-date=July 6, 2019}}
Animal rights activism
Max became active in the animal rights movement after a conversation with Italian actress Isabella Rosellini, who told her about factory farming.{{cite news| last=Giffone| first=Lucille| date=2008-10-10| title=Every Animal is my Miss October (Continued)| url=http://greenpointnews.com/2008/10/10/every-animal-is-my-miss-october-continued/| work=The Greenpoint Gazette| access-date=2019-07-06}} By her death in June 2019, Max had become a well-known figure among animal activists in New York. For years, she wrote and distributed action alert emails that encouraged her readers to contact legislators about animal-friendly bills. She also hosted various fundraisers at her husband's studio to support legislators and politicians, including New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, and donated artwork and her personal jewelry for auctions that benefited animal rights.{{cite news| last=Grynbaum| first=Michael| date=2013-04-12| title=Early in Mayoral Battle, Carriage Horses Are Drawn Into| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/nyregion/animal-rights-becomes-surprise-topic-in-new-york-mayoral-race.html| work=The New York Times| access-date=2019-07-06}}
In 2001, she helped organize the Farm Sanctuary's first gala and later joined the organization's advisory council.
She was a founding member of the board of directors for the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, an organization that introduces plant-based foods and nutrition education to school communities, and joined the board of directors of the Humane Society of the United States.{{cite web| url=https://www.getvegucated.com/news/mary-max-tireless-advocate-for-animals/| title=Mary Max, Tireless Advocate for Animals| website=GetVegucated.com| access-date=2019-07-05}}> In 2005, Max co-founded Humane USA-PAC, a political action committee that promotes animal rights legislators in the United States. She then helped to launch Voters for Animal Rights to promote animal rights legislators in the state of New York.
In 2011, Max executive produced Vegucated, an American documentary film that explores the challenges of converting to a veganism diet.
Personal life
In 1996, she met renowned painter Peter Max, and the two married in 1997.{{cite news| last=Chozick| first=Amy| date=2019-05-28| title=Dementia Stopped Peter Max From Painting. For Some, That Spelled a Lucrative Opportunity| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/business/peter-max-dementia-cruise-ship-auctions.html| work=The New York Times| access-date=July 5, 2019}} Their wedding was officiated by New York City's then-mayor Rudy Giuliani.
She died by suicide (nitrogen asphyxiation) in June 2019.{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2019/06/11/mary-max-wife-of-famed-artist-peter-max-kills-herself-in-upper-west-side-apartment/ |title=Mary Max, wife of famed artist Peter Max, kills herself in Upper West Side apartment |first=Ben |last=Feuerherd |website=New York Post |date=June 11, 2019 |access-date=June 11, 2019}}
See also
References
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Category:American animal rights activists