This Halloween, youth activists known as “The Ravens” with Portland-based nonprofit organization, The Raven Corps, will be distributing plant-based milks, Oatly and Ripple, in their school cafeterias and communities as well as educating others about dietary racism, food waste, animal cruelty, climate change, and other issues associated with the industrial dairy industry. The Ravens are especially focused on The National School Lunch Program (NSLP), given that dairy milk is the only readily available beverage option for millions of US students.

At a time when Congress has stalled on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization and the White House has just authorized $8 billion in new commitments in response to calls for action at their White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, it’s never been more important that the NSLP provide access to student, climate, and animal-friendly food and beverage options. Millions of students of color who rely on the NSLP are forced to take cow’s milk in their school cafeterias, despite evidence that communities of color have difficulty digesting lactose. The only way to access a soy alternative is by doctor’s note, a significant barrier for many families who rely on the NSLP. Beyond the obvious dietary racism concerns, it’s a well-known fact that milk is one of the most wasted food items in US cafeterias. The USDA found that 29% of milk in schools is thrown away, wasting approximately $300 million in taxpayer dollars.

The Ravens have a compelling opportunity to educate others about the various environmental preservation, animal protection, and social justice impacts of dairy milk, along with the lack of alternatives available to students. Ravens believe that students should, at minimum, have access to a nutritious, humane, and climate-friendly alternative with a parent’s note.

The Raven Corps is a one-of-a-kind organization with a sharp focus on multidimensional Vegan advocacy and a youth-led structure. Its prioritization of youth voices puts it at the forefront of an issue that significantly impacts their own demographic, millions of animals, and the viability of our planet. Most other organizations tackling this issue center parent and adult voices, and while the Ravens look forward to continued cooperation, they also understand the urgent position they inhabit as stakeholders in this issue.